#robert will dominate the world

[beatriceportinari]

i can't imagine madara having much respect for langdon but he would listen to his theories nonetheless

[cantsayidont]

Movies movies movies:

THE WITCH WHO CAME FROM THE SEA (1976): Disquieting, bloody psychological drama, directed by Matt Cimber (later the founder of G.L.O.W., and the basis for the "Sam Sylvia" character played by Marc Maron on the 2017–2019 G.L.O.W. TV series), about a disturbed young woman named Molly (Millie Perkins, wife of screenwriter Robert Thorn), whose horrifying history of childhood abuse causes her to sublimate sexual attraction into dissociative homicidal fits, when she isn't doting on her two young nephews or drinking herself into a haze. Vibes like an exploitation movie, but too arty and surreal to really qualify as one, and it doesn't ever feel quite like a horror movie despite the lurid subject matter; probably the closest comparison is Abel Ferrara's MS.45, with which it would make an apt double bill. Demands strong CWs for CSA and suicide, both of which are pretty rough, but it definitely makes an impression, perhaps most strikingly in the later scenes where Molly's seedy boss (Lonny Chapman) and bitchy coworker (Peggy Feury) begin to grasp how unhinged Molly has really become, leading to a disturbing finale. Too unsettling to easily recommend, hard to forget.

ALICE GOODBODY (1974): Lightweight, smutty exploitation movie, written, produced, and directed by Tom Scheuer, starring Sharon Kelly as a starstruck Hollywood waitress who loves old movies and movie stars (most of whom the people she meets in the industry have barely even heard of) and who is determined to get a small part in a new musical about Julius Caesar, even though it means sleeping with almost everyone in town. A kind of cheerful low-stakes sex comedy they don't make anymore: The situation is obviously sleazy, but not in any way that ever puts Alice in any particular jeopardy (she's in far more danger on set, where she keeps suffering different workplace accidents). The movie's central running joke is that the men whose favor she's supposed to be cultivating are at least as fixated on their own weird obsessions and neuroses as on sex, something Alice just has to sort of work around as best she can, which ends up making her sympathetic and even relatable. More likable than you'd think.

SPICE WORLD (1997): Delightfully dopey Girl Power homage to Richard Lester's A HARD DAY'S NIGHT, starring the Spice Girls, Richard E. Grant at his Richard E. Grantiest, and a cast of thousands. (Just picking out all the cameos and guest stars is half the fun.) This is what I think the Greta Gerwig BARBIE movie was going for: obviously a commercial product, and making no apologies for its mercantile ambitions, but self-aware enough and full of enough sly piss-taking to be thoroughly enjoyable even if you aren't in (or never had) a Spice Girls phase. Goes on a bit too long, but Grant's outfits alone are worth sticking it out for, and the bridge-jumping climax is very funny.

KALIFORNIA (1993): Mordant thriller starring a disconcertingly young-looking David Duchovny as Brian Kessler, a young writer who blows his advance for a new book about serial killers on an old convertible for him and his horny art photographer girlfriend Carrie Laughlin (Michelle Forbes, with disconcerting bangs) to drive across the country, photographing famous murder sites. Along the way, they pick up a couple of hitchhiking hicks, Early Grayce (Brad Pitt) and Adele Comers (Juliette Lewis), to help pay for gas, not realizing that Early is a paroled convict who's just murdered someone and has no qualms about dropping more bodies along the way. Tim Metcalfe's script (with obligatory '90s voiceover narration) scores some points early on in its depiction of Brian and Carrie's obvious classism and brittle middle-class hipster intellectualism, but the story ends up validating their prejudices rather than questioning them, which keeps the film from being entirely satisfying despite its effectiveness as a thriller. The cast is very good, with Pitt and Forbes the real standouts — Pitt plays Early as a man who draws no line between aw-shucks Southern congeniality and murderous rage, while Forbes makes Carrie's mix of ambition, appetite, and roiling intensity so vivid that you come away wondering what she's doing with Brian, who Duchovny plays as a somewhat gormless jackass. As for Lewis, suffice to say this would make an interesting double bill with NATURAL BORN KILLERS, released about a year later, where she plays a variation on the same damaged theme.

[thenerdsofcolor]

Hard NOC Life 345: Is the MCU Doomed to Repeat Itself?

Hard NOC Life takes a delayed look back at all the announcements from San Diego Comic-Con, including RDJ’s return to the MCU. Then, Dominic and Keith share what they liked and didn’t like about Deadpool & Wolverine before singing the praises of Prime Video’s Batman: Caped Crusader. https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/traffic.libsyn.com/thenerdsofcolor/HNL345.mp3 Continue reading Hard NOC Life…

[lizabethstucker]

The Mammoth Book of the End of the World edited by Mike Ashley

3.5 out of 5

A collection of twenty-four short stories and novellas exploring the destruction of civilization and/or the planet. The authors range from Golden Age giants to more modern ones. While the majority of the stories are reprints, there are a few original to this collection.

I've taken my time reading this chunky book which is reflected in the time taken from start to finish. I find collections like this work better for me when I dip in when I want something different from what else that I've been reading. However the stories are different enough to read through with no interruptions.

One of the better collections of this trope that I've read in many years. Only one story came in rated at less than 3 stars, an unusual situations with such a narrow focus and large number of stories. A few of my favorites include "When Sysadmins Ruled the World" by Cory Doctorow; "The Last Sunset" by Geoffrey A. Landis, particularly heart wrenching; and "And the Deep Blue Sea" by Elizabeth Bear.

If you love well written stories, consider picking this up. It is well worth your time.

[robertreich]

Who’s to Blame for Out-Of-Control Corporate Power?    

One man is especially to blame for why corporate power is out of control. And I knew him! He was my professor, then my boss. His name… Robert Bork.

Robert Bork was a notorious conservative who believed the only legitimate purpose of antitrust — that is, anti-monopoly — law is to lower prices for consumers, no matter how big corporations get. His philosophy came to dominate the federal courts and conservative economics.

I met him in 1971, when I took his antitrust class at Yale Law School. He was a large, imposing man, with a red beard and a perpetual scowl. He seemed impatient and bored with me and my classmates, who included Bill Clinton and Hillary Rodham, as we challenged him repeatedly on his antitrust views.

We argued with Bork that ever-expanding corporations had too much power. Not only could they undercut rivals with lower prices and suppress wages, but they were using their spoils to influence our politics with campaign contributions. Wasn’t this cause for greater antitrust enforcement?

He had a retort for everything. Undercutting rival businesses with lower prices was a good thing because consumers like lower prices. Suppressing wages didn’t matter because employees are always free to find better jobs. He argued that courts could not possibly measure political power, so why should that matter?

Even in my mid-20s, I knew this was hogwash.

But Bork’s ideology began to spread. A few years after I took his class, he wrote a book called The Antitrust Paradox summarizing his ideas. The book heavily influenced Ronald Reagan and later helped form a basic tenet of Reaganomics — the bogus theory that says government should get out of the way and allow corporations to do as they please, including growing as big and powerful as they want.

Despite our law school sparring, Bork later gave me a job in the Department of Justice when he was solicitor general for Gerald Ford. Even though we didn’t agree on much, I enjoyed his wry sense of humor. I respected his intellect. Hell, I even came to like him.

Once President Reagan appointed Bork as an appeals court judge, his rulings further dismantled antitrust. And while his later Supreme Court nomination failed, his influence over the courts continued to grow.  

Bork’s legacy is the enormous corporate power we see today, whether it’s Ticketmaster and Live Nation consolidating control over live performances, Kroger and Albertsons dominating the grocery market, or Amazon, Google, and Meta taking over the tech world.

It’s not just these high-profile companies either: in most industries, a handful of companies now control more of their markets than they did twenty years ago.

This corporate concentration costs the typical American household an estimated extra $5,000 per year. Companies have been able to jack up prices without losing customers to competitors because there is often no meaningful competition.

And huge corporations also have the power to suppress wages because workers have fewer employers from whom to get better jobs.

And how can we forget the massive flow of money these corporate giants are funneling into politics, rigging our democracy in their favor?

But the tide is beginning to turn under the Biden Administration. The Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission are fighting the monopolization of America in court, and proposing new merger guidelines to protect consumers, workers, and society.

It’s the implementation of the view that I and my law school classmates argued for back in the 1970s — one that sees corporate concentration as a problem that outweighs any theoretical benefits Bork claimed might exist.

Robert Bork would likely regard the Biden administration’s antitrust efforts with the same disdain he had for my arguments in his class all those years ago. But instead of a few outspoken law students, Bork’s philosophy is now being challenged by the full force of the federal government.

The public is waking up to the outsized power corporations wield over our economy and democracy. It’s about time.

[venussaidso]

𝐖𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐞: 𝙆𝙚𝙩𝙪-𝙍𝙖𝙝𝙪

The absorptive, fiery nature of Ketu natives creates a heavy magnetic field around them that can attract individuals who carry a darkness within them which I will be exploring through a number of film/TV characters in this short observation.

This heightened sensitivity to unseen realms makes these natives more likely to attract intense or obsessive individuals, which interestingly, happens to be other Ketu natives or even Rahuvians. These dark, twisted creatures seem to have this natural attraction or fascination to the Ketuvian, as if they were drawn to their void. Though Claire Nakti explored this theme already in her Mula series, the astrological influence of the Big Bad Wolf in Magha's arc in Red Riding Hood piqued my interest. It came as no surprise to me that both Ketu and Rahu are tied to the twisted, evil monster or human obsessed with the Magha or Mula native.

warnings: spoilers!, mentions of abuse, murder and domestic violence.

For example, in Shadow & Bone, a Magha Sun woman shares an intense, hypnotic connection with a Ketuvian man, the Darkling, who disguises his dark true intentions, preying on her deep need for belonging (as he recognizes that need within himself too). His dangerous obsession with her, along with his dark ambitions and twisted mind, reveal him to be the "big bad wolf" in her story.

The same thing happens in Penny Dreadful (right), in which a Magha ASC woman falls for a Ketu-ruled doctor who has an affection for animals, providing her care and understanding to her wild nature, only to be revealed to be the vampire, Dracula. The Magha native sees his storage room filled with hung dead bodies, a chilling symbol of his horrifying nature. He becomes increasingly obsessed with her, his predatory instincts getting into conflict with his feelings with her.

Also, the Darkling would have made a fine addition to my thread of the power-hungry, commanding Ketu archetype, seeing as he is characterized by his ruthless ambition and desire for power, seeking to dominate the world and willing to manipulate others in order to achieve his goals.

Anyways, back to the topic.

Much like in Penny Dreadful, in Marvel's Jessica Jones, the Magha Moon woman was initially drawn to the alluring facade of a Ketu man who used his powers of persuasion to captivate her. At first, she enjoys the thrill, but then she becomes consumed by his darkness. He turns out to be a monster. And even after escaping him, his obsession and infatuation with her increases, endangering those around her.

In Crimson Peak, Thomas Sharpe is played by a Ketuvian, epitomizing the archetype of a wolf in disguise through his charming demeanor and hidden malevolence. Captivated by a Magha Moon woman, he is a sweet and kind gentleman, though beneath this façade lies a manipulative and dangerous character. He attempts to isolate her, slowly revealing himself to be the predator.

This reminded me of the film Rebecca, where a Ketu man portrays himself as this charismatic and caring gentleman much like Thomas Sharpe. His nature reveals itself to be controlling and extremely manipulative.

Another Ketu-ruled character functions exactly the same in the series Big Little Lies, portrayed by the Magha stellium native Alexander Skarsgård, who is a charming yet abusive husband presenting a facade of the perfect family man.

While, of course, there are positive depictions of nodal pairings in fiction, the Ketu people are just generally prone to these obsessive, dangerous energies whether the evil force is Ketu as well or not. Much like Magha Moon Julia Roberts in the film Sleeping with the Enemy, who is trapped in an abusive relationship with every aspect of her life being controlled by her husband. She plans an escape, which calls to a theme of Ketu women running away from men especially; as her character has a lot in common with Jessica Jones, Vanessa Ives (Penny Dreadful), and even Edith Cushing (Crimson Peak). All Magha natives.

Another example I wanted to add is the movie Invisible Man, directed by Mula Moon Leigh Whannell, a film about a woman who escapes from her abusive relationship with a wealthy scientist, who happens to be played by Ardra Moon Oliver Jackson-Cohen.

As you've seen and will see in this thread of examples, these Ketu characters tend to be in intense relationships with other Ketu people, and also Rahuvians, being the center of their fixation or destructive obsession. In Phantom Thread, two Ketuvians are captivated with each other and fall into a twisted relationship, the Ketu man exhibiting obsessive tendencies as he becomes increasingly controlling and possessive over the Magha Moon woman.

Circling back to Red Riding Hood, the 2011 film, starring Magha Moon Amanda Seyfried, her father is played by a Ketu native. At first, he is shown to be the loving protective figure in her life, guiding her decisions and teaching her to be cautious of the world and its evils. But then, it is revealed that he was the werewolf all along who terrorized and killed the villagers.

In Scream, the Ketu woman is instead a Mula Moon native this time. She was dating the goofy and charismatic Ketuvian boy who turned out to be one of the killers and he ultimately planned her death.

And now, this time, we have a Rahuvian who played the wolf. He, just like his Ketuvian accomplice, is portrayed as initially harmless. He comes across as caring, trustworthy and reliable, especially to the other Mula Moon native who he was dating.

In the end, both the Ketu & Rahu killers unmask themselves as the "big bad wolves".

Mula Moon Reese Witherspoon was interestingly casted in three Ketu-coded films. Freeway, inspired by the Red Riding Hood tale, depicts a friendly stranger who's portrayed by a Ketu man, offering to help her when her car breaks down on her way to her grandma's, just as the wolf tries to deceive Red in the tale. Beneath his charming facade lies a predatory and dangerous nature, as he is revealed to be a serial killer.

It is also interesting that in the film, American Psycho, she plays a character who is unknowingly dating a serial killer, played by a Ketuvian man. The movie Beast stars a Mula Sun woman who also unknowingly dates a nodal-ruled serial killer.

Then in the film Fear, this time the illusory man is a Rahuvian. He is drawn to Mula native Reese Witherspoon's character, and his true dangerous, predatory nature starts to reveal itself. His infatuation with her turns into a sick obsession, leading to a sequence of violent events.

In Split, though the wolf isn't necessarily in disguise to predate, it is interesting that Ketuvians tend to play predator-&-prey to each other.

Like in The House That Jack Built, a Magha ASC woman exemplifies the theme of the wolf in sheep's clothing in the opening scene of the movie through the character named Jack. Jack is obviously played by a Ketuvian man.

When he picks her up as a hitchhiker, he presents himself as a charming and cultured individual, engaging in a seemingly normal conversation with her while masking his true violent nature. She triggers this hideous nature within him, and she acts a catalyst to his series of murders as she's his first victim.

It is important to remember that Ketu is still a shadow planet, both Ketu and Rahu highlighting the shadowy, illusory aspects of the wolf in sheep's clothing trickery.

In the film Creep 2, there's a nod to this Red Riding Hood-&-the Wolf dynamic as the Rahuvian serial killer is known for wearing a terrifying wolf mask. As expected, much like in Freeway, the nodal killer is fascinated with the Mula native who destroys him in the end.

And in the film Beast, a Rahuvian serial killer is attracted to the Mula native, and as they date each other, she finds out his true nature. She's able to debilitate him just so that she can end his life.

Ardra serial killer in Creep 2.

Similar to the Mula serial killer in Freeway, a Mula Moon serial killer, in Netflix's new film Don't Move, comes off as an extremely friendly, kind and helpful stranger who creates a safe space just to trap his victim. Another wolf in disguise played by a nodal man.

In the series You, a Mula Moon woman becomes an object of obsession for a Rahuvian man. She dates him not knowing of his truly sick, possessive nature until he destroys her.

It is interesting that another Mula Moon woman in the series is the one to go head-to-head with the nodal killer, deceiving him as she's the one to portray herself as the wolf in disguise just as he did too.

This is shown again in Once Upon a Time, in which Red Riding Hood, played by a Magha Sun woman, turns out to be the wolf after all. All this time, she's been unknowingly turning into a werewolf on a full moon, killing villagers in her wolf form.

In the series The Acolyte, Magha Sun Manny Jacinto plays Qimir who portrays himself as an unassuming, harmless smuggler and trader who appears to hold no grand ambitions. He uses a calm, almost alluring personality to create a sense of reliability, only to be revealed as the antagonist of the story in a murder spree scene as the Sith Lord.

Ardra Sun, Ardra Moon Wagner Moura voices the Big Bad Wolf (DEATH) in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.

Usually playing charming, sometimes sympathetic, evil or morally grey characters, nodal natives seem to fit into this archetype the best; as the shadow planets Rahu and Ketu come off as extremely magnetizing and illusory more than any other planetary type. This consuming quality they have makes them convincing to others with their lies and illusions, just as they are convincing as the scary monsters or captivating antiheros.

The character Kai Parker is played by an Ashwini Sun native in The Vampire Diaries. He feigns remorse and uses charm to hide his predatory intentions. His duplicity is shown when he pretends to bond with Bonnie, when they were trapped together in the 1994 prison world. He creates a false sense of safety around him only to then later reveal his true schemes. He does this a couple of times, evoking sympathy for a hidden agenda.

The character Loki could be fitting under this wolf in disguise archetype. In Thor (2011), he portrays himself as the underestimated younger brother, while quietly harbouring resentment for his brother and hiding his thirst for power. In the film, he not only backstabs Thor, but he ultimately leads Laufey to his death after striking an alliance with him (turned out to be one of his tricks).

This reminded me of Dr. Facilier, voiced by an Ashwini Moon native, who tricks and deceives Prince Naveen, seeking to gain power and control. He initially portrayed himself as a helpful ally, only to become another deceptive wolf in disguise.

And the character Ursula was played by a Magha Sun, Ardra Moon native in the Little Mermaid remake; she quite literally does the same as Dr Facilier to the naive Ariel who is portrayed by Mula Moon Halle Bailey. The cartoon version of Ursula is voiced by Ardra Moon Pat Carroll.

In Last Night in Soho, a Rahuvian man is portrayed to be suave and charismatic, luring an Ashwini native into his dangerous world which leads to her tragic victimization when his predatory manipulative nature is revealed.

In the 1991 film Deceived, a Mula ASC woman discovers that all this time she has been married to a literal wolf. It is revealed, after his death, that her husband killed a man whose name he took. Another twist is revealed that he faked his own death, and he comes after her. Her husband is Ketuvian himself, of course.

Another similar film, called Double Jeopardy, in which an Ashwini Sun woman discovers that her Rahuvian husband faked his own death just to frame her.

In the series Wilderness (2023), Ashwini Sun Jenna Coleman portrays a woman who's married to a deceitful Rahu man who turns out to be the opposite person of who she thought she fell in love with.

It is interesting, and ironic, as the one who is truly victimized by all of this is the Mula Sun woman that her husband was having an affair with. The Ashwini native becomes the wolf in disguise here when she deceives her husband back, and when she stalks and approaches the Mula woman, ultimately being the one behind her death.

Going back to the Ketuvian being obsessed with the Magha native, in this example, it is a Mula Moon, Ashwini Sun native being the object of obsession. In the Beauty & the Beast live-action, Gaston portrays himself as the quintessential hero, and it is his obsession with Belle that reveals his darkness.

His aggression and his resort to intimidation and manipulation to win her over highlights his cruelty and entitlement.

I may continue this with another nakshatra lord influence, as it seems that Moon nakshatra natives experience the same themes. As they already fill in the final girl archetype too, after Ketu nakshatras, it doesn't come as a surprise at all since all three planetary influences (Moon-Rahu-Ketu) made it into my vampirism post. It makes sense that these planetary types are linked to vampires, as vampires are illusory creatures who are known to mask their true predatory nature; fitting all too well in the wolf in disguise trope, as they are predators who appear human and can very well blend in normal society.

The song Haunted was sang by Amy Lee from Evanescence. She has Ketu in the 1H. She mentioned that the song was partly inspired by the concept of feeling watched or followed, which connects with her fascination for eerie themes and darker emotions. I find it fitting under my post as these Ketu-ruled natives attract stalkers, killers, and frightening creatures in their dangerously magnetic field.

More examples of this Ketu archetype, as I seem to have reached the picture limit.

And also. Found this Ketuvian analogy. So I'm right.

[ilovetoxicfictionalmen]

IGNITED

A KINKTOBER SPECIAL - MARKING WITH ROBERT CAPA

Pairing.| Robert Capa x fem!reader

Summary.| You ignite Robert’s jealousy and he has to remind you that you’re still his

Warnings.| Dubcon, hickies, biting, marking, p in v, rough sex.

Word count.| 1.2k

Notes.| I watched Sunshine once as a kid and it actually terrified me so I still haven’t rewatched it. Therefore all knowledge on him is by edits so this one really isn’t very detailed.

It was the way that Mace smiled at you, which ignited the jealousy in Capa’s body. The innocent graze of his rough fingertips, the deep chuckle as his eyes lingered over your bare skin, the obvious eye fuck session he had with you. Capa would always watch from a distance, his arms crossed over his chest, jaw clenched and eyes glued onto the way you reacted to his subtle advances.

There was no reason for him to be jealous, you were broken up, or on a break, the pair of you seem to be on different pages with that topic. Robert was indubitable that you guys would eventually sort out your differences. It felt like a punishment for you when you were both assigned for this mission, but the both of you agreed to act professionally as the world’s survival was a far greater issue than your relationship problems.

However, when he caught Mace practically pressed up against you, his arms snaked around your waist, he could have killed him. You blushed immediately and slipped out of his hold, your head hid in shame as you tried to get out of the scene as quickly as possible. For Mace, Capa gave a simple yet strong warning to stay away from you.

Even though everyone else was asleep by now, Robert was wide awake. Staring aimlessing at his ceiling, his chest rose and fell as he clicked his tongue, his finger tapped just below his chest. Fuck it, he needed to talk to you now, you guys needed to hash it out, he’d be completely unfocused until you resolved this. Robert slipped on a singlet and strode down the white halls.

“We need to talk” Capa muttered as he rudely entered your room, completely avoiding eye contact.

You scoffed under your breath and closed your door, the both of you stood firmly, staring each other off. Your hands moved onto your hips as you moved your head forward.

“Well!” you exclaimed, your voice grumpy, clearly from his unplanned arrival.

“Are you trying to sabotage my work?” Robert lectured as he swiped his hand in the air, he shook his head at the thought of you with Mace.

Without thought, you rolled your eyes at him and shook your head. “You’re such an insecure prick” you insulted, avoiding his gaze by picking up your dirty clothes off of the floor.

As you threw them into the hamper, his hand latched onto your forearm, you hissed at him and tried to snatch yourself free, but he held on tightly to you. Those beautiful blue eyes of his were fuel of rage, suspicion and lust. Capa yanked you towards him, the way he looked down at you made you feel so small and helpless.

“You’re still mine? You know that right?” Capa flared his white teeth, his tone dripping of possessiveness.

“No I’m not” you muttered as you lowered your head in embarrassment as you felt your core turn.

“What was that?” Robert snarled, his hand forced your chin back up. The grip hurt you but you tried to act unphased.

“Nothing” you spat as you tried to shake your head free of his hold.

But his grip tightened until you were whimpering out. Your hands shot up to his wrist, however, even though he was of a slim frame, his strength still dominated over yours.

“No, say it again, I want to hear you” Robert demanded, his face flushed with red. His eyes dared you to piss him off even more.

“Get out Robert-” you were cut off when Robert crashed his lips onto yours.

You whined into his mouth, hands flung out to whack against his chest. But Capa reacted swiftly, you were forced onto your back on the small single bed, his hips straddled you down as hands pinned your wrists on either side of your head. His erection pressed into your stomach as he kissed you roughly, his teeth dug into your plush lips.

Since your resistance was pointless, your body turned lump underneath him, Robert huffed out and inhaled deeply through his nose. Saying that he missed you was an understatement. Robert needed you like oxygen, like the sun. Living without you felt miserable, the only thing that would get him through everyday was still being able to see you. The two of you would sort out your differences, he just knew it.

“My girl, mine. No one else’s okay?” Capa stated, his tone warning you not to disobey his views.

You mumbled out as you nodded your head in agreement, a displeased look on your face. But you were obedient, most of the time anyways, the last thing you needed was a scene made in the middle of space. His hands grabbed onto your breasts through your singlet, he roughly tugged at your skin and grunted out. Capa needed to be buried inside of you as soon as possible.

As he roughly yanked your shorts down, you gasped out at the cold breeze. But his thick fingers brushed over your sensitive skin and you moaned out at impact. After he pulled his singlet off, he unzipped his shorts and mounted you, his lips attached to the skin of your neck as his hands worked to line his cock up.

To ease his distress, you were already dripping. It was easy for him to push his thick member inside of you, you mewled out, biting harshly onto your lower lip as your walls adjusted to him. It had been so long, your body missed Capa, craved him to relieve you.

As he buried himself fully, Robert exhaled out, his eyes fixated on your neck. The possessive traits took over his mind, he needed to mark you as his. Capa’s lips latched onto your neck, his teeth nibbled at your muscle as he hummed, his hips snapped back and forward harshly. You whined out, your hands tangled in his hair as your needy hips rocked for more friction.

Every few minutes Capa’s mouth would move over to a new spot. You held his body close to yours, your legs wrapped around his waist. The desperate need of stimulation clouded your judgment, you knew exactly what he was doing, fending off the other men from even looking in your direction. But this act of love sparked your arousal so large that it took over your body.

When your neck was covered in hickies and bite marks, Capa rasped out. He was close, by the way you were squeezing his aching cock, he knew you were as well. His fingers rolled over your clit and you whined out. The tip of his cock brushed against your cervix until the sounds of your orgasm coated moans filled his eyes, velvet walls squeezed as tightly as possible to milk him. Quickly, he followed after you, his body stilled as he gasped out in ecstasy.

“I love you, angel” he moaned out, his eyes rolled back as he rubbed his forehead against yours.

“Love you too” you sniffled, your body trembling from the aftermath of pleasure and the initial stage of regret.

Capa exhaled as his body molded on top of yours. He inhaled your sweet scent, finally his anxieties rested at bay. The warmth he gave you angered you, he was always so infuriating to be around, you hated him yet always wanted him by the end of the night.

“Can I stay in here tonight?” Robert murmured. His stubble teased at your skin as he nuzzled you like a cat.

“Yeah” you sighed as your hand rubbed over your fresh art piece of a neck.

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved on our archive (Thousands of reports, sources, and resources! Daily updates!)

By Robert Stevens

A COVID wave fuelled by the XEC variant is leading to hospitalisations throughout Britain.

According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the admission rate for patients testing positive for XEC stood at 4.5 per 100,000 people in the week to October 6—up significantly from 3.7 a week earlier. UKHSA described the spread as “alarming”.

Last week, Dr. Jamie Lopez Bernal, consultant epidemiologist at the UKHSA, noted of the spread of the new variant in Britain: “Our surveillance shows that where Covid cases are sequenced, around one in 10 are the ‘XEC’ lineage.”

The XEC variant, a combination of the KS.1.1 and KP.3.3 variants, was detected and recorded in Germany in June and has been found in at least 29 countries—including in at least 13 European nations and the 24 states within United States. According to a New Scientist article published last month, “The earliest cases of the variant occurred in Italy in May. However, these samples weren’t uploaded to an international database that tracks SARS-CoV-2 variants, called the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID), until September.”

The number of confirmed cases of XEC internationally exceeds 600 according to GISAID. This is likely an underestimation. Bhanu Bhatnagar at the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe noted that “not all countries consistently report data to GISAID, so the XEC variant is likely to be present in more countries”.

Another source, containing data up to September 28—the Outbreak.info genomic reports: scalable and dynamic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 variants and mutations—reports that there have been 1,115 XEC cases detected worldwide.

Within Europe, XEC was initially most widespread in France, accounting for around 21 percent of confirmed COVID samples. In Germany, it accounted for 15 percent of samples and 8 percent of sequenced samples, according to an assessment from Professor Francois Balloux at the University College London, cited in the New Scientist.

Within weeks of those comments the spread of XEC has been rapid. Just in Germany, it currently accounts for 43 percent of infections and is therefore predominant. Virologists estimate that XEC has around twice the growth advantage of KP.3.1.1 and will be the dominant variant in winter.

A number of articles have cited the comments made to the LA Times by Eric Topol, the Director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute in California. Topol warns that XEC is “just getting started”, “and that’s going to take many weeks, a couple months, before it really takes hold and starts to cause a wave. XEC is definitely taking charge. That does appear to be the next variant.”

A report in the Independent published Tuesday noted of the make-up of XEC, and its two parent subvariants: “KS.1.1 is a type of what’s commonly called a FLiRT variant. It is characterised by mutations in the building block molecules phenylalanine (F) altered to leucine (L), and arginine (R) to threonine (T) on the spike protein that the virus uses to attach to human cells.

“The second omicron subvariant KP.3.3 belongs to the category FLuQE where the amino acid glutamine (Q) is mutated to glutamic acid (E) on the spike protein, making its binding to human cells more effective.”

Covid cases are on the rise across the UK, with recent data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) indicating a 21.6 percent increase in cases in England within a week.

There is no doubt that the spread of XEC virus contributed to an increase in COVID cases and deaths in Britain. In the week to September 25, there were 2,797 reported cases—an increase of 530 from the previous week. In the week to September 20 there was a 50 percent increase in COVID-related deaths in England, with 134 fatalities reported.

According to the latest data, the North East of England is witnessing the highest rate of people being hospitalised, with 8.12 people per 100,000 requiring treatment.

Virologist Dr. Stephen Griffin of the University of Leeds has been an active communicator of the science and statistics of the virus on various public platforms and social media since the start of the pandemic. He was active in various UK government committees during the height of the COVID-19. In March 2022, he gave an interview to the World Socialist Web Site.

This week Griffin spoke to the i newspaper on the continuing danger of allowing the untrammelled spread of XEC and COVID in general. “The problem with COVID is that it evolves so quickly,” he said.

He warned, “We can either increase our immunity by making better vaccines or increasing our vaccine coverage, or we can slow the virus down with interventions, such as improving indoor air quality. But we’re not doing those things.”

“Its evolutionary rate is something like three or four times faster than that of the fastest seasonal flu. So you’ve got this constant change in the virus, which accelerates the number of susceptible people.

“It’s creating its own new pool of susceptibles every time it changes to something that’s ‘immune evasive’. Every one of these subvariants is distinct enough that a whole swathe of people are no longer immune to it and it can infect them. That’s why you see this constant undulatory pattern which doesn’t look seasonal at all.”

There are no mitigations in place in Britain, as is the case internationally, to stop the spread of this virus. Advice for those with COVID symptoms is to stay at home and limit contact with others for just five days. The National Health Service advises, “You can go back to your normal activities when you feel better or do not have a high temperature”, despite the fact that the person may well still be infectious. Families are advised that children with symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat, or mild cough can still “go to school or childcare' if they feel well enough.

The detection and rapid spread of new variants disproves the lies of governments that the pandemic is long over and COVID-19 should be treated no differently to influenza.

Deaths due to COVID in the UK rose above 244,000 by the end of September. It is only a matter of time before an even deadlier variant emerges. Last month, Sir Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, told the ongoing public inquiry into COVID-19 “We have to assume a future pandemic on this scale [the global pandemic which began in 2020] will occur… That’s a certainty.”

[probablyasocialecologist]

According to a first of its kind study on “corporate carbon damages”, firms would lose 44% of their profits if they had to pay for the damages attributable to their climate pollution. When one of the researchers was asked what the total amount in dollars would be for such damages, co-author Christian Leuz revealed that “At $190 [the U.S. EPA’s current cost per ton of carbon], the utility industry averaged damages more than twice its profits. Materials manufacturing, energy and transportation industries all had average damages that exceeded their profits.” An additional analysis from 2013 that focused on pricing in environmental externalities came to a similar conclusion that does not bode well for “climate capitalism.” Influential climate analyst David Roberts, writing for Grist at the time, concludes: “Of the top 20 region-sectors ranked by environmental impacts, none would be profitable if environmental costs were fully integrated. Ponder that for a moment: None of the world’s top industrial sectors would be profitable if they were paying their full freight. Zero.” Not paying for the damages their production systems cause — what are often called “externalities” — whether related to the health of people or the sustainability of ecosystems, has been a way for capitalism to escape a falling rate of profit and maintain its dominance despites its obvious damage to people and biosphere.

Andrew Ahern, Making Graphs to Flatter the Global Elite

[the-girl-wh0-cries-w0lf]

You're waiting for a train...

Robert Fischer x Cobbs Daughter!reader

*COMPLETED*

*This will follow the plot of the 2010 film 'Inception'*

description - Y/n, the daughter of the thief Dominic Cobb and the late Mal Cobb, joined her father on the run. Knowing her fathers innocence, she couldn't bear to be without him, so she gave up on her architecture degree and followed him into the world of dreams. They do jobs together and, even though Cobb worries about the amount of danger he's putting her in, he'd rather her be with him in the dreams rather than on the outside carrying his name like a brand. In the latest job they are given, Cobb searches to find peace and Y/n is confronted with a man who tugs on her heart and infiltrates her dreams.

*reader is 20*

a/n - welcome to my first multi-chapter fic and it is with a character from the talented Cillian Murphy! I watched Oppenheimer the other day, so I've been rewatching his filmography and I obviously came back to Inception. Inception is hands down my favourite film and I think it was this performance that put Cillian on the map as an actor of tremendous talent!

a/n 2 - each chapter will have it's own warnings but the general ones are SPOILERS! (also should there be a taglist for this?)

Series Word Count - 37k

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"You mustn't be afraid to dream a little bigger darling."

A Leap of Faith

To Build Cathedrals

Meeting Your Mark

Painted Windmill

A Lesson in Planning

Conscience Makes Cowards of Us All

Damsel in Distress

A Son's First Hero; A Daughter's First Love

Mr Charles and Miss Nobody

You Knew?

Go To Sleep, Miss Y/n

Couldn't Someone Have Dreamed of a Goddamn Beach?

Lies Are Weak Foundations

The Kick

Come Back To Reality

I Dreamed We’d Grow Old Together

[everpresence]

stop caring about what others think: the law perspective

hi, everyone! ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡

i've thought about writing this post for a while, especially since this is a mindset that i am freeing myself from. i know i'm not the only one who grew up in the state of being a people pleaser, so this is for people who were programmed to neglect their own desires and give in to pressure from family, friends, and society.

the other day, my mom noticed that i had a really long gray strand of hair. i didn't believe her at first, but when she pulled it out and showed it to me, i was shocked. it looked like it had been there for months, and i wondered to myself what i did for this to happen.

seth said that your physical body is a reflection of your beliefs, or your dominant dwelling state. if you notice that there is something "wrong" with your body, then you must first look into your thoughts and emotions over the last few weeks, months, etc.

Physical symptoms are communications from the inner self, indications that we are making mental errors of one kind or another. ♡ Seth (channeled by Jane Roberts), The Seth Material

after seeing that gray hair, i knew that it was because of stress. okay, what was i stressed about? i started looking back into what i had dwelt on over the last few months, and i realized that i was stressed out about a lot of things. what stood out, though, was my inner conversations about my family. i was mainly dwelling on what my family thought of me, whether i was worthy of their approval or not, if they were proud of me, etc.

in other words, i cared way too much about how they think and feel about me that it had translated to not only having that long gray strand of hair, it also translated to other physical symptoms (chronic fatigue, chest pain, rashes).

and not only did it translate to those physical symptoms, it also translated to my thoughts, emotions, and the events i was experiencing in the 3D. in other words, everything out here is a reflection of your inner state of being. the cause is always inner.

i found myself feeling more anxious about talking to my parents, wishing that they didn't bring up anything that i really don't want to do. i even avoided them for a certain period of time because of this fear. and since the law is always working 24/7, they ended up bringing it up way more often since i frequently dwelt on what i don't want to hear.

thankfully, though, if i decide to do the opposite (i.e., dwelling on what i want to hear instead), then the 3D has no choice but to outpicture what i choose to experience with my inner senses.

when you consistently dwell on people pleasing, on your fears and doubts about your family, peers, etc., these are all going to be translated into your thoughts, your emotions, your physical body, your experience—everything.

when you care too much about what other people think, when you consent to someone else's limiting beliefs about reality, when you care about external validation, it is only hindering your infinite potential. you are only going to experience such limitations and unhappiness in your reality because you chose to try to fit into someone else's box.

As long as you're in a state of consciousness where you care so much what other people think and what their attitudes will be, you're not going to get very far. ♡ Reverend Ike, "Your Unconscious Fear of Success Affirmation"

i am not saying this as a way to fearmonger, or to blame, or to guilt-trip you. that's not my intention.

i am saying this for you to fully realize the connection between your inner world and your outer world.

nothing is random. nothing is an accident. you are always getting what you concentrated upon, and therefore, you ultimately have the responsibility to choose what reality you want to experience.

you're the only one that can free yourself from these states. no one else can do that for you.

the more you focus on being true to yourself, the more you shift your focus from making other people happy to letting yourself be happy, the more you're going to experience the happiness that comes with the authenticity of your unique being.

yes, it might feel hard to do so at first, but that's because we have made a habit out of wanting to please other people and being rewarded with external validation. it is what we have gotten used to since the beginning of our lives.

however, if you want to be the best version of yourself, you must give up all inner conversations about what other people think of you, that what they think about you matters. stop the arguments in your head. their thoughts and opinions about you have no power over you unless you choose to give it to them. it only matters what you think and feel about yourself.

your inner world is your refuge, where every single reality you desire to experience and is already promised to you exists in this present moment. everything is happening all at once. here, you can experience how it'd feel now that you are free to be yourself, to do whatever you want, to be unconditionally loved and accepted no matter what. you must make this a habit, and the more often you do this, the easier it gets.

I must consciously return to my new state constantly. I must feel its naturalness, like my own bed at night. At first the new state seems unnatural, like wearing a new suit or hat. Although no one knows your suit is new, you are so conscious of it you think everyone is looking at you. You are aware of its fit and its feeling until it becomes comfortable. So it is with your new state. At first you are conscious of its strangeness; but with regular wearing, the new state becomes comfortable, and its naturalness causes you to constantly return to it, thereby making it real. ♡ Neville Goddard, "The Perfect Image"

if you find yourself going back to those old inner conversations, don't beat yourself up over it. don't criticize yourself. it's okay. consciousness is the only reality, but you are also having a human experience. you are on your own journey, and this is completely normal. be gentle with yourself and let those thoughts and emotions pass over, as they are only temporary. then choose to continue to let yourself dwell on who you really want to be within.

to wrap this post up, i have a song recommendation :]

i stumbled upon this song on spotify by paris hilton which features rina sawayama (I LOVE HER BTW RAHHHHHH). perhaps the lyrics will resonate with you guys and allow yourselves to enter the feeling of being your authentic self.

[keepthedelta]

what would you consider Rosberg's best race? (wanna hear people wax poetic about their special interest)

it's going to be a list because i am weird about nico

singapore 2016. an absolutely dominate weekend for him, fastest in every single session, outqualified lewis by 7 tenths (and danny ric by 6) setting what was (at the time) a track record. spent the entire race managing brake and engine issues, got screwed over by merc strategy when they were trying to get lewis back onto the podium after he got overtaken by kimi, had to make his tyres last an extra 20 laps with danny ric chasing him down 2-4 seconds a lap faster than him. won the race and then posted a slutty shirtless photo of him being cooled down by a fan in what could be considered the ancestor of the ice bath videos that teams post now.

canada 2014. a real contender for my favourite ever nico race even though he didn't win. both merc cars had mgu-h failure about 20-30 laps in thereby losing half of their power. nico switched brake bias to the front brakes so that less strain would be put on the rear brakes because on the lack of power and potential overheating. about five laps later lewis dnfs with rear brake failure. nico should have been overtaken by just about everybody, but instead he spends the next 30 laps using all of his power and speed in one specific sector (the one with the drs detection point) so that checo (now in second) is too far behind to get drs, and then, even though nico's car is barely alive for the rest of the lap, he can never overtake him. it literally took checo's car breaking down and allowing danny ric (now driving the best car in the field) for nico to lose the win. the mechanical masterclass of modern f1 (and yes it might not have worked at another track or i f someone other than checo had been in second, but i firmly believe that the lowest nico could have ever come given the circumstances was third) and it is not appreciated enough.

china 2012. i rewatched this recently and literally no one believed that nico was going to win until about five laps before the end. he was driving one of the world's shittiest mercs (i promise every single merc pre-2013 was worse than any car since then), got pole by half a second, got a perfect start, flawless tyre management, cruised to victory while everyone else was fighting for their lives behind him (the battle for second was absolutely insane, and nico was just minding his own business about 15 seconds ahead of them all).

singapore 2008. crashgate has entered the building. back then cars refuelled during the race and so another factor in the strategies was fuel load. nico and a number of others were running low initial fuel loads, so they would have to stop relatively early. except, just before they were going to stop, nelson piquet jr binned it into the wall (on purpose) and the stewards closed the pitlane for safety reasons. however, nico and the others on similar strategies needed to refuel so they had to enter the pitlane anyway which earned them a stop and go penalty which had to be served within three laps. nico did those laps as fast as he possibly could, meaning that after he served his penalty he only lost a handful of places (i think 3). robert kubica who also took a stop and go penalty on the exact same lap for the exact same reason (and was in a better car) lost far more places and i don't think he even finished in the points. nico spent the rest of the race rising up the field and finished second only to fernando (who got there by cheating) with lewis in a distant third (tbf i don't think he needed to try that hard by the end as he got a massive points gain over felipe massa his championship competition due to the ferrari pitlane incident).

malaysia 2016. casuals will tell you that this is the race where lewis lost the championship because of his dnf (and if you're a lh hater i recommend watching it because the level of conspiracy that emerges from lewis and sky sports is genuinely quite funny) but i think that's very misleading. in the very first turn seb crashed into nico, spinning him around and leaving him in dead last by the end of the first lap. nico fought through the field, pulled off a rallycross overtake on kimi, got a penalty for it, and was already sitting in fourth when lewis's engine blew up. he then pulled a ten second gap over kimi so that he kept his podium place, got danny ric to make max do a shoey, nearly threw up when he did one himself, told a room full of reporters that he didn't want danny ric to win another race (that year) and filmed one of the funniest ever post-race vlogs where he fidgeted with the neckline of his t-shirt while describing how seb had apologised to him for the crash and that was nice but it didn't get him any points back. truly iconic.

there is definitely a running theme in these choices i think. mostly that i think nico was at his best when he was fighting against the potential capabilities of the car/circuit/circumstances rather than other drivers 🤷🏿‍♀️

[say-al0e]

Starlight

Rating: PG

Summary: As your back seater, you trusted Bob with your life. He was the one person you could tell anything. He cared enough to listen and did what he could to ease your anxiety. He knows something's wrong but he couldn't imagine the birdstrike made you consider feelings you thought were better left buried. [Ft. "It's you, it's always been you, it always will be you." + "I'm so in love with you and you don't even notice." "...you're in love with me?" Requested by Anon ages ago - sorry!] Warnings: Anxiety, mentions of work related injury (birdstrike), brief mention of sexism in the workplace. Pairing: Robert 'Bob' Floyd x fem!Reader (Pilot!Reader) Word Count: 3.8k  Top Gun Taglist | Top Gun Masterlist

Robert Floyd knew what it was like to be anxious. He spent his fair share of days in a suspended state of fight or flight, really only relaxed when he was in the air - a contradiction, he knew, but being strapped into his seat with nothing but the blue expanse of sky stretching before him was comforting in a way he couldn’t quite understand.

Anxiety was something he knew all too well but he knew you, too. Over the years, Bob had learned to read you better than the most well-loved book on his shelf. The little tells that everyone else missed - the downward curve of your mouth, the slump of your shoulders, the uneven measure of your breathing - never escaped his notice.

It was easy to guess that the measure of comfort, the ease with which he read you, came from your proximity. As your back seater, Bob spent more time with you than anyone else. He was trained to notice things, to anticipate the next move, to read a few lines ahead, and you - your moods, your tells, your general being - were at the top of the list of things he noticed.

For better or for worse, good day or bad, Bob could tell with a single look.

There was no hiding from Bob, not that you even tried anymore, and there was never any surprise that he saw the signs of your anxiety immediately.

The moment you stepped into his room - fingers trembling, lashes fluttering as you blinked just a little too quick, breath coming in a little too shallow - he knew. There was no point in trying to hide it, no use in pretending that it was anything other than anxiety. Bob could see right through you by now.

Way back when, when he first realized that you were just as anxious as him and lived in that same state of suspended fight or flight, he’d asked what helped.

For Bob, it was music. Very few people knew he enjoyed playing guitar - even fewer had ever heard him play to know that he was good at it - but when he found himself lost in thought, crippled by an anxiety that left him nauseous, he took a few moments to sit and strum away. His vinyl collection remained back home, waiting for the day he moved into a place that he could really make his own, but when playing guitar didn’t work, he still turned on the playlist he made specifically for moments of anxiety and let himself get lost in the music.

Bob remembered the look on your face when you admitted that you had no idea. That frown - a little confused, curious as to why he even asked; a lot upset, crushed that you had no idea how to help yourself after spending your life almost hyper independent - and the way you nearly refused to meet his eyes, intently staring at the stained carpet of his bedroom floor, remained seared into his memory.

Before him, there’d been no one to acknowledge your feelings. Growing up, you were always the tough one. In the Naval Academy, and at Top Gun, you pushed yourself to be the best - eager to be taken seriously in a world dominated by men. Outwardly, everyone saw you as the strong one; the one that was capable of pushing through, no matter the circumstances. 

Before him, no one cared enough to truly look and see beyond the facade. If they noticed, no one ever really cared enough to try and help. Before him, each time you felt anxious - chest aching, lungs tight, heart racing, skin prickling - you isolated yourself.

Dealing with the problem on your own was easier when there was no additional disappointment caused by another’s apathy.

Bob, however, cared.

If you told him that isolation really helped - truly meant it, really needed time alone to gather yourself, to pick apart the pieces of your panic and put yourself back together again - he would’ve gladly given you space. But that wasn’t the case and Bob knew that.

At first, he had no idea how to help, but he knew that leaving you alone wasn’t the way too go about things. No matter how hard you tried to push him away - something he was thankful you no longer tried to do.

And after a great deal of trial and error, he helped you figure out what worked best.

Instead of allowing you to step further inside, Bob was on his feet and reaching for his keys and jacket the second he caught sight of your face. He could see the glass of your eyes, the far-off stare as you willed yourself not to fall apart. And despite the blistering heat outside, he could see the way shivers racked your body.

Without a second thought, he draped the soft fabric over your shoulders. It was light but it served as a weight against your skin, a sort of tether to reality, as he guided you out of his room.

Warmth bled from his palms, seeped through the fabric and into your skin as he placed a hand at the middle of your back, and his mouth curved into a soft frown as you leaned into the touch. It wasn’t as exceedingly rare as it seemed that first time - way back when, before Bob knew whether your partnership would work, before he was comfortable enough with you as a friend to really allow himself to fall for you - but you really only leaned in like that when you were so far in your head that he wondered just what sent you spiraling.

Bob wasted no time wondering, however. “C’mon,” he urged gently, voice quiet and soft in a way it always seemed to go in moments like this. “Let’s go for a drive.”

As he guided you out of the building, he kept closer than he usually stood - only a fraction of an inch between you, close enough to feel the warmth radiating off his body and the shivers racking yours - and squeezed your shoulder gently as he opened the passenger door. Soft brown eyes, wide and searching, met yours as you climbed in.

When you offered him the ghost of a smile, watery and in no way reaching your eyes, he returned it as best as he could - encouraging, soft, easy - and mumbled a quiet, “It’s okay,” before rounding the vehicle.

There was no need to ask where he was taking you. This had become an increasingly regular occurrence - a byproduct of the stress of work and life, family and all their endless frustration, all settling heavy on your chest - so you wrapped the soft fabric of his sweatshirt tighter around your body. The warmth mattered little, even as Bob turned on the heat despite his own discomfort, as you inhaled deeply.

The jacket smelled of him - the soft, clean scent of his shampoo; the woody, citrus scent of his cologne; acrid jet fuel, achingly familiar, that managed to permeate every item either of you owned - and it calmed your heart, if only slightly. Though it was light, the added weight helped, pressed on your shoulders and eased the tremors in your limbs, as Bob slowly maneuvered the streets.

Doe eyes flickered between you and the road occasionally, soft brown reflecting orange streetlights and glittering with a concern you only really saw directed at you. Bob cared about a lot of things - his friends, his family, his job - and was anxious about even more. But he really only worried about you these days.

Bob never voiced it aloud, never said it in so many words, but you knew. Everyone knew. There was very little fragile about you - he knew that, had seen you take charge on more than one occasion; regularly watched you hold your own with men like Hangman, men who somehow managed to be worse than Hangman ever thought about being - but he still worried.

Outwardly, the pair of you could’t seem anymore different. Bob relegated himself to the shadows, allowed the world to spin without throwing himself right into the center of it all. You never sought attention but, somehow, always seemed to garner it without so much as the blink of an eye. Not that he blamed anyone for focusing on you, he was guilty of it, too, most days.

But he knew that you shared more similarities than differences.

Long years, left out and forgotten, invisible to nearly everyone else; less than stellar childhoods, spent building fantasies that had yet to come to pass as a means of protecting yourselves; years of service, marked by exemplary records and commendations, even through relative silence.

If anyone could really understand what you felt, the anxiety that all too often plagued you, the root of what really kept you up at night, it was Bob.

As buildings rushed by, passed in a blur of shadows and orange streetlights, you busied yourself with a fraying thread at the cuff of his jacket. Though silence was not unusual, this was heavier than normal - nearly suffocating, without the usual comfort, lacking the distinct feeling of home that so often came with spending time together - but breaking it was the last thing on either of your minds.

Bob would never push, would never make you speak before you were ready, and knew that you were one of the few who truly appreciated his ability to remain a quiet, steady force as he navigated the familiar course through town.

The beach wasn’t a place either of you frequented - sun and sand and a preening Hangman didn’t top either of your lists of favorite things - and before being stationed in California, he could count on one hand the number of times he’d stepped foot on one. There wasn’t really much there for either of you but Bob had discovered one thing about the beach that managed to help your anxiety.

Sitting in the sand, cloaked in the soft light of the moon, as you listened to the crashing of waves made it easier for you to catch your breath. Watching the twinkling lights of distant stars, planets, passing planes - sometimes pointing them out, others just watching in silence - brought your heart rate down and stopped the tingling in the tips of your fingers.

Neither of you expected the beach to be the place you found solace but Bob had no intention of questioning something that helped you return to yourself.

Arriving at the beach meant following a familiar routine. Bob parked, grabbed an oversized towel from the backseat floorboard, and spared you a final cursory glance before climbing out to open your door for you.  He guided you, with a hand at the middle of your back - always so respectful, always careful not to dip too low - along the wooden path down to the sand before stopping and helping you remove your shoes.

When you settled in the sand, close enough to the water to feel the occasional spray of sea air but far enough ashore to remain out of reach, he always returned his full attention to you.

Sometimes, Bob asked if you wanted to talk. He never pushed, was never one to swear getting whatever it was off your chest would make you feel better - he knew from experience that it wouldn’t, not always -, but he always offered to listen. However, more often than not, you refused his request with one of your own.

“Can you talk? Doesn’t really matter what you say.”

The words were always spoken softly, nearly lost in the crashing of waves, but this was routine now. It didn’t really matter if he heard the words or not, he could see the request in the curve of your mouth - in the way your eyes glittered with unshed tears as you glanced at him from beneath your lashes.

That request was always followed by an even quieter, “Your voice helps.” While Bob wasn’t known for being the most talkative, he swore he’d spend the rest of his life speaking, just for you.

When you first made that request, he nearly asked you why. His voice wasn’t one people sought out, wasn’t one people cared to pay much attention to. But for some reason, you seemed to find comfort in it - in him - and the thought warmed his heart more than he cared to admit.

Bob never really let himself think too much about any of it, though, not where you were concerned. If he allowed himself that indulgence, he knew it would be glaringly obvious how he felt. There would be no denying just how deep his feelings for you ran, no denying that he’d known about those feelings since that first night at the beach. But most of all, there would be no denying that he was desperate to do anything and everything to make you happy.

There wasn’t a world in which Bob could see you returning his feelings - not just because of your jobs, not just because your lives were so thoroughly intertwined at this point that your inevitable rejection would destroy the effortless working relationship you’d built - so he kept them buried down deep.

It didn’t help to know that he wasn’t the only one who’d found you immediately alluring. Still, he’d witnessed you turn down Fanboy, Rooster, and Hangman in rapid succession - something that dashed any remaining sliver of hope that you could ever want him.

Regardless, the more time he spent with you, the better he got to know you, the deeper his feelings ran. You allowed him to catch glimpses that no one else ever got the privilege of seeing, allowed him a look at the inner workings of your mind. You let your guard down around him, gave him an intimate look at the person behind the bravado you felt necessary to survive in this world, and he was grateful for every glimpse.

As desperate as he sometimes felt to put a little distance between you outside of the cockpit, Bob knew that he couldn’t stand it. Not when he was the one you turned to, not when you seemed to find such comfort in him. So, he did as you asked.

“My grandma called this morning,” he began, voice quiet so as to avoid shattering the peace that surrounded you both. “She said it snowed yesterday and threatened to hang up on me when I told her it’s been seventy-five and sunny here every day.”

From the corner of his eye, Bob could see the ghost of a smile lift the corner of your mouth. A soft exhale, something that resembled quiet laughter, escaped and he began to smile a little himself. You’d had the joy of meeting his grandmother on her last visit - asked about her just as often as she asked about you - and loved to hear stories of her more than anything.

“The neighbor’s cows got into her yard again, trampled what was left of her flowers. Mr. Abbott, down the road, said he’d come fix her fence when the snow clears so it won’t happen again and his wife promised to help replant her flowers so she’s not too upset, I guess.”

Bob held his breath as you shifted closer, rested your head on his shoulder and hummed thoughtfully, but willed his heartbeat to remain steady as he swallowed. “Lizzy’s supposed to have her baby in a few weeks. She told me to tell you thanks for the gift.”

Another soft hum, this one a little more lively than the last, reverberated through his skin as you acknowledged his sister’s gratitude. “Glad she liked it.”

“Think she’s got pretty much everything she could need now. Can barely get in the baby’s room,” he confided, laughing lightly as he glanced out at the still ocean. “Grandma said they’re gonna have to store some stuff at her house, until they need it.”

A brief quiet fell over the pair of you then as you attempted to focus on your breathing while Bob made a conscious effort to keep his hands from shaking as he dusted sand from his palms. This was in no way new. In fact, he should’ve expected it - the quiet, the close proximity, the scent of your shampoo filling his nose as you attempted to gather yourself - but it managed to shock him to his core every single time it happened.

Though a small part of him wanted to linger, to allow you the time to speak when you were ready, he couldn’t help himself as he asked, “What’s on your mind?”

Bob waited patiently as you considered your answer, waited with few expectations as you weighed the words carefully in an attempt to decide just how honest you wanted to be. He expected many things - a lament of how hard you’d all been training, a huff at how difficult Hangman had been, a roll of your eyes as you mentioned your mother’s latest tirade - but he felt a sort of mild surprise when you answered.

“The birdstrike.” He was the person you let in the most, the person you allowed a glimpse beyond your tough facade, but the birdstrike was something neither of you spoke of.

Nearly two weeks had passed since the incident, one that saw you both ejecting in the middle of training - one that left you with a concussion and Bob with a bruised rib - and he’d assumed you were planning to avoid speaking about it. There’d been a tense moment in the hospital, one in which you’d shared a wordless conversation, and that was that.

Really, though, he should’ve known better.

“What about it?” He wasn’t one to press, not really, but he felt the need to ask as you began drawing nonsensical patterns in the sand at your side.

“I… I know it was just a freak accident. It happens. But I was just… I was afraid,” you admitted, voice quiet over the rush of the ocean. “I was afraid of what would happen to us, to you. I didn’t,” you paused then, taking a moment to inhale a shaking breath as you gathered your thoughts. “I didn’t want that to be the end. And I know I should’ve been thinking about something more important in that moment, like my family or the future or something, but the only thing I could think about was the fact that I’m so in love with you and you don’t even notice.”

For a moment, Bob feared the exhaustion he was beginning to feel had caught up with him. There was no way he heard what he thought he did. There was no planet on which you returned his feelings, no timeline in which it made sense for you to love him, too, but the words echoed loud and clear in his ears.

To know that you’d spent that moment thinking of him, wondering if he reciprocated your feelings, simultaneously eased the ache in his chest and sent his heart rate soaring. It was difficult to do much more than blink, to flounder as he searched for something comforting to say, and he ultimately landed on the obvious.

“…you’re in love with me?” The question was high-pitched, edging on hysterical, but Bob couldn’t bring himself to care very much as he tipped his head to glance at you.

There was a faraway look in your eyes as you glanced out at the ocean, a deliberate attempt to keep from meeting his eyes, as you hummed. “Yeah.” It was defeated, quiet, almost resigned as you made a thoughtful noise. “You make it so hard to be anything but in love with you.”

Robert Floyd had been called many things in his lifetime; quiet, odd, difficult. Lovable was never a word he’d encountered. His mouth opened and closed several times in search of the right words to say, something that would adequately portray his own feelings, but all he seemed to be capable of was a disbelieving, “I… no one’s ever said anything like that to me.”

“That’s always so surprising to me,” you revealed, still refusing to glance in his direction, though he was certain you could feel the rapid beat of his heart. “It’s you. It’s been you from the moment we met and I’m starting to think it will always be you. I realized it before then and I know that this is probably a terrible thing, being in love with you when our lives are so intertwined. If you don’t…” You trailed off, pausing for a moment to gather yourself, before you cleared your throat. “If you don’t feel the same, work might be weird. Or if you do and something happens later on, it might ruin what we have. I’ve thought about it for a while, whether I should say something, and after that I just… Maybe I shouldn’t have but I figured you deserved to know.”

Those were fears Bob had, too, reasons he’d kept his own feelings to himself as he realized you’d likely be assigned a new back seater and your time together would be cut in half, but knowing that you felt the same made it difficult for him to continue upholding that line of logic.

There was always a chance that you’d be separated - that you’d be sent in different directions, across the world from one another. To refuse to act on feelings that he now knew you shared out of fear for the unknown no longer seemed like the best course of action.

A thousand thoughts raced through his mind, poetic words that he could share to assure you he felt the same way, but nothing felt right. The only action he felt capable of in that moment was reaching out to cup your cheek. With your head tipped in his direction, eyes half-lidded in exhaustion, he leaned in to press his lips to yours in a soft kiss.

“I’m in love with you, too,” he confessed, voice soft as he pressed his forehead to yours. “I have been for a while. There are a thousand ways this can go wrong,” he acknowledged, “but that doesn’t feel like it matters when you love me, too.”

“Can we worry about the future tomorrow? Right now, I just want to be in love.”

Bob knew that the conversation was one you’d have to have sooner rather than later but he was glad to grant your request. The future was uncertain but one thing he knew now, clear as day, was that his love was not unrequited and that was enough to get through the night.

________________________________________________________

Author's Note: I started this ages ago but I finally finished it. Slowly but surely. Maybe I'll finish a few more requests before the end of the year!

Taglist: @lulu-noodles, @holachicos, @getmyprettynameoutofyourmouth, @withakindheartx, @ssprayberrythings, @verin93, @totalwitch2, @malindacath, @alexparkxr, @hangmandruigandmav, @alexxavicry, @calicokel, @jaymum, @dracosluvbot, @little-wiseone, @specialk6802, @mandylove1000, @julesclues, @archetypesoflife, @oliviah-25, @benhardysdrumstick, @caatheeriinee07, @yvespoems, @chloereidwayne, @flower-name​, @callsignharper​, @peoniarose​, @hangmanscoming​, @rh3tt​, @dakotakazansky​, @silversprings-mp3​

[icanseethefuture333]

PAC: What are your siren powers & qualities? 🧜🏽‍♀️🐚🌊

In these piles there is adult themes so just be wary of some of the content 🤍 Please leave a tip if you can! 😇 $$$

Pile 1:

Shufflemancy -

Lullaby by GWSN

New You by Zolita

How U Want It by Rochelle Jordan

Six of Swords "Knowledge", The Devil, & Nine of Cups "Joy"

What's interesting Pile 1, is that a song by Zolita came on, and she actually practices witchcraft. So you could be into the occult and practice magick or that is the vibes that you give off. You could visit people in their dreams or you have the power to have influence on people's dream, which is insane! You could have Pisce and air placements (Gemini, Libra, & Aquarius). You have a strong hold of people's subconscious and linger in people's minds. I'm getting like restless nights, tired energy, and I feel people stay up because they have racing thoughts about you. You could have a very soft and gentle appearance as well. You give off an air of mystery and it's like "wow I didn't know this girl could have so much power me???". You could have ex partners who wish they could have you back as well. Your eyes are very magnetizing. I feel that you should get into doing glamour magick, mirror magick, and chants or written spells. I feel that you get downloads from the universe, so you have a divine higher power. Also you could speak your desires out into the world and they manifest instantly. I'm getting like a lot of Mercury and Neptune energy. Very imaginative, alluring, and perceptive. (Clarified by Twof Cups "Love") You could also use psychology for seduction (I'm thinking of Robert Greene's books like "48 Laws of Powers" or "The Art of Seduction", so maybe you have read those or should lol). People just can't help but fall for you.

Pile 2:

Shufflemancy -

Mrs. Variety by Leon Thomas, Ft. Tayla Parx

Goodies by Ciara, Ft. Petey Pablo

She Bad by Cardi B, Ft. YG

Strength, Two of Wands "exploration", & Three of Wands "domination"

Okay so this pile is definitely my fire sign (heavy on Aries but also Leo & Sagittarius) pile or my Virgos (Tayla Parx said in the song "Have you ever fucked wit a virgo?"). You guys have a bad bitch mentality and refuse to settle for anything less. Cardi says in the song "I'm a boss in a skirt, I'm a dog, I'm a flirt". So I feel that you like to be a tease when you flirt with people and then leave them looking stupid. You just like to have fun and you know you're not obligated to do anything you don't want to. This could put people in their feelings because it's like "we were just flirting and then they don't even wanna go out with me?". Which honestly, period - you owe nothing to nobody. I'm getting like this coquette energy, where you like to be in male spaces, and you're better at it than them. Whether that's sports, politics, debates, etc. You have a strong dark feminine, masculine energy and it's incredible. I heard "spicy 🔥🌶" so you could even be a hot head and people find that so sexy 😂. You also like to wear red and black. You mainly like to dress in sports wear or a t-shirt and jeans but when you go out you show tf out. "Mrs. Variety" you know how to glam up for the occasion and it puts people in a trance. Some people could even think like "wow I didn't know they had a body like that" or "damn they look fine as hell when they get all fancy". So maybe when you go out to parties, dinners, or dates you could put on a nice suit or dress with heels. (Clarified by Seven of Wands "bravery") You guys are very brave and courageous. That intimidates people but you have a very high standards and you value yourself so keep working towards your goals!

Pile 3:

Shufflemancy -

Who Hurt You? by Daniel Caesar

Haunting by Halsey

Long Nights by 6lack

The Hermit, The Empress, & The Moon

Oh myyyyy 🤭😏 so this could be only for some of the people in this pile but y'all could be ladies/people of the night 😂? I'm getting that you could be an... "accountant" (sw) and if you're not, you would be so successful at it (if you're a minor then this message ain't for y'all, so dont be thinking about being like Kat from Euphoria 💀). For some reason you come off as very sad though or you look like you're sad to some people. You could have dark circles or your eyes tend to look watery/puffy. Some of you could deal with depression as well (I'm sorry baby I know that can be hard to deal with ❤️‍🩹). You could be unhappy with the current position you are in your life and are wishing for change. You could be working at a "dead end job" and you could be saving money, hoping that you can eventually quit one day. You have people who wish they could "save" you from what you're going through in life. I feel like your power could honestly playing into this "damsel in distress" role to get what you want. This pile reminds of Meg fron Hercules when she said "I'm a damsel *grunts*, I'm in distress, I can handle it, have a nice day~". Like even if you're fine and nothing is wrong, they feel they could give you better than what you currently have or got going on. People just have such a strong desire to help you. You are also very beautiful and you could be an introvert perhaps? There could be Cancer, Libra, & earth sign (Heavy Taurus & Capricorn but also Virgo) placements in your birth chart. You like to be alone or do activities that don't require being in social settings. For example, if other people wanted to go to the club, you would rather be at home, work, library, museum, cafe, etc. You don't like to do anything that requires you to force yourself to get out of bed and interact with bed you probably never gonna see again (valid btw 💀). You prefer to be around close friends, family, coworkers, etc. As I was saying earlier though, you have a lot of secret admirers, pile 3 👀. You could look really pretty in the moonlight as well or people want you sexually at night time 😳. You probably the type of person who gets a lot of booty calls or texts and you're like "why me???". It's just you have a connection to the darker side of people and yourself. You provide this healing energy to people and you exude such divine feminine energy, that's very rare to experience in this lifetime. You could be nurturing to your loved ones as well and for people who aren't close to you, they wish they could receive that love as well. You could be creative too and like to either dance, paint, read, write, etc. (Clarified by Ace of Earth (Pentacles).) Now did I not just mention "accountants"?! Lmao 😭 For the people who are working and are in need of some money. You're gonna get a promotion or a new job soon. You have a very seductive body language and aura, I feel like you could use that for some cash ifykwm 👀👀👀 I'm not saying flirt in the workplace but ya know, don't be afraid to wear your hair a certain way, sway your hips, bite your lip, etc 😌 your clientele would much appreciate the "fanservice" 💅🏽

Pile 4:

Shufflemancy -

No Scrubs by TLC

Enough For Love by Kelela

Balenciaga by Princess Nokia (This song came out in 2019 💀)

Three of Cups "abundance", Four of Cups "Comfort", & Seven of Swords "Deception"

This is very interesting and unique. So pile 4, I feel like you don't care for trends but you know how dress down. The song keeps talking about "drip" so you're styling, you naturally have this swag that nobody else. Whether it's your clothes, the way your carry yourself, or your aura - you're just cool as fuck. You know how to budget and you understand that you don't gotta spend a lot of money to look fabulous but when you do, everything just fits you just right. People could think you're (or you are) very wealthy because of this. I'm reminded of that video Cardi B posted when she said some of her pieces were like a hundreds of dollars and ome thing would be like 20-30$ ("Learn how to budget hoe!" Lol). People could even feel like shocked or duped by that too like "oh you're not a millionaire but have this" or "that outfit is that cheap? It looks so good". A lot of people have this misconcept that being rich means you know how to dress and trust me... I've seen a lot of celebrities wear terrible outfits. When it comes to fashion, you are a expert honey. I'm thinking of that song by Migos: "My bitch is bad and boujee". In your dating life, you refuse to date people who don't have a plan, or don't wish to take care of you financially. For example, if you're on a date, and you pay for one date, you'd be okay, but if the other person continously just mooches of you, you'd cut them off with the quickness. So you only date people who are "high value" and can add substance to your life. (Clarified by Six of Swords "Success") You are private when it comes your money, goals, and achievements. I feel that you are like a "humble bragger". You like to work in silence snd let the results show for yourself. If not, you should start learning how to do that. It can protect you from the evil eye 🧿!

Pile 5:

Shufflemancy -

Honey by Riri

Slow Down by Normani & Calvin Harris

You Got Me by The Roots, Ft. Erykah Badu

Seven of Cups "illusion", The Lovers, & Ace of Air (swords)

This pile's energy is reminding me of Sade. I'm getting a very classy, refined, and sensual vibe to you pile 5. Sade could be one of your favorite artists as well or you like to listen to smooth jazz, r&b, soft rock, or any song that's typically more mellow. You could be old fashioned as well and desire a more traditional relationship. You either are in a relationship right now or you dream of finding that special someone and being with them for the rest of your life. I'm hearing the lyrics "will you still love me when I'm no longer young and beautiful" by Lana Del Rey and some of the people that chose this pile could be older in age or they are more mature than others their age. You have a deep soul and it entraps people, an enigma. You could like to take it slow when it comes to love and that makes the people you date drawn to you even more. I'm being reminded of Mariah Carey when she says in her song: "I can't be elusive with you, honey". You are able to communicate clearly to others what your needs are and if they aren't being met, you have no issue with leaving because you know that you deserve better - Whether at work or in your relationships. In your past, you could have experienced a lot of disappointments due to your expectations not being met. I'm also seeing that people have fantasies about being in a relationship with you and see you as a good potential for marriage. (Clarified by The High Priestess) You attract others to you when focusing on your spiritual path. I feel that you are most abundant when you are connected to your higher self and follow what makes you happy. People feel drawn to you when you are the best version of yourself.

Pile 6:

Shufflemancy -

Dreamcatcher by Metro Boomin Ft. Swae Lee

Te Amo by Rihanna

Somewhere I Belong by Linkin Park

The Chariot, Ace of Water, & Death

I feel that this is my queer pile. Some of you might be sapphic/attracted to those of the same sex or you attract others from the same sex. You could be flirtatious when you have the courage (maybe even liquid courage?). You could be very persuasive and charming, it's a turn on for people 😂. If you're not lgbtq+, then I feel like you give very "sus" compliments to others. For example, you ever see girls in another girls' comment sections? You would think that they're gay by the shit they be saying 😭. I feel like you make friends or attract lovers easily because you have such a likeable personality. You're funny, friendly, and supportive so you make people feel good inside. Although, I feel that you guys have trouble with your relationships. When you like someone you get all these butterflies and stutters when you are around someone you really like. So even though you like them you're afraid to tell them how you feel. To make sure that person doesn't know you just act nonchalant and pretend that you're online looking to have fun and nothing serious. "I'm here for a good time not a long time" basically. I'm reminded of Danny from Grease, he was totally smitten for Sandy but he didn't want to let go of his tough guy image for her. Where instead of you having a tough guy image, you use your sense of humor for protection out of your own of fear of rejection or heartbreak. I feel that growing up your interests, sexuality, or personality was different from the rest so it could have made you feel lonely or isolated as well. You wanted to find a place where you belong and so you had to find your own group of people that you can connect with and feel close to. (Clarified by The Sun) I'm seeing partying, dancing, one night stands, make outs, the "Suck and Blow" game, etc. You guys are just wild, pile 6 😂! You change people's lives forever after interacting with you. I'm getting like "drunk girl in the bathroom that's my bestie for the night". You become a "core memory" to people because of your uplifting personality and silly jokes. If people feel down in their lives or really depressed. People suddenly remember the things that you did for them and it cheers them up. You are a beam of light for others in their darkest hours!

Pile 7:

Shufflemancy -

LEFT RIGHT by XG

From Time by Drake

N.E.R.D - Kites

Daughter of Fire, Nine of Cups "Joy", & Two of Cups "Love"

Pile 7, I feel the way you dress has pieces of your culture involved. Your style could be very bohemian as well. I'm seeing tribal tattoos, beads, neck pieces, sarongs, and feathers. You could be very passionate when it comes to what you believe in. You also seem to be proud of your heritage. For some people in this pile, you could be artists. You could be dancers, actors, in theater, do pottery, work with clay, or paint. I see that you are very talented with your hands. Maybe some of you even make jewelry or know how to sew clothes. Your skin could glow in the sun or it's just naturally radiant and beautiful. You could also be kind of cheeky and vivacious 🤭. People find thatt so adorable and endearing. You could like to make people blush or find people's reactions funny when you mess with them. I'm reminded of Joy from Red Velvet. She has this like "I'm hot and I know it" mindset or is well known for being "cutie-sexy" and it's refreshing. You could also be a really good kisser 😚 or you have these plump lips that people wish they could get a kiss from 💋 I'm also seeing licking or biting so you could do this with your lips or to others 🥵 This pile reminds me of the love interests in the movies and it seems that everyone just really likes you, pile 7. You're the Mary Jane to people's Peter Parker/Spiderman. (Clarified by Three of Cups "Abundance") What did I just say?! You have so many people who want to offer you a love proposal or ask you out on a date. I feel that you guys are aware of manifestation and have a positive self concept. You could practice law of the assumption and just affirm/assume that you're highly favored and desired. If you need a confirmation that what you're doing is working - It is, stand in your power ✨️

Pile 8:

Shufflemancy -

Niki - Spell

Stray Kids - Deep End by Felix

Shilpa - Selfish

The Fool, Mother of Air, & Three of Pentacles ("Work")

I feel that in your relationships you have been selfless and devoted. You express your love with acts of service and quality time. Expressions of emotional intimacy could make you uncomfortably possibly (reflect as to why!). You are logical and intelligent. You may enjoy reading and writing. (Clarified by Daughter of Air) Growing up your parents could have been strict and were very traditional. You could have done well academically in classes (the girl in this card has a sword, you could be "cut throat" with your words, some of you could been in debate club?). Your voice commands just attention. I feel as you got older and gained more of your independence. You began to rebel from your parents rules and expectations, discovering who you truly are without other people's influence. NSFW warning but I believe people would love to be degraded by you 👁👁? Some of you could be dominant sexually or be a dominatrix. While also balancing it with this maternal energy? ("Mommy? Sorry- Mommy? Sorry-"). Or your style has elements of fetishwear (harnesses, leather, boots, etc). I feel that people who are involved with you romantically/sexually just become like your litte worker bees while you're the queen. I can also see that you're noncommittal as of right now or just exploring your options. This upsets people greatly because you have a great amount of secret admirers who would love to be your partner. You could get late night calls or text messages from exes and you're just like so over it (which is understandable 😂). Your cold and dismissive attitude just draws people toward you. I'm reminded of Jennie from Blackpink or Heather from Total Drama. They both have dark hair, cat like facial features, and their expressions are just effortlessly cool and confident (you could possibly have these features also). You fit into that "pretty mean girl" trope.

Pile 9:

Shufflemancy -

Qveen Herby - BDE

Retronaut - Talk

Lauren Jauregui - Em(oceans)

Eight of Cups ("Despair"), Strength, & The Emperor

I feel the people in this pile has luscious hair and something about it could be shiny or radiant (some of you have wavy hair or the texture is soft or silky). Your features could look ethereal or possibly be androgynous. You have a balance of feminine and masculine energy. Your nose, cheekbones, and jawline structure could be prominent and defined. I feel that the people in this pile are like a Phoenix, they have suffered in silence, and had to rise from the ashes. You don't let people see you suffer and so you let yourself heal in silence. When people hear your story and learn about what you've been through, they gain so much admiration for you. They'd never suspect to such things happen and therefore it's like they gain respect, while others think you had it easy. People wonder how you got all this success but what they don't understand is that you had to literally come from the mud in order to become this pearl that washed onto shore. You did your part and fought for your power, which I commend you so much for pile 9. You are like this beautiful warrior, you carry so much strength and bravery inside of you. What's also attractive about you is how you set boundaries and change the topic when someone becomes too invasive with your questions. You are stoic and a mountain that can't be moved with just meer charm, if a lover wanted to impress you, they would have to do more than that. (Clarified by Ace of Swords) I feel that the people in this pile could be sapiosexuals. Someone who is passionate about their talents, work, loved ones, etc, is just so sexy to you. Your ideal match would be someone who could let you take the lead in the relationship (pick the restaurants, what location to travel to, etc) but in the bedroom then its their turn 👀.

[guxciestone]

✧ CELEBRITY BIRTH CHART ANALYSIS ✧

— ariana grande.

‎ ‎ ‎

hii !! today, i am going to analyze ariana grande’s birth chart. this was recommended by an ask, and i’ve spent a long while making this post. so, i hope you enjoy and have a nice day !! 🌿✨‎ ‎ ‎

‎ ‎ ‎

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

Ariana Grande-Butera was born on June 26, 1993 in Boca Raton, Florida. She is an influential figure in contemporary popular music and has established herself as an ultimate pop icon, mostly known for her four-octave vocal range and whistle register. Ariana started as a theater kid, making her debut on Broadway in 2008 in Jason Robert Brown’s ‘13’. Over time, she begins to make her way as a Nickelodeon actor, primarily known for ‘Victorious’ (from 2010-13) and ‘Sam and Cat’ (2013-14)--a spin-off of the popular characters Cat Valentine and Sam Puckett from ‘iCarly’. Grande’s acting career gets put to a halt during the run of ‘Sam and Cat’ when she begins to focus on her music career and establishes herself as a certified music artist. Ariana’s first album “Yours Truly” came out on August 30, 2013. Ariana Grande’s most popular songs include “7 Rings”, “Thank U, Next”, “Side to Side”, “Dangerous Woman”, “Into You”, and “Positions”. She has achieved seven number one’s on the billboards and two grammy’s along with several other awards thus far.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

she identifies as:

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ a cancer sun, libra moon, and capricorn rising.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

❀ her personality ❀

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

Sun square Moon indicates that Ariana has an internal struggle between her core values and emotional values. With her Sun in Cancer in the 6th, Grande is an individual who seeks comfortability and homeliness in her daily routines, responsibilities, and sense of duty. She has a nurturing, sweet, and soft-hearted nature. She could be particularly invested in family and friends and is more than likely always making efforts to be there for them at all times; however, with her Moon in Libra in the 9th house, Ariana also desires to achieve balance, tranquility, and pleasure in her life through learning new things, intaking more knowledge, and seeking new things in the world. She may be particularly spiritual and could be invested in the religious aspects in life more than others. Ariana Grande is always mentioning the law of attraction, and she even has multiple songs singing about he manifested her fame and fortune. Nonetheless, it seems like she seems to be struggling with integrating one of the two. This could particularly be about religious factors; perhaps she grew up in a religious family and she broke away from those doctrines and created her own sense of spirituality. Or perhaps she struggles to keep family close while also striving for spiritual and intellectual abundance and experiences. This aspect is also prominent in natives whose parents have separated.

Her ascendant ruler in the 2nd house immediately shows that Grande has a strong sense of self-worth and adequacy. She could hold herself to a high regard and have the ability to attract anything she wants with just a snap of a finger, because she easily attracts nice things when she begins to value herself just as much. Her capricorn ascendant shows she appears to have a mature, responsible, and respectable personality on the first impression. She has a petite figure, and she looks amazingly youthful for her age which is common amongst capricorn ascendants. Not to mention, she has a sarcastic yet humorous and charismatic nature that others seem to love about her with her venus trine ascendant. It is easier for Ariana to dress herself in a dominating yet attractive way to which others are pulled towards her, but also in awe of her glamor and prestige–she is able to maintain a signature while keeping it alluring, which I have also noticed in capricorn ascendant celebrities.

With her Venus in Taurus in the 4th house, this indicates that Grande had a pleasurable, practical, and secure childhood. She did grow up with money. Her mother, Joan Grande, was a CEO of a manufacturing company; and her father, Edward Grande, owned a graphic design firm. With this placement correlating to her ascendant, it seems that anyone would take notice of this luxurious air about her even without the fame.

Sun square Jupiter gives Ms. Grande a flamboyant, humorous, and entertaining personality. She is a delight to be around and has a distinctive charm that attracts people from different corners. She is magnetic and not afraid to take up space in any room she lands in. This aspect often promises a great sense of confidence and self-assurance. She has a comforting yet fair personality that others are attracted by with the Libra and Cancer influence in this aspect. However, this aspect could indicate arrogance and an overly spontaneous character. Grande has a decent confidence in herself, but there may be times in which she takes quick risks due to her nature of knowing that things always go right for her. This could also point to an inflated ego and entitlement.

With Neptune conjunct ascendant, Ariana appears as a compassionate, kind, and giving individual on the first impression. Others are often mystified by her, and this aspect could also indicate glamorization and idolization from others. In extreme cases, individuals with strong Neptunian placement could attract copycats. Ariana Grande has endured many conveniences up to this day of multiple fans replicating her style, mannerisms, and singing. Additionally, Grande has undergone many subtle changes in her physical appearance and style over the years–and Uranus conjunct ascendant only magnifies that. Ariana has a unique style (such as the iconic signature ponytail, long sweaters that she wears over her hands, and the long boots) She has gone under the needle before, and she has abruptly changed her fashion many times over the years. In my opinion, she looks far different from when she first came into the limelight; that is the definition of neptune and uranus-ascendant energy.

Sun sextile Mars indicates that Grande has an unshakable determination, ambition, and courage. Considering that her sun is in cancer in the 6th house, she dedicates her core values to serving her duties, working, and being disciplined in her routine and obligations. She could dedicate her work to providing for her family or making her loved ones happy. Along with her mars in virgo in the 8th house, she also dedicates herself to her deepest and vulnerable desires. She strives for material possessions and merging herself with her earnings. This aspect could make her fairly materialistic, but that is what motivates her. Not to mention, Ariana has immense sex appeal, and her partners may find it attractive how hardworking and driven she is.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎⚜

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

❀ her relationships ❀

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

With Chiron in Leo in the 7th house, Ariana could have a personal wound or trauma surrounding expressing her creativity, inner child, and authentic self in her interpersonal relationships. This placement is also prominent in individuals who are either entirely uncomfortable or unapologetic in bringing their personal connections to light or public attention–we are literally talking about a girl who made an extremely popular song about her roster of exes. However, Grande, when younger, may have struggled with finding herself in her romantic connections with her partners; over time, she may find that with each lover she figures out a new aspect of herself and her personal identity. She seems to be the type of individual who truly transforms and grows after being in a connection with someone, and we can see that in her relationships with other celebrities such as Mac Miller or Big Sean.

With Venus square Chiron, there is a deep wound surrounding love, self-esteem, and pleasure. With Venus in Taurus in the 4th house, the wound specifically indicates that Grande struggles with feeling secure or stable in her interpersonal connections. It may be that she is not entirely sure what she hopes to find in a long-term partner, someone who she feels comfortable being with for the long run. This could be due to the feeling as if she is not allowed to express herself properly or be her individualistic self. Considering that Grande has been in several relationships–on top of that, there are speculations that she has partaken in infidelity multiple times and left her ex-husband Dalton for another man–this isn’t surprising personally. Furthermore, there is also this itching feeling that nothing or no one is ever enough, or she isn’t enough.

Ariana is an imaginative, idealistic, compassionate, and creative lover with Venus trine Neptune. She seeks the magical and elusive side of romance, beauty, and art. With Neptune in her 1st house, Grande adores incorporating bedazzling, whimsical, and shimmering designs in her fashion and aesthetic. Furthermore, she is obviously musically and artistically talented as well. She may even like decorating her home in a dream-like and adorable way too because it makes her feel safe and sound with Venus in Taurus the 4th. She could more than likely attract musicians, artists, and friendly individuals (like herself) and for the worst, she may attract addicts or victimizing partners.

Grande is an electrifying, exciting, and spontaneous partner with Venus trine Uranus. She seeks thrill and unpredictability in her love life and in her partners too. She may be particularly interested in partners who are somewhat different from her or partners no one would expect her to be with. Uranus is the planet of the futuristic aesthetic, and I noticed that Ariana is fixated with planets, space, sleep, and that galactic type of style–especially in her songs such as NASA, R.E.M, and etc. Her makeup line also has a futuristic vibe to it as well; most of her makeup products are all very bright, metallic, and glittery colors.

Chiron square Pluto indicates that Grande has suffered major and long-term traumas and wounds, especially in regards to her interpersonal relationships and experiencing them in the public eye with Chiron in the 7th and Pluto in Scorpio in the 10th. She dealt with the death of her grandpa, her ex-boyfriend, and several fans in the Manchester bombing. These wounds are truly embellished in her image as a figure, but also in her identity because these events are integral to her and her character. This aspect could indicate someone who deals with extreme paranoia, anxiety, or depression. She allegedly suffered PTSD and anxiety from everything that happened; she also mentioned she has been put through therapy for years, and it saved her life multiple times.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ⚜

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

❀ her talents ❀

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

With Ariana’s 5th house ruler trine Pluto, she has the ability to determine when people are genuine or superficial, especially when it comes to her career status and success with her Mercury in Cancer in the 7th house. She holds her loved ones and personal relationships close, and often has a small group of friends whom she can trust. She could stick to a certain group of people for an extremely long time. Her intuition is heightened, and it is easy for her to see who is good or bad for her, especially since she has already experienced several traumatic circumstances in her career such as stalkers, copycats, etc.

North node in Sagittarius in the 11th house indicates that Grande has been given the special ability to expand her horizons, learn more knowledge, and live life full of excitement through connecting and building with her community, pursuing her hopes and dreams, and advocating for liberation of her desires. Ariana may be particularly popular in this lifetime–easily being able to gain friendships, develop professional relationships, and meet unique kinds of people. Ariana needs to learn how to be open towards meeting different people than her usual circle and be willing to learn and expand her experiences through traveling, indulging in cultures, and much more.

Ariana has a water grand trine, occurring in her sun, midheaven, and saturn. This indicates that she has a notable ability in tuning into her emotions, inner world, and vulnerable spots to transform them into a creative talent and express them successfully to an audience and gain professional success and build a significant legacy throughout her life.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ⚜

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

❀ her legacy and image ❀

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

With Pluto in Scorpio in the 10th house, Ariana is a powerful, intense, and ambitious individual. She would mostly find her transforming and changing abruptly through her public image, how she moves through her professional life, and her legacy/success. Furthermore, she could be particularly secretive, paranoid, and observant in the matters of the people and what she puts out there for others to see. This placement often indicates that her traumas and wounds could derive from her public image and career. With Venus in Taurus in the 4th opposition Pluto, Grande, at some point, may have felt as though her sense of comfort and security may have been threatened due to the harsh events surrounding her endeavors. Perhaps she may have thought her family or loved one’s safety may have been at risk. It makes complete sense because Grande had a long-time stalker that would break into her home; anyone would feel unsafe if that happened to them.

Ariana Grande appears to be a hardworking, assertive, and dominant individual in the public eye with her Mars in Virgo in the 8th house square Pluto. She is persistent and always will strive to work towards her goals and achievement despite anyone or anything that gets in her way. It is possible that at some point, or maybe even now, she is a huge workaholic. However, her strong desire to achieve could make her someone who is also incredibly domineering–wiping out anyone or anything that threatens her chance for success. She may even be this way with her partners, becoming clingy or possessive, struggling with letting them go. She has an entire song called “needy”. Additionally, her sexual image is quite unique. She is viewed as fairly sexually expressive, but she has a delicate and sweet way of expressing it–we can see that in her songs such as “34 + 35” and “nasty”.

Ariana is partially known for her interesting, yet tragic and well-publicized love life and relationships with her Chiron in Leo in the 7th house square Pluto. Others view her as someone who has endured the worst in losing a loved one through addiction, experiencing the horrible deaths of her fans firsthand, and dealing with the loss of a family member.

Saturn trine Midheaven indicates that Grande has a solid, secure, and successful career due to her persistent, ambitious work ethic and her creative and imaginative character with her Saturn in Pisces at the 0 degree. It shows that she truly used manifestation, her vision, spirituality, and her artistic nature to get to where she is today. Furthermore, there wouldn’t be a surprise if she was interested in meditation and journaling.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ⚜

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

❀ ariana’s fame degrees ❀

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

— basing off of my fame degrees post

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

Grande has multiple 20th degrees in her chart, placed in her uranus, neptune, and venus; the 20th degree is the degree of fame that is extremely unbelievable that the public eye may consider the native to be apart of witchcraft, the occult, illuminati, or any other spiritual practices to get their amount of fame and fortune.

She also has the 11th degree in her north node in sagittarius; the 11th degree is the degree of fame that is earned through humanitarianism, giving back, and doing selfless acts. Grande is huge on women empowerment, body positivity, and LGBTQ rights. Additionally, she has contributed to multiple charities and organizations in the past.

Ariana has a couple of 5th degrees in her chart, placed in her sun and jupiter; the 5th degree is the degree of viral or short-term fame, fame that lasts only for a hot minute.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

[mostlysignssomeportents]

For 40 years, Big Meat has openly colluded to rig prices

On October 7–8, I'm in Milan to keynote Wired Nextfest.

Noted socialist agitator Adam Smith once wrote, "People of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the publick, or in some contrivance to raise prices."

Smith was articulating a basic truth: when an industry grows concentrated, it grows cozy. Cultural differences between dominant firms are homogenized as top executives move from company to company, cross-pollinating attitudes and approaches. Ambituous, firm-hopping workaholic top brass make all their friends at the office, and so their former colleagues from one or two jobs back remain in their social circles.

Once an industry consists of half a dozen firms, the people running those companies constitute an incestuous financial polycule. They are executors of one anothers' estates, best men and maids of honor at one anothers' weddings, godparents to each others' kids. They play on the same softball teams and take family vacations together.

It would be heartwarming if it wasn't so costly to the rest of us. Remember Smith's maxim: "the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the publick, or in some contrivance to raise prices." Class solidarity among corporate executives forms a united front to screw us in every conceivable way, from corrupting our politicians to maiming and cheating workers to gouging buyers.

That's the basis of American antitrust law. When Robert Sherman was stumping for the passage of the Sherman Act, America's first major antitrust law, he thundered "If we will not endure a King as a political power we should not endure a King over the production, transportation, and sale of the necessaries of life. If we would not submit to an emperor we should not submit to an autocrat of trade with power to prevent competition and to fix the price of any commodity":

https://pluralistic.net/2022/02/20/we-should-not-endure-a-king/

Or rather, that was the basis of American antitrust law – until the Reagan era, when the fringe theories of the Nixonite criminal Robert Bork were elevated to a new orthodoxy. Under Bork's conception of antitrust, monopolies were evidence of excellence. If a company puts all its competitors out of business, that must mean that it is "efficient."

In Bork's fantasy world, the only way a company could attain dominance is by being so beloved by its customers that every competitor withers away. Governments that bust monopolies aren't protecting the public from "autocrats of trade"; they're overthrowing the winners of an election where you "vote with your wallet" to pick the best company.

But Bork and his co-fantasists couldn't quite manage all that with a straight face. They grudgingly admitted that a certain kind of bad monopolist could hypothetically exist, one that used its "market power" to raise prices or lower quality. Only when these offenses against our "consumer welfare" occurred should the state step in to protect its people.

This may sound good in theory, but in practice, it was a dead letter. The consumer welfare test isn't as simple as "If prices go up after a merger, punish the company." Instead, the government had to prove that the price raises came from "market power," and not from an increase in energy or labor costs, or some other "exogenous factor," like Mercury being in retrograde:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/11/10/you-had-one-job/#thats-just-the-as

And wouldn't you know it, it turns out that the mathematical models prescribed to distinguish greed from unavoidable circumstance inevitably "prove" that the monopolist wasn't at fault. Surely, it's just just a coincidence that the priesthood that understood how to make and interpret these models were Chicago School Economists who sold model-making as a service to companies that wanted to raise prices.

Pro-monopoly economists insist that this isn't true, and that their theory still has room to prosecute bad monopolies and cartels where they occur – more, they say this is already happening. In particular, they insist that "greedflation" can't be real, because it would require the kind of conspiracy that Smith warned of, and that their sickly antitrust enforcement is sufficient to prevent:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/03/11/price-over-volume/#pepsi-pricing-power

This strains credulity. After all, the CEOs of giant companies in concentrated industries openly boast to their shareholders about how they've used the covid and Ukraine invasion shocks to hike prices to increase their profit margins – not just cover their additional costs:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/01/23/cant-make-an-omelet/#keep-calm-and-crack-on

While excuseflation is new, open, naked price-fixing by industry cartels is not. Take the meat-packing industry, dominated by a tiny handful of giant corporations whose executives literally ran a betting pool on how many of their workers would get covid each week while working in their cramped, unventilated factories:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-55009228

These companies have seen their margins soar – up 300% over the lockdown – while their payments to ranchers and growers cratered:

https://www.reuters.com/business/meat-packers-profit-margins-jumped-300-during-pandemic-white-house-economics-2021-12-10/

All this might leave one wondering whether there isn't something a little, you know, "conspiracy against the publick"-y going on in Big Meat?

Let me tell you about Agri Stats. Agri Stats has been around since 1985. Every large meat packer pays to be a "member" of Agri Stats, and they each submit weekly, detailed statistics about every aspect of their business: all their costs, all their margins, broken out by category. Agri Stats compiles this into phone-book-thick books that each member gets every week, telling them everything about how all of their competitors are running their businesses:

https://www.agristats.com/history

The companies whose data appears in this book are anonymized, but it's trivial to re-identify each supplier. Tyson execs hold regular "naming process" meetings where they go through new books and de-anonymize the data. A Butterball exec confirmed that he "can pick the companies for rankings with 100% certainty."

As David Dayen writes in The American Prospect, these books are incredibly detailed: "bird weights, freezer inventory, and 'head killed per operating hour.'" Within the cozy meat cartels, Agri Stats acts as a clearinghouse that allows every business in the industry to act in concert, running the entire meat-packing sector as a single company:

https://prospect.org/power/2023-10-03-lawsuit-highlights-why-meat-overpriced/

As interesting as the list of Agri Stats members is, the groups that don't get to see Agri Stats' "books" is just as important: "farmers, workers, or retailers." Agri Stats also offers consulting services to its members. As an exec at pork processor Smithfield put it, Agri Stats advice boils down to four words "Just raise your price."

Agri Stats ranks its members based on how high their prices are – they literally publish a league table with the highest prices at the top. Meat packers pay bonuses to their execs based on how high the company's rank is on that table. Agri Stats meets with its members throughout the year to discuss "price opportunities" and to advise them to "exercise restraint" by restricting supply to keep prices up. When one Agri Stats member considered leaving the cartel, Agri Stats wooed them back by telling them how to make an additional $100k by raising bacon prices.

The reason Dayen is writing about Agri Stats now is that the DoJ Antitrust Division has brought an antitrust suit against them. This is part of a wave of antitrust actions brought by Biden's DoJ and FTC, who, along with his NLRB, are shaping up to be the most pugnacious, public-interest force against corporate power since the Reagan administration:

https://www.meatpoultry.com/articles/29124-doj-sues-agri-stats-for-complicity-in-meat-market-manipulation

All this enforcement isn't a coincidence. It comes from an explicit rejection of neoliberalism's core tenets: inequality reflects merit, monopolies are efficient, and government can't do anything. In Biden's DoJ, FTC and NLRB, they're partying like it's 1979:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/08/party-its-1979-og-antitrust-back-baby

What's amazing about the Agri Stats conspiracy to raise prices is that it's been going since the Reagan administration. It's a smoking gun proof that "consumer welfare" never cared about price-fixing and robbing the public (can a gun still smoke after 40 years?). There was never a time when consumer welfare antitrust cared about consumer welfare. It was always and forever a front for "a conspiracy against the publick," a "contrivance to raise prices."

Big Meat has been robbing America for two generations. Some of those stolen funds were used to corrupt our political process. The meat sector gets $50 billion in public subsidies and still gouges us on prices and rips off its suppliers:

https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2022/02/usda-livestock-subsidies-near-50-billion-ewg-analysis-finds

Which means that it's possible that we're simultaneously being ripped off with meat prices and that meat prices are artificially low. Try and wrap your head around that one!

The do-nothing, pro-monopoly neoliberal antitrust is a virus that spread around the world. The EU's antitrust laws were reshaped to mirror American laws after the war through the Marshall Plan, but since the late 1970s, European lawmakers and enforcers have ignored their own laws (just like their American counterparts) and encouraged monopolies as "efficient."

This Made-in-Europe oligopoly, combined with energy and grain shocks from Russian invasion of Ukraine, created the perfect storm for European greedflation. As food prices spiked across the EU, Austrian hacktivist Mario Zechner set out to investigate Austrian grocers' pricing. Using the grocers' own APIs, he was able to compile and analyze a dataset of prices at Austrian grocers:

https://www.wired.com/story/heisse-preise-food-prices/

When Zechner open-sourced his project, collaborators showed up to expand the project across other EU countries, and an anonymous party donated a huge database of prices stretching back to 2017. The data reveals clear collusion among the grocers, who raise prices in near-lockstep, and use gimmicks like cyclic price drops to hide their collusion:

https://github.com/badlogic/heissepreise

Not every grocer has an API, and even the ones that do have APIs could easily block Zechner and co from accessing their data. When that happens, they could – and should – turn to scraping to continue their project. They should also scrape grocers elsewhere, including in Canada, where grocers rigged the price of bread:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/25/deep-scrape/#steering-with-the-windshield-wipers

Because Big Meat's "conspiracy against the publick" isn't unique to meat. It's in all our food, it's in all our goods, it's in all our services. The fact that the meat industry was able to rob American buyers, ranchers and farmers for two generations under a 200' tall neon sign that blinked "AGRI STATS AGRI STATS AGRI STATS" night and day is frankly astonishing.

But there's never just one ant. If the meatheads running Big Meat were able to do this in broad daylight since the NES years, imagine what all the other industries were able to get up to in the shadows.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/04/dont-let-your-meat-loaf/#meaty-beaty-big-and-bouncy

My next novel is The Lost Cause, a hopeful novel of the climate emergency. Amazon won't sell the audiobook, so I made my own and I'm pre-selling it on Kickstarter!