#santa of the frontier || ( reason! )

[santaverse]

That Familiar Feeling... (pt 3)

Quickly throwing on his coat, North reached into his pocket and pulled out one of his snowglobes. He tossed the trinket forward, causing a small vortex to open up. 

“ D-DON’T YOU KNOW WHEN TO QUIT, YOU MORTAL FOOL?! “ The Christmas Phantom was still being pursued by the mysterious Superhero Santa. He tried saying all sorts of threats to shake the deluded Santa Claus, but nothing worked. 

“ NEVER!! “ The spandex wearing Santa replied. “ SuperKlaus is a FORCE of nature! He is the WINTER BREEZE within the North Pole! He is the- OOF!! “ 

Suddenly, SuperKlaus collided with North, who now stood in front of him, thanks to the power of his magical snowglobe. The guardian simply looked down at him with a smirk.

“ Nothing gets past the belly! “ He chuckled, then turned to the disgruntled Santa. “ Are you okay, Phantom? “ 

The hooded Santa grumbled.

“ WH- NO I AM NOT! I WAS CHASED FOR FAR TOO LONG! “ He sinisterly rubbed his hands. “ NOW, HOLD THAT DELUDED FOOL STILL WHILE I BANISH HIM FOR HIS CRIMES!! “ 

“ That won’t be necessary. “ Super Santa replied with a raised brow. He knelt towards SuperKlaus and gave a worried look. “ Let’s just see if our new friend is alright… “

North nodded, then turned to see how the others were fairing. 

“ I’M THE EASTER BUNNY!! HEEHEHEEEEE!! “ 

“ No you’re not!! “ Nicholas responded. “ P-Please stop jumping! We’re gonna get you down…  somehow!! “

Reason scratched his head from underneath his hat.

“ How are we gonna do that, son? “

“ I-I-I don’t know!! Uh, j-just give me time to think and- “ 

Suddenly, the muscular Santa appeared from behind the two.

“ Oh Mister Bunny!!! “ He shouted up. “ I’ve got a big juicy carrot right here for yooooou!! “ He waggled his gloved finger and smirked. 

Nicholas and Reason gave a confused look to each other, then to the new Santa. 

“ Who are- What are you doing? “ Nicholas asked. “ If you do that he’s going to- “

“ CARROTS?! THE EASTER BUNNY LOVES CARROTS!!! HUHUHUH, WHEEEE!! “ The faux Easter Bunny immediately hopped from the chandelier. 

“ JUMP!!!! “ Nicholas gasped. “ W-We can’t just catch him!! We need a blanket! No, some mattresses! Some snow! Uh, uhhh, uhhh… “ 

Reason stared over to the Muscular Santa. The man was holding his arms out confidently. The western Santa raised a brow, then put a hand on Nicholas’ shoulder. 

“ Hold on, Nicholas. Let’s see what our new friend does here. “

“ Mister Reason, no! We can’t just expect him to- “

“ HYYYAH!! “ Just like that, the strong Santa Claus caught the faux Bunny Santa in his hands. “ Ooh, he’s much lighter than I thought! “ 

Nicholas was flabbergasted.

“ Wooooah… How did you do that? “

“ Oh this is nothing, really! “ He shrugged. “ Once you've stopped a truck with your bare hands, catching a guy is child’s play. “ 

Nicholas blinked a few times. “ O-Okay…!! “ 

“ Well then, if you two excuse me, I’m going to give this Santa to that big Santa- the one with the tattoos. “

The Muscular Santa hoisted the Bunny Santa onto his shoulder, then turned around, searching for the others. 

-

“ Oh dear… O-Oh dear… Oh dear… “ 

Knees trembling, Jim slowly walked through the chaos of the workshop. He winced at the toy robots chasing the Yetis, gasped at the Santas who were stuck underneath piles of teddy bears, and whimpered at the Santas he could clearly recognize who were trapped in wrapping paper. 

“ F-Fred… Slim Santa… Action Santa… S-Scott… Klaus… oh dear…. H-h-hoh dear… “ 

It wasn’t long until Jim was near him- the Santa that was at the center of all this chaos. The amnesiac Santa immediately began to hyperventilate.

“ I can’t do this… I-I can’t… “ 

He grabbed his head, then looked up to the other Santa. But as he stared at this new Santa, something seemed… off.

As the mysterious Santa stood with his hands outpouring magic, his eyes were wide, his mouth was hung open, and he appeared very tense. Whoever this Santa Claus was...

He was absolutely terrified.

Jim’s breathing became calmer as he watched this stranger stand petrified. He knew he had to help.

“ U-Um… “ Jim found the courage to speak up as he inched closer. “ H-H-Hello there… Are you… okay? “ 

The other Santa Claus remained motionless. He didn’t even look at Jim. After a few silent moments however, he spoke.

“ …I-I don’t know. “

“ Y-You’re using too much of your magic… “ Jim motioned towards the others. “ It’s causing a mess- “

The other Santa interrupted Jim.

“ …I don’t know h-how to stop… “ 

Jim lowered his eyebrows.

“ ...O-Oh. I’m sorry. “ He took a beat, then asked. “ Um… What’s your name? “ 

“ My… name? “ 

“ Y-yes, what is your name? You’re a Santa Claus, s-so do you have a name? “

“ Santa… Who? “

[spoiled-fawn]

Part 1: Meeting Simon Riley

Western AU; Mail Order Spouse Trope!

WC: 3,224 CW: None

AN: Sorry this took so long! I wanted to have a good amount of writing as I cycle through everyone's beginnings, plus, 3k seems like a good starting point to get us settled in. Would love to hear your thoughts and comments. I hope ye enjoy <3

Please see the following for the explanation and precursors to the scene!

Introduction, Biography

————

Going home a bit late in the night and dodging your now passed-out parents, you quietly and quickly got set to writing your correspondence letter to him. After deliberation of not wanting to scare him away, you leave out the main reason why you had even looked at the ad in the first place. You described yourself, and your work ethic, trying to resonate with the little amount of words placed in his ad. You included your hopes, wants, and wishes for the future, before sealing the letter up and placing it in the mail the next morning.

When you received a letter back from him, it felt ethereal that he had taken the time to scrawl out a response in the interest of yourself.

The letters were sparse but you poured your heart out to Simon and sent a picture of yourself. During the weeks of waiting and reading the correspondence, you set an image of the man in your head. Granted, Simon declined to send you a picture of himself and stated that the image of him in the ad was sufficient and promised his word that he speaks in truth about himself… Even though he wore a bandana that covered half of his face- nor did he give any reason as to why.

Through the letters, he described himself as a respectful man, one who is more stoic and reserved to the locals, but feels that he has plenty of love to give. He wants to provide for and protect you, with a desire to start a family, of some sort at least, soon. It was a rough to attempt to hide the letters, write them, and send them out with full secrecy. But after a wait of a full month, cutting it far too close to when the politician would be arriving back, Simon finally invited you to the new frontier as he proposed to you in correspondence.

From the moment you read his words of invitation, you packed two small bags of your most favorite, and fondest items. Acting as if nothing was wrong during this time under your parent's eyes, you head to bed, feigning innocence while figuring out just how to get out.

Simon, ever the gentleman, had given you $25 for the long train ride and sleeping car that you would need to make it to him. With the money and the amount you had slowly held back from giving to your parents from your job, you were determined to leave and start a new life. 

In the dead of the eve before the politician's carriage would be arriving at his manor, you left through your bedroom window, managing to even steal a bottle of your father's finest whiskey as a present for Simon.

The journey took a week by train, lucky enough that you lived on the outskirts of a city that had a transcontinental train station- a hub for many people who were excited and looking to head West, wherever the train tracks ended. Your stops were along Topeka and Santa Fe before you had to find a different line that diverged from Albuquerque towards El Paso, before heading into the Arizona Territory.

When departing the train, you hopped into a stagecoach and using the last of Simons's money, ready for the final and short journey to find his estate. Watching the land and people pass by through the small window, you take in the surroundings of your new life that is finally within a breath's reach. Towards the end of the town, you spot a house that is on the expanse of desert plains; a secluded but well-sized house made of wood and stone masonry sits atop a hill, the Arizona sunset shining down as a gold beacon of heaven.

Once there and stepping out of the stagecoach with your belongings, you find yourself in front of the property when your eyes are drawn to him. 

On the porch stands a tall and rugged man with a sturdy frame of muscles, evident in his build. The clothes he adorns are tight fitting and dirty, conclusive that he had just been working within his forge; dirtied denim jeans, an off-white long-sleeve shirt, clean where a smock would hang on his front. 

A black bandana covers the bottom of his face while a black cowboy hat adorns his head, leaving the sliver of skin from the ridge of his nose to his mid-forehead to be shown.

As the stagecoach pulls away back into town, eyes are locked between you two for a long moment before he finally pushes off the pillar of his porch. A low and appreciative whistle escapes from underneath his bandana, accompanying the thuds of his footsteps walking down his porch stairs to you. 

“Well, I’ll be damned... Please tell me you're who I think you are…” He simpers out, eyes trailing over your form. The sound of his voice strikes a flame to your heart, a match sufficiently lit as you hear the low and resonating tone- it’s enough to send a tremor through your lungs. 

Swallowing, and a nod of your head, “If you’re Simon then yes, I’m who you’d be expecting.” You smile shyly as you watch him take a few strides to stand in front of you. 

As he draws closer, his deep brown iris' make themselves apparent, a crinkle around the edge of his eyes makes you believe he’s smirking. "You got it right, darlin'. I'm Simon, but most folks around here call me Ghost. Pleased to finally meet you, sweetheart." His voice is deep and resonant, carrying a hint of gravel, as he extends his calloused hand towards you in greeting.

His touch is firm, your smaller and slightly softer hands a comparison of the lives you’ve lived. As you take his hand and give it a firm shake, Simon's grip tightens for a moment, his gaze locked with yours.

There's a spark of recognition in his eyes as if he appreciates your strength. 

"Reckon I lucked out with you, that picture you sent didn’t do a damn justice." He chuckles softly, eyes lingering on your form before meeting your gaze once more. "Come on, let's get you settled in. There's plenty to see 'round here." He gestures towards the house, hand outstretched for you to take after grabbing one of your bags.

“Thank you, and I could say the same ‘bout you, sir. Was nervous when you didn’t send me any photos but now I can put my worries away.” You smile, intrigued and slightly apprehensive as you now place your hand in his, granting him the reigns to hold the fate of your new life.

While he leads you up the stairs of your new home, you take a curious glance up to his figure before trailing up to his eyes that are uncovered.

He hums at your comment, "I reckon I wanted to leave a little mystery for ya, darlin'." He gives you a playful wink before leading you up the porch steps and into the house.

“Would you prefer I call you Ghost, sir?” You ask after a moment of thought, moving to follow him into the house as he opens the door while your eyes flick back to take in his profile. He gives a light chuckle as he closes the door behind you, the interior of the home having a bit of style and small added luxuries in its design. 

Once inside, you're greeted by a cozy and rustic interior; The living room is adorned with wood furnishings and a stone fireplace that crackles with warmth. The dining room is off to the left side, and straight in front of the door is a hallway that leads to doors at the end. He walked towards the living room, the scent of freshly cut wood fills the air, mingling with the lingering aroma of metal from the forge out back that carries through the house.

He leads you out of the entryway and into the main living area of the house. The rustic charm of the place is evident, with wooden beams on the ceiling and a large stone fireplace dominating one wall. The room is warm and cozy, with a worn leather sofa and a few mismatched chairs arranged around a rough-hewn coffee table.

Simon turns to face you, his eyes softening as he considers your question. "You can call me Ghost if you like. It's what most folks 'round here call me. It’s grown to be natural, y’know?" He pauses, a considerate expression crossing his face. "But if you prefer Simon, that's fine too. Whatever makes you comfortable, darlin'." 

He steps closer, his hand reaching out to gently brush a strand of your hair back. "You've traveled a long way to be here. I appreciate that, and I want you to feel at home. This here is your home now too."

Upturning your chin as he moves his fingers to lightly trace your face, your eyes close for a long moment before opening back up to him.

“Thank you for inviting me out here- taking the chance on me. I do owe you my life.” You add, feeling a bit bold in the way you elude to something but brush it off as a docile sense of gratitude while his hand falls to his side.

“I’m excited to be in our home, please let me know if I’m ever a bother for you, sir.” You include, shifting the conversation back to the present and a prospective thought.

You don’t notice the way his eyes stop to stare into your own for a moment, as he flags the previous sentence to come back to later.

"You ain't ever gonna be a bother to me, honey. Quite the opposite, actually." A hint of desire mixed with light amusement, his gaze flickering to your lips before returning to your eyes. "I've been alone for too long, and I'm eager to have you by my side. To share this home, this life, and everything else that comes with it."

He takes a step back, gaze still locked with yours. "Now, how about I show you to your room, first? There's more to see, and want you settled in.” The movement of his arm to gesture to the house accompanies his deep rumble, and as your eyes gaze toward the bedroom hallway, you can't help but feel the heat rise to your cheeks.

With a nod of your head, feeling almost absent-minded while your thoughts race with scenarios, you move to pick up your bags. “Lead the way, please.” You answer with a warm smile, trying to convey your warm innocence in the moment.

From the crinkle around his eyes, Simon's lips curl into a small, satisfied smile as he watches you gather your bags. "Alright then, follow me." He says before moving to swoop a handle of your bag out from yours, then placing your free hand into his. 

Turning to look back, his eyes wander over you again, before stopping in front of a door to the right side of the hallway; Opening the door, he ushers you in with a hand to the small of your back. 

Stepping in, you face a window that overlooks the grassy planes of the desert. To the right of the room, a small cot is pushed against the wall, a wooden nightstand on its left side. To the left of the room, was a closet and desk. The room was a little decorated, giving off an inviting feel, and you can sense that in a rugged and manly way, he tried his best for you.

"Here we are... Your room." He drawls out from the doorway before settling his right shoulder against it. His eyes, which you don't see as you survey the room, take in your body language and facial expressions, looking for any sign of displeasure.

To his surprise, you're ecstatic.

The reality of even the minimal amount of effort and having a room that was not falling apart, or dirty, and had a bed off of the ground via a wrought iron bed frame was an extreme luxury compared to your previous home.

Walking over to the window with a smile and bright eyes that reflect in the orange sunset, your jaw drops at how peaceful and comforting it is to be in something that is now considered yours.

“This is… this is much more than I could have ever asked for, Simon.” You say while taking a step to turn around, dropping your bag down by the closet before turning back towards him. “Thank you, this is incredibly sweet of you to do this.” The pull of your cheeks is evidence enough that you must look like a fool at how hard you smile, but the look in Simon’s eyes in response is worth it.

His face- eyes, light up as he sees the reaction, a warm feeling coming over him as your excitement melts his heart, and he lets a light huff escape. "’s no problem... But, I did have a question to ask you first before anything else..." He spoke softly, arms crossed in front of him as he waited for your acknowledgment, his deep brown eyes holding a depth to them.

Clearing his throat, he looks as if deciding between something. A moment later, he pushes off the door frame and walks towards you, still leaving some distance.

 "Now, I will always respect your independence and autonomy, but as a man and your husband, I expect some things of you, and I'll make it known..." He let out a sigh before continuing.

“Since we're living together and going to be newlyweds, there are a few expectations I have for us, and I want to ask you how you feel about those expectations." He asked quietly, his tone remaining calm, and you begin to figure that in his way, this is Simon acting soft in nature.

You nod once, giving him the signal to continue while remaining quiet, hands laced together in front of your lap as you watch him with rapt attention.

"I am not forcing you to agree to them. But I do expect that you will spend time with me, that you will not lie to me, and that you will be monogamous to me. I want our communication to be open and straightforward, none of that tip-toeing around each other." He paused, his tone serious for a moment as he wanted it to get across. He smiled after his words as he turned. "Any questions?"

Oh.

That’s it? 

You expected something a tad more… unjust and harsh from a man who comes off as intimidating as Simon, the man known as Ghost amongst the town. But, there was one question you had in response to what he expected of you; monogamy.

“Just one, If you don’t mind me askin’” Your voice comes out smooth and sweet, more soft and timid than you’d like to present yourself in a situation worth garnering the level of respect entrusted to each other. “Will you remain monogamous to me, or do you spend time with others?”

With a huff and shake of his head, he pushes the fabric of his bandana away by a small amount of air from his mouth.

"No... I will only be monogamous to you. You're the one I decided to marry, and I intend to make this marriage work." He spoke firmly. "And I do not spend time with others... I can promise you that you're the only one I need.” 

There is a pause in his answer as he takes a step closer, head now looking down at you while his hand glides up to land underneath your jaw, taking you by slight surprise as he holds it with his large and rough fingers.

“Does that address your concerns?" He ends the question with a deep and more serious tone- his voice makes your mind bring up what his mouth looks like while saying it.

The sound that escapes you is classically embarrassing, showing how much you are not the experienced one in this scenario. You swallow before answering. “It does… and I agree to these expectations.” You reply before taking a deeper inhale- the scent of fire, ash, and an unfamiliar smell of what could be his musk mixed with metal, one that vaguely reminds you of blood.

“May I ask something, sir? It may be rude to ask if right now but since we are setting boundaries I’d like to know.” The moment of closeness is something you hope will shield you from any backlash from asking what you’re curious about.

"You may, there is nothing you could say that would be taken offensively." He spoke softly, looking at you as his eyes traveled over your face; he looks over the ridges, pores, and even seeing a few small scars here and there along your soft skin. 

Your eyes are drawn to his face similarly: the pores that seem dirty from the day of work he had, scars that are random in placement but more than a small amount litter his forehead, and the top of his cheekbones that flow underneath the bandana. “May I ask why you wear the mask, or at least, will you be wearing it around me if I am to be your spouse soon?”

Your eyes find the telling features that his jaw is ticked, and a rush of anxiety flushes through as your stomach drops in fear that this was not supposed to be asked.

He drops the hold of your jaw, looking down with a nod of his head as if he was expecting the question. Taking his own deep breath and looking back up, his tone is surprisingly gentle, not allowing any shame to come out of him.

"I am afraid my appearance is a bit.. unsettling... I will remove it in our bedroom while we sleep and make love, but... I am not one to show it off as I do find people make too many assumptions." He spoke truthfully.

You can’t control the movement of your eyebrows furrowing up in confusion. Unsettling…? Is that his own belief or was he told that? You want to diffuse the situation before you make it more uncomfortable, yet your mouth works faster than your mind.

“You can deny me the answer, but, may I ask what happened?” You surprise yourself while talking with a level voice, social context be damned.

He stays silent as he thinks on whether or not to answer, his face shifting slightly to show some emotions. You curse yourself the longer the silence ticks by.

"I had a... scar left by an incident a while back... And it's one thing I like to keep private until I am able to completely trust someone." He spoke, a shrug of his shoulders makes his clothes rustle as he dismisses his answer and wanting to leave it behind.

Clearing his throat, he tips his head towards you and the cowboy hat obscures the visibility of his eyes for a moment. “Well then, I’ll let you get settled in darlin’. Call for me when you’re finished.” He states resoundingly, and with that, he turns to exit from your room and back down the hallway. 

[zahri-melitor]

And to sum up the DC Real Santa read: there is a LOT of Santa lore, and most of it gets contradicted regularly.

If you want pointers for a couple of the best DC Santa stories over the years, here’s my summary:

Golden Age Award: Action Comics #105. While I do enjoy the original Superman’s Christmas Adventure, the Action Comics story is just a better, more coherent plot, PLUS it contains ridiculous weight loss methods for Santa.

Silver Age Award: endless Rudolph reprints. For some reason DC really didn’t do much with Christmas during the Silver Age. I’m going to nominate Batman #239 as the Santa story that still sneaks into the Silver Age.

Bronze Age Award: this had a bunch of serious competitors, but probably the best go-to Santa story in this period is The House of Mystery in DC Special Series #21. However I also fully enjoyed The Sandman: The Seal Men’s War on Santa Claus from The Best of DC #22, for the Seal Men’s righteous frustration at Santa giving them inappropriate presents.

1980s award: Twas the Fright Before Christmas! in Christmas with the Super-Heroes #1 is probably the pick of the classic Santa appearances, but if you want to sit down with a single 1980s issue to read, get Christmas with the Super-Heroes #2 instead and just enjoy some really contemplative stories. DC hit it out of the park with this issue, there isn’t a dud in it.

1990s award: It’s the Holiday Bash era! All three issues are great, but Holiday Bash III is my pick of the bunch, and it contains the overall best Santa story, which is No Bart, There is No Santa Claus. Honourable mention to Present Tense in Holiday Bash II though, for the Darkseid’s Christmas coal delivery we all love.

2000s award: After a lot of thought, I actually have to give this to The Spectre #11-12. It’s contemplative, it does interesting things with DC lore and Santa lore, and it’s a really well told story. My runner up is probably Young Justice #40. My Christmas anthology pick is DC Universe Holiday Special #1 (2008) and it’s for the balance of characters I like, optimistic and loving stories, and gorgeous art.

New 52 award: just go read Li’l Gotham #2 and #12 for their Christmas issues. I promise nothing else is worth it.

Rebirth award: The Night We Saved Christmas in DC Rebirth Holiday Special #1. It’s Detective Chimp, it has a really fun Santa characterisation, and it’s just a rollicking yarn. However for anthology issue, I actually have to give the edge to DC's Nuclear Winter Special #1 (2017), though 2016's is also very good. Nuclear Winter just has a more coherent theme.

Infinite Frontier award: I think I’m going to give this to The Santa Copies in DC's 'Twas the Mite Before Christmas #1 (2023). There honestly wasn’t the best selection through here, but Rip and Booster having a family Christmas adventure together is always going to make me feel soft. In terms of collection - look they’re all ‘fine I guess’ really? If you’re going to read a single anthology, i guess my pick is DC's Grifter Got Run Over by a Reindeer #1 (2022) for the best mix of stories.

Thanks everyone for following along my mega posting. Next year I might actually read all the Rudolph stories (this is a lie).

[quantumgroovytime]

i’m in dincobb adjacent hell rn and i wanna drag more people down here with me >:]

dio morriessy (nypd blue) and dennis schiff (the broken hearts club)

this one is purely for the aesthetics of camp gay man falls in love with standoffish alt guy (idk what subculture dio actually is please don’t crucify me /lh)

frankie morales (triple frontier) and nick bennett (a perfect getaway)

they were both in the army. that’s it. that and all of their fics are incredibly sweet and i love them a lot

max phillips (bloodsucking bastards) and mickey altieri (scream 2)

dude who kills people because he needs to eat and dude who kills people because he’s batshit crazy. i won’t read any of the fics for them because they’re all nsfw and i don’t read that, so someone PLEASE write sfw fics about them 🙏🙏 /nf

jack daniels (kingsman: the golden circle) and raylan givens (justified)

gay cowboys. i don’t need to say any more

dieter bravo (the bubble) and joel hammond (santa clarita diet)

this pairing came to me in a vision (an incredibly boring graphic design lesson) the whole reason i’m so attached to it is the idea of dieter hating being a celebrity because no one sees him for him and joel being extremely behind on current media so has no idea who he is and he’s just happy to have another buddy to get high with

joel miller (the last of us) and david dutton (the crazies)

as much as i love joel miller+joel hammond i’m also incredibly attached to the idea of these two ‘zombie’ fighting badasses falling in love

idk man i love them a lot

[ruzqtx]

THE ALAMO (2004)

there’s not a lot of “behind the scenes” alamo 2004 photos (due to a LOT of reasons) but here are my favorites,,,some being photos from the offical behind the scenes footage 🔥🔥🙏

I forgot the actors name but “Colonel Nimrod Wildfire behind the scenes thing”

this was from the movie’s premiere meetup and i laugh so hard every time bcs WHY THE FRICKLR FRACK DID THEY HAVE JASON PATRIC AND PATRICK WILSON INTERACTING WITH A DAMN ARMADILLO 😭😭

and my personal favorite—patrick wilson in full william travis costume/outfit and casually wearing sunglasses (he looks so lost)

and who would i be to not include a crap ton of davy crockett????? here’s a super low quality photo of billy bob thornton in full frontier-davy outfit!!!!!!! 🙏🙏🔥

i forgot where this was taken, some sort of theatre, i believe the same one shown at the beginning of the movie but even more frontier davy (except depressed looking and i can’t figure out why)!!!!!!!!

and whatever the hell this interaction was 😭 i kind of forgot but it would REALLY weird to see davy without the jacket, travis in GOD knows what, and…maybe a bowie in the background??

i’m sorry santa anna/antonio lovers i couldn’t find any good stuff on him 😔😔😔 i promise your time will come and it’ll be awesome when it happens 🙏

[izzydaninja]

Master Post ~

Hello! I'm Izzy, or Izzy Julien, depending on what you know me as. Even IzzyDaNinja, at times.

Random facts:

-General age: Not a kid. (But I do have a child-like spirit. X3) -Gender: Female. -Pfp is a (Monkie Kid) Redraw of me (by me). -I'm a Christain. -I'm an artist in (self) training. -I'm also a writer in (self) training. -I've always had a fascination for animation. -I can only draw/write about what I'm interested in. (Which I call my 'moods'. lol) -Banner may change depending on my 'mood.' -I'm also an ADHD artist and author. (It shows very clearly in my posts. XD [Still trying to work on that.])

~I do not give out personal information for privacy reasons. So, if anyone has questions, that's fine, just nothing too personal. Thank you.~

[Please be respectful in comments, tags, and other. Thank you!]

~No one is allowed to dub, trace, post, or anything regarding my works without permission or given credit. If you wish to use my works, even as a pfp/banner, etc, please contact me. Stealing is not appreciated. Reblogs and inspired works, are fine.~

V - Art/Story links down below - V

[Current Mood: Sonic] (This is so everyone knows which I'm currently updating)

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Other Posts:

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Ninjago:

ZANE HUGS PLUSHIE GIF

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Stories/Fanfiction/Writing:

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Ninjago:

Come Home - [Kai and Nya centric] One-Shot COMPLETE Familiar Shadow - [Lloyd and Garmadon centric] One-Shot COMPLETE A Brother I Never Knew - [Zane and Echo Zane centric] Multichapter WIP Seperation (AU) - [All ninja centric] Multichapter WIP 'No Matter What You're Made of' - [Zane and Kai centric] One-Shot COMPLETE The Fall of a Brother - [Zane and Pixal centric] One-Shot COMPLETE Fragmented Family - [All ninja centric] One-Shot COMPLETE The Reason for a Gift - [Cliff Gordon centric] One-Shot COMPLETE Stuck at the Door - [Ninja centric] One-Shot COMPLETE Game Over-Rated - [Zane, Jay, and Cole centric] One-Shot COMPLETE All You Know is Your (Altered) Perception - [Zane centric] Multichapter WIP Thunder Comes After Lightning, When the Rain Fades - [Jay centric] One-Shot COMPLETE Home is a Desire; Never Gifted - [Echo Zane centric] Multichapter COMPLETE Many Greetings - [Nya centric] One-Shot COMPLETE Laughter Breaks the Silence - [Jay & Cole centric] One-Shot COMPLETE A Single Breath - [Jay centric] One-Shot COMPLETE You Are Here - [Ninja & Zane centric] Multichapter COMPLETE It's Cold Inside - [Zane centric] Multichapter COMPLETE

Correct Quotes: Jay drowns

Incorrect Quotes: Zane's a Robot

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Sonic the Hedgehog: [Shows, Games, Comics]

What if the Sonic Community worked together on this?

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Sonic Games -

(Sonic Frontiers) After Everything... This, This is All I Wanted (AU) - [Sonic and Eggman centric] One-Shot COMPLETE A Crown of Flowers - [Sonic and Cream centric] One-Shot COMPLETE What Your Color Says About You - [Sonic and Amy centric] One-Shot COMPLETE Who We Have - [Sonic and Shadow centric] One-Shot COMPLETE New Horizons - [Sonic and friends centric] One-Shot COMPLETE Sonic Frontiers Rewrite - [Sonic centric] PREVIEW Falling Again - [Sonic centric] One-Shot COMPLETE Embracing What Hurts Most - [Sonic and friends centric] Multichapter COMPLETE A Moment to Breathe - [Sonic centric] One-Shot COMPLETE The Call of Your Departure - [Sonic centric] One-shot COMPLETE Super-Secret Sonic Santa - [Sonic & Friends centric] Multichapter COMPLETE

(The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog) After Party - [Sonic, Shadow, and Amy centric] Multichapter COMPLETE

(Sonic Generations [X Shadow]) One Step Forward, and Falling Back - [Shadow and Maria centric] One-Shot COMPLETE

(Sonic Forces) Times Up - [Sonic centric] One-Shot COMPLETE At My Side; Stands No One - [Sonic centric] One-Shot COMPLETE

_____________________________________________________________

Sonic Comics -

(Sonic IDW) Triple Threat - [Sonic, Shadow, and Silver centric] One-Shot COMPLETE When You Defy Expectation - [Knuckles centric] One-Shot COMPLETE

(Sonic Archie) Life of a Royal - [Sonic and Sally centric] One-Shot COMPLETE

_____________________________________________________________

Sonic Shows -

(Sonic Boom) Beauty Behind the Mess - [Sonic and Amy centric] One-Shot COMPLETE

(Sonic Prime) The Final Shard (AU) - [Sonic centric] Multichapter [Not Written Yet] A Piece of the Puzzle - [Sonic and Shadow centric] Multichapter WIP Back to How it Never Was - [Sonic and Tails centric] One-Shot COMPLETE Letting the Bottle Blow - [Sonic centric] One-Shot COMPLETE Bloopers- CUT - [Everyone] Multichapter WIP Changes Everything - [Everyone] Multichapter WIP When They Take All You Give... What's Left? - [Sonic and Shadow centric] One-Shot COMPLETE Be There When I (Can't) Ask - [Sonic and Tails centric] One-Shot COMPLETE Coming Home Scathed - [Sonic and friends centric] One-Shot COMPLETE (Inspired by another work and comment) Below the Depths; I Remain - [Sonic centric] Multichapter COMPLETE Piecing it Together Again - [Sonic, Tails, & Shadow centric] Multichapter COMPLETE Like a Magnet; I Come Back - [Sonic centric] One-Shot COMPLETE

_____________________________________________________________

Sonic the Hedgehog -

One Day - [Shadow and Maria centric] One-Shot COMPLETE

When Bullets Don't Pass Through Your Shadow - [Shadow centric] One-Shot COMPLETE

This Isn't Goodbye - [Sonic and friends centric] Multichapter(?) ???

(Don't) Let Go - [Shadow centric] Multichapter COMPLETE

Protect Your Heart - [Sonic and Tails centric] One-Shot COMPLETE

After Their Fall - [Shadow and Maria centric] One-Shot COMPLETE

Kit-T Fox Collection Two Tails Just Isn't Enough - [Sonic and Tails centric] One-Shot COMPLETE One is Not Two Many - [Sonic, Tails, Kit-T centric] One-Shot COMPLETE

Chaotic Reaction Chaotic Reaction - [Sonic and Shadow centric] Multichapter WIP

Living Apart (series) COMPLETE Living Proof - [Sonic centric] One-Shot COMPLETE Falling Apart - [Amy, Tails, and Knuckles centric] Multichapter COMPLETE

(Sonic Incorrect Quotes/Skits) Only Broken if Caught

_____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) [2012, 2003, Rise]

_____________________________________________________________

Rise TMNT -

Very Punny - [Leo and Donnie centric] One-Shot COMPLETE

The Burden of Knowledge - [Leo and Casey centric] One-Shot COMPLETE

Find the Key. Stop the Kraang. [Leo centric] Multichapter WIP

Just One of Those Days - [Leo and Casey centric] One-Shot COMPLETE

Monster in the Dark - [Leo and Donnie centric] One-Shot COMPLETE

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

[bunysliper]

Hey! I’m the anon who asked you about the scene. It’s from 7x22, when Danny Valentine flirts with Kate and she flirts back a bit. I think she does it because she's excited and Kate tends to act a little different when she's in fangirl mode, but I'm not comfortable with that interaction. I know it comes from my own insecurities if a situation like that occurred, cause from my baggage I would think that my partner would leave me for that crush... Silly? Yes, but I can't help it. So I would like to know your point of view.

Hi Anon, so in keeping with the trend, apologies for how long it's taken me to answer you.

I don't want to be insensitive to you with this answer, since you have said you're bothered, and it is absolutely valid to not love the scene for any reason, of course, but I don't think we can always apply our own personal comfort levels for situations to the characters. After all, for some, the entire premise of the show is something they would not personally want to experience, but they can put that aside to enjoy the story we're being told.

Personally, I don't have a problem with the scene. It's a little bit of hero-worship/fangirl (similar to when she met 'Captain Max' in the Final Frontier), which is a totally normal thing in general, but also an established reaction for Beckett, so nothing out of the ordinary or indicative of any desire she has to look elsewhere. I would also throw out an idea for another aspect of what we see in the scene: Beckett playing a part to get information from the guy who's flirting with her by returning the flirtation. We've seen her do that before as well - think Last Call, for one. She knows how to work a person for information, and sometimes, that involves a little bit of femininity and flirting.

Another thing you can do is look at the situation from the characters' point of view. How are they reacting? Beckett is flattered and a little flustered. Castle seems surprised that it's happening but not upset at her. He gives ol' Danny a nudge to the chest when he gets closer than necessary and kind of side-eyes Beckett as they're walking out. And part of his reaction with the side-eye could come from the fact that Beckett teased him about his long-time schoolboy crush on Kat Kingsley and the gaga eyes he was making at her not that long ago (in Last Action Hero), and/or about the fact that she was unimpressed when strippers flirted with him (in Bad Santa), but is a bit flippant this time. Or he could be reacting to the fact that she entertained the flirting at all, when Beckett used to be literally all business all the time and only "flirted" as long as was necessary to get the information she wanted.

Either way, his reaction doesn't seem like he's especially upset with Beckett or concerned about it having lasting effects on their relationship. Maybe he's a little miffed, but even saying that, with the exception of one line later in the episode when they think Valentine is involved (the moment when Castle says, "Oh ho ho. I knew it. That smug, no talent playboy is up to his neck in this." which is classic Castle when he feels like they've found their killer and it just happens to maybe be someone who dissed him), it's mostly forgotten after that moment. There doesn't seem like there's any discontent between them; from what we see, they are good. Which is what matters, right?

Anyway, this is long and like a million years late, but I hope this maybe helped a little bit!

[larsisfrommars]

BG3 Santa Playthrough #6

The Path to The Shadow Druid Rendevous:

Before we leave let us question the drow that was killed, perhaps he’ll give us some answers that Nettie would not or could not! Moonrise Towers seems to be another place where people are getting sick.

Is that music? Perhaps we should head this way before we leave! Oh, there’s a lovely young woman writing a song for a passed love one. There is some tenderness in this grove after all!

Wait, we’ve let Alfira be, why do I still hear singing? Oh look a little boy, surely hes not the one singing that tune? No it’s something else, a beautiful bird! Astarion don’t shoot it you selfish little! Oh… Harpies. We must get this child out of here!!

A letter in the harpy’s nest, it seems there is a Cambion lurking about. Goodness, is there no end to the dark creatures lurking in these lands? Goblins, harpies, cambions, a dragon, what next?!

Gale seems to be as fond of children as me, we seem to be getting along quite well, more than I can say for other more… complicated members of this merry band of ours. We should find this dragon’s lair, hopefully we can help these children who’ve made it their business to scamper about unseen in the grove.

What was that man threatening that poor boy for?! Whether he did what he claimed, it does no good to be vitriolic against children! We’d better find this Mol and quickly, maybe she can talk some sense into these children.

Apparently she’s the reason they’re getting into trouble in the first place, hmm… children who have nothing seeking to better their lot through trickeries that do little to actually harm the victims but endanger themselves. Naughty or nice? Remains to be seen.

Zevlor wishes me to kill Kagha?! She is a shadow Druid that much is true but… perhaps she isn’t too far gone? Let’s us see what the other half of her secret must say. If she doesn’t see reason then. Arabella won’t have to be afraid of her anymore.

That harpy fight was no laughing matter, time to make camp and head to the tree where answers live (as they so often do). Let’s befriend the blade of frontiers. He seems more pleasant company than the selfish pale one.

My goodness! Astarion is a vampire?! How awful! For both of us! He says only eats animals… like any other predatory beast. He hasn’t hurt us at least, and he could have. He’s been helpful if a bit… disturbing. As long as he keeps it that way, he won’t be on my list, I trust him that much… for now.

Gale seems unbothered by it, perhaps Astarion isn’t the only “vampire” among us, given what he’s said about his illness. I suppose… You can’t be naughty for something you did not choose. Maybe Astarion never wanted to be one to begin with. Maybe there’s hope for him yet!

More talk of this Absolute “goddess” these people seem very misguided, or very naughty. I’ll send them on their way for now, the more I hear of this goddess the more she worries me. Oh goodness! I will not submit to its desires I must force it to let go of me! Nothing good can come from this! Or them!

What is Shadowheart’s distaste for a goddess of light and kindness?! She is allies with Silvanus! Lady Shar? Gale’s goddess seems to not like her, I am not versed in divine politics… the more I learn of this girl the more she confuses me. She acts with kindness in many things, and is punished for doing so. Perhaps it is Shar then, who belongs on my list. Though I am not certain this damage to her nature could be unlearned…

An Owlbear! Beautiful creature, I will not hurt her child, let’s be in our way! We’ve bigger fish to fry than protective mothers. I wonder what else we’ll find on our way to this shadow Druid meeting place.

Secrets, Swamps, Kagha & Karlach ->

<- Finding The Healer Nettie

[jcmarchi]

Shadow Costume Coming To Sonic Superstars

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/shadow-costume-coming-to-sonic-superstars/

Shadow Costume Coming To Sonic Superstars

Today’s announcement of Sonic x Shadow Generations brought all kinds of love for Sonic’s dark doppelganger as longtime fans celebrate Shadow’s return after being absent from recent projects like Sonic Superstars and Sonic Frontiers. However, players won’t need to wait for the fall launch of Sonic x Shadow Generations to enjoy speeding around as Shadow, as Sega also announced it is celebrating today’s announcement by releasing a free equippable DLC costume to Sonic Superstars on February 15.

Sonic Superstars already includes several other skins you can equip onto your characters, ranging from Lego costumes to a Santa costume for Sonic to even the original prototype rabbit design. No screenshots or photos have been released for the newly announced Shadow costume in Sonic Superstars.

Still image from Sonic x Shadow Generations announcement trailer

In July 2023, I asked Sonic Team creative officer Takashi Iizuka why Shadow isn’t in Sonic Superstars. “Shadow is from the Modern series of characters and gameplay that we have introduced,” Iizuka says. “The Classic series exists before the Modern series, so they haven’t met at that time. There’s no relationship, so we won’t be bringing Shadow into the Classic series. Unfortunately, Shadow was in a capsule at that time.”

By adding Shadow as an equippable skin, Iizuka and the rest of Sonic Team are able to circumvent the lore reasoning for leaving Shadow on the sidelines for Superstars. This year is shaping up to be the Year of Shadow for the Sonic brand. Shadow is coming to Sonic Superstars as an equippable skin, he’s co-headlining the aforementioned Sonic Generations remaster in the fall, and he figures to be one of the main attractions in the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3 film when that hits theaters in December.

Sonic Superstars launched on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC on October 17, 2023. The free Shadow costume arrives in Sonic Superstars as free DLC on February 15. For more on that game, check out our review here. You can also visit our exclusive coverage hub by heading here.

[innovationparty01]

AI Frontier Today: GPT Store | Rabbit: First AI Mainstream Device | GPT-Powered Cars Are Coming

Hi, AI Futurists!

Embark on the AI journey with the first edition of AI Frontier 2024, delivering the week's top highlights that promise to bring compelling and actionable content.

GPT Store Just Launched. How It Is Going to Change the World and How It Change Yours.

Rabbit Is Arguably the Top AI Product at CES 2024. So, What and How Does It Do?

GPT Car Assistant Is Coming to Most Cars Soon. How is Talking to Our Car Going to Change Our Lives?

Welcome! Discover actionable AI content in quick 5-minute emails, delivered three times a week. Join a thriving global AI community, where you can learn, collaborate, and lead the future of AI.

You can see the bottom of each email for how you can make the most of the AI Frontier community and member-only offers.

As of today, OpenAI launched the GPT Store.

It is a historic day, especially for the following reasons:

 Frictionless App Store. Unlike the iOS and Android mobile apps It is almost frictionless to create a no-code GPT app if you are GPT Plus subscription. All you need is a niche and a firm vision.

AI Use Boost. With thousands of GPT apps, AI will truly become mainstream.

The Path to AGI. With so much more data, OpenAI will have dramatically more data to train its model, which will speed up the transition to AGI, artificial general intelligence.

Build your GPT app:

Sign up for GPT Plus.

Plan the app's concept possibly using free tools like Notion AI.

Fine-tune, test, and upload a valuable dataset.

Test the app yourself and share it with friends.

Keep refining and testing; OpenAI provides analytics.

Get ahead in this new era – a rare opportunity.

If you need help building your GPT app, Awaynear can help. 

AI Tool of the Day

Podcastle. Podcastle is an AI-powered audio content creation platform that enables creators to convert text into podcasts, create new audio content from video, voice, and text, and edit audio with high production quality.

Podcastle offers a full suite of tools and features, to be a one-stop-shop to help people create and edit audio content faster and more efficiently. Some of the features that Podcastle offers include multi-track recording, audio transcription, intuitive editing, text-to-speech, remote interview recording, and video editing.

Other Top AI Tools

Notion. If you want to create collaboration, keep things orderly, and manage your projects productively, Notion is the most intuitive tool. Now, with Notion AI, the platform offers the power of AI for content creation, ideation, or project management.

Semrush. Create optimized content in a few minutes while having the ability to use all other marketing tools of the digital marketing leader.

Adcreative. Create professional social media graphics and textual content for any platform in two minutes with your branding and analyze your post results.

Weblium. Create responsive and professional websites using the power of AI and the templates.

Writesonic. An AI-powered writing assistant that generates high-quality content for various topics, including SEO-friendly articles, Facebook ads, Google ads, and YouTube intros.

Rabbit R1 AI Device is a Santa Monica based AI hardware product that is used to interact with mobile apps from one interface.

The device runs on a custom-built consumer AI system that uses a revolutionary natural-language processing system called the Large Action Model (LAM).

Rabbit R1 is a versatile device that can control your music, order you a car, plan your itinerary, order food, book a taxi, and more. It works like a walkie-talkie and is set to begin shipping in March 2024.

It will be priced at $199. You can pre-order here.

CES, the world's largest technology show, is set to commence today in Las Vegas, with a focus on AI running through January 12th. The event is expected to attract 40,000 attendees to a 1.5 million square feet area.

AI Frontier Top AI Product Choice

Bmind Smart Mirror

Infused with AI, it improves mental health by identifying mood and managing stress through gestures and voice commands.

BMind uses generative AI and natural language processing to provide a seamless, touchless experience with gesture recognition, voice command, and intent detection.

Privacy-focused, it ensures data is stored locally with user consent.

Other AI Products at CES 2024

Motion Pillow: This pillow uses AI to tackle snoring problems and improve sleep quality.

AI-powered baby stroller: An innovative stroller equipped with AI technology.

Metis AI platform: A powerful hardware and software platform for edge devices, designed to accelerate natural language processing and generative AI.

Integrate AI to Your Business

Build Your Chatbot. Automate your customer support, boost user engagement, automate customer on-boarding, increase sales and more.

Build Your GPT App. You describe the app you want to share with the world or build for your own company and let us build the plan and execute it flawlessly.

Integrate Top AI Tools. Build a faster, more productive, smarter company with the top business AI tools that will act as your teammates for a fraction of the cost.

Build Your Digital Company with Awaynear

Hire Awaynear as your remote team for digital development, design, marketing or fundraising.

Save 20% on any plan using the code: BuildOnline20

 Explore

Top Tech Product Offer of the Day

Save 30% on the top-rated L12 Pro High Performance Electric Scooter using the code: EPerformance30. Limited-time offer. Free worldwide shipping.

800W Long Range Escooter: Zoom at 45 KPH on Your Commutes. Ultra Fast Shipping

Experience the future of urban commuting with our Long-Range Foldable Electric Scooter. Designed for the modern traveler, this sleek and powerful escooter is …

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Explore the Awaynear Tech and Lifestyle Shop Here.

New to AI Frontier?

Subscribe to AI Frontier for compelling and actionable AI content - 3 times a week. Subscribe

That's it for today.

Please share this email with your friends and AI enthusiasts so that we can grow the AI Frontier Community together. You can share the AI Frontier subscription page.

You can contact us for any collaboration, project or suggestions. We are always here to help and improve.

[johnjankovic]

SHEPHERDS AND WOLVES

I am here. Anonymous

Christianity as the progenitor of Western society has been the proverbial mortar of a great many institutions shaping man’s upward march. Between constitutional governance inspired by St. Thomas Aquinas, the Renaissance’s gallery of art the Church commissioned or capitalism’s Protestant seedbed this influence remains ecumenical. Across a spectrum from politics to science our ethics moulded civilization despite how modern philistines erase them. Reforms allowing criminals to rape and beat innocents with impunity inveigh against the moral compass of Christian jurisprudence upon which English Common Law was founded. Wild hoaxes of Catholic places of instruction murdering aboriginal children saw arsonists set a firestorm upon churches. The Marxist usurpation of government whose policies denounce Christianity impoverish people both materially and spiritually. A long decline over the preceding thirty-five years now crescendoes into a chessboard eerily set in the final few seconds before a great war between Manichean forces. The very strangeness of these times marks the hour. The medical profession gaslights how men purportedly menstruate and breastfeed. Toddlers elect their genders. Pedophilia is mainstreamed. Beliefs once held inviolable are violently twisted under the thrall of Babylon.

A nefarious funhouse exploits man to precipitate the perversion of a world on the eve of its damnation. Yet akin to the Third Law of Motion that for every action there prevails an opposite reaction if Lucifer is an interloper here anew then so too is something far more purposed. That something issues from an anomaly that ripped the fabric of space and time two thousand years ago. It is something condemned to wander the cosmos for eternity for it can neither forgive nor forget. The paroxysm of chaos afoot telegraphs the imminent conflict as the tit-for-tat grows tiresome in the search for a conclusion. The reason for this crossroad hails from a galactic stride humanity is about to embark upon into the final frontier. What ideas man exports to Mars and beyond will determine the fate of his species for millennia and it is incumbent that he be reminded of the catechism that led him here. Much like how Christopher Columbus discovered the New World upon his flagship christened Santa Maria this next expedition will be of a missionary sort. What appears lost on laypeople is how Columbus fancied himself a crusader to reclaim Jerusalem from the Muslims through precious metals sourced in newfound lands. The voyage did not manifest orthogonally to Christianity but quite the opposite. Faith was the cynosure.

Neither vainglory nor hubris coloured Columbus’ feats but rather it was the Catholic convictions he harboured that did. This self-effacement for the sake of a greater cause can be extrapolated onto the entire history of Western civilization. Sacrifice is the marrow and sinews of modernity’s sustained growth. Of course society belies this claim by infantilizing adults into a perpetual state of denial. You see these very people everyday clutching to their mortality through their promiscuous habits or ‘reliving their youth’ in debauchery. These degenerates are wayward children in a sandbox who stink of milk. Pay little heed to them as no more than a cautionary tale. The sons and daughters of our creed do not cower at hardships when their contemplation of the Crucifixion stoutens their resolve to glorify Jesus in their proper comportment. Flesh and bones decay but Christianity’s love suffers no such affliction. Perhaps you have been privy to this phenomenon yourself in the midst of a Sunday Service when a worshipper sobs inconsolably whilst the Holy Spirit imbues them with peace likened to an exorcism. There is power in the blood precisely how the eponymous hymn incants. Indeed the Gospels have been a source of beauty that has incubated a kaleidoscope of wonders from the corpus of Shakespeare to Copernicus’ heliocentric model.

To say things men dare not say or to do things men dare not do describes the invincibility boasted by a believer. Republican President Lincoln bellowed in Congress about the scourge of slavery by citing the Gospel of Matthew that a house divided against itself cannot stand. Such moral turpitude was further upbraided by Frederick Douglass who aroused the conscience of a nation in defence of a Christianity not perverted by predilection towards race. Clara Barton clad in the armour of her faith tended to the injured upon the bedlam of battlefields in the Civil War before founding the American Red Cross. Baptist Minister Martin Luther King purged prejudice in agitating against the tyranny of segregation. Britain’s William Wilberforce in his fervency for Christ became the fountainhead for the Slave Trade Act of 1807 that brought an end to institutionalized slavery. The young maiden Joan of Arc in a parable of David and Goliath was guided by providence to be a lodestar when bloodshed engulfed French sovereignty. Florence Nightingale in her Christian altruism saved scores of soldiers by her sanitary reforms gleaned from statistics. The Augustinian friar Gregor Mendel hailed as the patriarch of modern genetics authored scientific canons he observed in his monastery’s garden. Salvation and discovery are fruits of Christendom.

This pantheon of virtue in its rising watermark for humanity’s lot to forge an ideal society continues with George Washington Carver who reconciled his faith with science. The fruits of this labour with a reverence for Creation heralded a revolution in sustainable agriculture based upon the scientist’s tenets on crop rotation. Then there sits Harriet Tubman identified alongside Moses as birds of a feather in her emancipation of slaves via the Underground Railroad. For this firebrand her physical missions were pilgrimages she attributed to supernatural visions that guided her deep into the bowels of the antebellum South. Tubman fought the good fight for our family. This same gauntlet Archbishop Desmond Tutu confronted through his activism against the inequities within the dark recesses of South Africa’s apartheid. Another vignette would be the philanthropy towards social welfare by the Methodist William Booth who masterminded the Salvation Army. Soap and soup saved many souls in keeping vigil over the marginalized. Far from performative the organization abided by a strict military ethos for its war against sin whose legacy continues to this day. In the firmament of literature Christian allegories between such themes as sacrifice and redemption pervade J.R.R. Tolkien’s anthology of repute.

Brick by brick has the modern world been architected upon ecclesiastical works of Christian men and women. Yet Marxists who are pigmies amongst creatures deride this fact by revising history with their nihilism. These craven sociopaths are quite clever in their biddings for the devil by browbeating dissidents into conformity analogous to how Joseph Stalin secularized Russia. Perhaps the most apposite parallelism harkens back to the Spanish Civil War when a cohort of leftists alienated Catholics by raping their nuns and turning their churches to ash. Again Isaac Newton’s Third Law of Motion echoes in the comeuppance from General Franco who brutalized these godless zealots. History now repeats itself as the sheepish masses are led astray anew. The machinations remain conspicuously the same. Marxists inundate Christendom with military-aged men not persecuted refugees to rouse chaos by exploiting our goodwill and bastardizing the written word. Sin is proselytized to children as captains of the LGBTQ+ cartel groom them. A whole canyon of disparity exists between silently partaking in vice and its celebration. But sheeple kowtow to these orthodoxies by parading their pronouns despite how they enable the mammaries of minors being lopped off or the erosion of women’s autonomy under the jackboot of this social contagion.

A third cause célèbre is the climate change alarmism which is a pretext for humanity’s genocide. You are the carbon the champagne Marxists wish to expunge by doing away with staples like meat for synthetic alternatives laced in chemicals or shuttering farms wholesale. The mendacity reveals itself in how goalposts are so protean as they are moved further afield. The falsehoods of pseudo-scientists continue to be debunked as polar bear populations flourish, Earth’s verdant canopy expands, or corral reefs are rehabilitated. Vandals need to start forest fires just to shore up the narrative although the many fissures betray the ruse. Data is doctored by neglecting to edify the public on how surface temperatures are sampled close to urban heat islands like cities or airports in biasing anthropogenic causes. These same charlatans fail to adjust their models for the Minoan, Roman or Medieval warming periods whose thermal variations conduced to prolific yields from farmlands and vineyards. In fact the sole reason for the diaspora of Vikings inhabiting Greenland and Newfoundland adverts to these kinder climes. Be weary of such frauds indentured to another master. Jesus said, ‘Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as snakes and innocent as doves (Matthew 10:16)’. Do not be stupid.

[peoplehum]

Top 20 HR blog post of 2023

Top 6 HR Software in Zambia As an effort to aid organisations in selecting a well-suited HR software, here's our handpicked version of the top HR software in Zambia you should be considering Turning 360 degree feedback into positive change Creating lasting change from 360 degree feedback is a process Here are a few guidelines for turning performance feedback into positive change The Dark Side of High Employee Engagement: Is it creating Unrealistic Expectations?

Discover the potential drawbacks of high employee engagement and how it can create unrealistic expectations within organizations. Read our latest blog to learn more

Do You Love Where You Work?

People stay in their jobs unhappy and disengaged, but there is a way to shortcut this journey, read the blog by Marshall Goldsmith to know more

Dear Santa: A letter from HR

Dear Santa: All I want for Christmas are solutions to HR challenges, check out what letters HR professionals have been sending to Santa, and maybe you can send your own

How to choose the Best HR software for your business in 2023

How to choose an HR software for your business at a time when the market is bursting with options? Today's your lucky day because we've got answers

How marketing and HR can and should work together?

When marketing and HR join hands, they can take your organization to great heights! Here are 5 ways these two departments can collaborate to help you grow

Hey HR, Can You Really Be Effective Internal Coaches?

In order for HR to really be effective internal coaches, there are four unique challenges they will have to undergo to lead to extraordinary success. Here’s Marshall Goldsmith on the success of internal HR coaching

Top 8 HR software in Singapore in 2023

We are here to recommend the 8 Best HR management software in Singapore in 2023! In this article, we’ll tell you why they stand out from the rest, read more

"Low performer": prevention and management Read this blog to learn about the errors that lead to "low performers" and the practices to better manage them in an organization

Employee Wrongboarding: Mistakes to avoid while onboarding & offboarding employees

Employee onboarding and offboarding mark the beginning and end of an employee's life cycle. Avoid 

these mistakes while onboarding and offboarding employees

50 Leaders Shaping the Future of HR in Africa

Meet the talented and experienced HR professionals of Africa who are uncovering challenges and developing workable solutions to improve business and people processes!

Challenge Up: A key to organizational integrity

In this article, Marshall Goldsmith suggests organizational guidelines aimed at encouraging upward challenge and preserving corporate integrity

Do You Have an Exit Strategy?

Leadership Thinker, Marshall Goldsmith gets into a compelling conversation with the World’s #1 CEO Coach, Mark Thompson, on the principle of an exit strategy

Multicultural management: the new frontier of talent management

The way to promote multicultural management isn’t the responsibility of HR alone, here’s how companies can promote multicultural management

The great resignation: the reasons for leaving your job

What were the reasons that led people to quit their jobs in large numbers? Read about what led to the shift in priorities in this post

8 steps to choosing an employee engagement software

How do you choose the right employee engagement software for your business? Read this blog to find your best employee engagement software that fits your needs

The Leadership Team and the One Voice setting

Discover the importance of leadership teams and their role for organizational alignment in this blog by Giuseppe Andò

Recruitment: A Modern Day Dating Game Recruiting is so similar to dating that sometimes, it’s hard to tell the difference Here are a few notable ways that the two run parallels with one another

[plagg-wants-cheese]

PLS JSJDKAKFKQ I CAN'T BREATHE OH MY GOD HELPPPPP THIS IS SO FUNNY

SO YOU GUYS ALREADY KNOW THAT THE SPANISH DUBS MADE AMITY AND LUZ BEST FRIENDS INSTEAD OF GIRLFRIENDS SO THERE WERE PEOPLE ACTUALLY RIOTING BUT LIKE IN A "DISNEY GIVE US OUR REPRESENTATION" WAY AND THE FUCKING DUMBASSES THAT ARE IN THE GOVERNMENT WERE LIKE "THEY'RE RIOTING, THEY ARE TRESPASSING THE FRONTIER OH NO" AND MADE SUCH A BIG DEAL OUT OF IT LMAO THEY EVEN WROTE ABOUT IT IN THE NEWS AND IT SAID SOMETHING LIKE "I DONT SUPPORT THIS CAUSE BECAUSE I'VE NEVER HEARD OF THIS LITTLE WITCH AND HER WEIRD DOG" LMAOO I'LL SHOW YOU

Fandom invades Bolivian borders as a result of an episode of a TikTok series. Today there have been various clashes between a group calling itself "Fans of The Owl House" and the Bolivian Police in different parts of the country. Yacuiba, the border town with Argentina, has been under siege since 9 am. Fans are "upset" about a problem and the country is part of their threats

Bolivia is not having a good week: apart from the brawls between masistas and the opposition, or conflicts with the new regulations due to COVID-19, it adds another new conflict. "Spies were discovered in the second ring of Santa Cruz: they are believed to be cooperating with the Cochala youth force," (SPIES??? WHEEZE) says Hunter Gabriel Quispe, a government minister. "We will not give in to foreigners." He also claimed not to know the reason for the conflict "I do not recognize that witch or her dog."

AND THE PICTURE SAYS

"Amity Blight, do you want to invade Bolivia with me?"

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON OH MY GOD

"FANDOM INVADES BOLIVIAN BORDERS" I ALREADY LIVE HERE BITCH BUT OKAY I CAN SAY I APPEARED IN THE NEWS

THIS IS SO FUNNY JFC

[zahri-melitor]

This apparently has no real Santas in it but I am COMMITTED at this point, have another Holiday Special fully reviewed. Next up is DC Holiday Special '09 #1.

It's always fascinating which characters make it into the specials. Reading these has reminded me that the war stories and the frontier stuff apparently has a bunch of fans - there's frequently Sgt Rock, Enemy Ace, Jonah Hex, etc.

Silent Knight - Batman. I am presuming DickBats chases a crook dressed as Santa and ends up in a warehouse of Santas. He identifies which is the crook, takes him out, and then is invited to what looks like a Santa Christmas Party.

Man of Snow - Superman. A kid makes a snow golem. This is one of the Hanukkah stories. Supes talks to the family and takes the kid flying.

The Flash Before Christmas - Flash. Family time story! Wally is very busy at Christmas with family and hero responsibilities (including fighting Killer Croc with Dick and Donna!) After the fight Dick and Donna twit Wally ('Linda got you a present, remember you have Raven in the Secret Santa') like the good best friends they are. (Also Wally accidentally gives the wrong gifts to Linda and Raven and has to emergency-switch them).

Also delightfully Wally keeps saying 'crud', presumably because he's working to avoid swearing with the twins at home.

The Christmas of Doom - Doom Patrol. Flashback story (Beast Boy is on Doom Patrol). Rita and Gar both hate Christmas. Rita and Steve make the offer to adopt Gar.

Party Gift - Superboy (Actually Match). This is unfortunately Bizarro!Match, who organises the Christmas Party for assorted Rogues Galleries.

Reason for the Season - Martian Manhunter. Another flashback story, it's J'onn as John Jones, police detective. J'onn learning about togetherness on Earth, as opposed to the Mars type.

Angel & the Ape - this has no title, and is just the two soliciting for holiday donations for kids' presents.

A Peace on Earth - Sgt. Rock. Sgt Rock runs into a German soldier on Christmas Eve 1944 (literally). They sit down and drink cognac and smoke cigarettes together, and discuss family and their fathers who both died during WWI. Then they both 'follow orders' to shoot on sight when encountering the enemy...by both firing into the air, before parting.

Stille Nacht - Enemy Ace. General Werner Dietrich wants an air assault on the English and French lines on Christmas Day 1914. Enemy Ace takes his squadron over the lines ready to bomb...only to see the Christmas Truce and refuses to bomb the mixed English-French-German troops singing carols together.

The Hunt for Christmas - B'wana Beast. So this is a bad guy character I didn't even know existed, who has been dead since 1992, and is an avatar of the Red (except he got resurrected in n52 because of course he did). That out of the way - our man here is hunting poachers in Africa and brings supplies stolen from them to a Christian Mission (all set to Light Shining out of Darkness by William Cowper).

Look. Decisions were made here. I really want to know who pitched this, and who approved it. The writer is Beau Smith, whose other writing credits include a lot of Guy Gardner: Warrior, and being co-writer on the Batman-Wildcat (which I adore for its 90sness) and Catwoman-Wildcat minis.

Home for Christmas - Captain Marvel. Billy is fighting Ibac and they realise they've knocked down a homeless shelter. Both having connections (Ibac's had a friend on the street; Billy's been homeless), Billy insists they need to rebuild the shelter, after which they agree to stop the fight for Christmas.

Unbearable Loss - Deadman. Boston saves a suicide jumper - Scarecrow's mother.

A Night Before Christmas Story - Red Tornado. Reddy is trying to find a present for Traya that is the IT gift that year, and is horrified by the venality of man when it comes to competing to get a low stocked toy.

He does manage to get the toy, but realises as Traya comes to cuddle in bed on Christmas morning the real present is family.

Naughty or Nice - Huntress. Helena stops a shop robbery, and contemplates what makes someone good deep inside.

Seeing the Light - Ragman. The OTHER Hanukkah story this issue, retelling the story.

Auld Lang Syne - Adam Strange. Adam's trying to get home for New Year's Eve but fighting crime keeps interfering.

[max--phillips]

Y’all wanna know something that is sort of baffling to me about cars? How few manufacturers there actually are.

Take a moment to think about all the dealerships in your town, and how many brands there are. Ford, Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, Cadillac, Jeep, Dodge, BMW, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Fiat, Audi, Mazda, Kia, Hyundai, Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Lexus, Chrysler, Mini, maybe if you’re feeling fancy Porsche, Jaguar, Alfa Romeo, Land Rover, Maserati. The list does indeed go on.

What if I told you that in that list, there are only 12 parent companies?

Reasonably speaking there are about 47 brands (or makes) of car currently being sold new in the US, with a handful of other brands that are discontinued and no longer being manufactured, and a few small electric vehicle brands that are standalone. For all of those, there are 17 parent companies.

Those parent companies are:

Hyundai Motor Company

Nissan (technically the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance)

Jaguar Land Rover

Honda Motor Company

Stellantis

Volkswagen Group

General Motors

BMW AG

Toyota Group

Ford Motor Company

Zhejiang Geely Holding Group

Mercedes-Benz AG

Karma Automotive

Tesla, Inc.

Aston Martin

McLaren Group

Ferrari

With one special shout-out to Amazon getting a stake in Rivian alongside Ford.

Ready to know just how interconnected this shit is? I’m going to put this breakdown under the cut because it’s going to get long and annoying. But interesting in my humble opinion. I’m going to put each make of vehicle listed with their parent company, and list the current models as well. Plus some commentary because I can’t help myself. Here we go

Hyundai Motor Company

Hyundai

Current models are the Venue, Kona, Tucson, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Palisade, Ioniq 5, Nexo, Accent, Elantra, Sonata, Ioniq 6, and Veloster.

Kia

Current models are the Soul, Seltos, Sportage, Sorento, Carnival MPV, Telluride, Niro, EV6, Rio, Forte, K5, and Stinger

Genesis

This entire make actually started as the Hyundai Genesis, a single model of vehicle, but is now its own thing. Because it’s a luxury brand, the names are kind of annoying, as you’ll see further down the list. Those current models are the G80, G70, G90, GV60, GV70, and GV80.

————

Nissan

Nissan

Current models are the Kicks (formerly Juke), Rogue, Rogue Sport, Murano, Pathfinder, Armada, ARIYA, Versa, Sentra, Altima, LEAF, Maxima, Nissan Z, GT-R, Frontier, and Titan.

Mitsubishi

Current models are the Outlander, Eclipse, and Mirage.

Infiniti

Current models (and this is a luxury brand, so lots of numbers and leters) are the Q50, Q60, QX50, QX55, QX60, and QX80.

————

Jaguar Land Rover

Honestly you’re never gonna guess this one

Jaguar

One of the luxury brands with fewer annoying names in my opinion. Current models are the F-Pace, E-Pace, I-Pace, F-Type, and XF.

Land Rover

Another luxury brand with slightly less annoying names. Current models are the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Range Rover Velar, Range Rover Evoque, Discovery, Discovery Sport, and Defender.

————

Honda Motor Company

Honda

Current models are the HR-V, CR-V, Pilot, Passport, Civic, Accord, Odyssey, Ridgeline, with the Prologue coming sometime in 2024.

Acura

Current models are the Integra, TLX, NSX Type S, RDX, MDX, NSX GT3 Evo22 which is a racing car, and the ZDX coming sometime in 2024.

————

Stellantis

Alfa Romeo

Total of three whole models currently in production (kinda.) Currently available are the Stelvio and Giulia, both with Quadrifoglio packages, with the Tonale coming in the spring. Shoutout to the 4C and 4C spider because those are coupes and they’re nice although no longer actively being made

Chrysler

Current models are the Chrysler 300, Pacifica, with the 300C coming sometime next year. Shoutout to the Town & Country though.

Dodge

Current models are the Charger, Challenger, and Durango, but another special shoutout to the Grand Caravan.

Fiat

Don’t buy these. They, much like Jeeps, break all the time to the point there’s a joke that “Fiat” stands for “Fix it again, Tony.” Anyway, the only current model is the Fiat 500x, but you can still find the 124 Spider, 500, 500 Abarth, 500c, 500c Abarth, 500e, and 500L around.

Jeep

Also don’t buy these. They spend more time in the shop than on the road. Current models are the (Grand) Wagoneer (which is ugly as hell imo), Grand Cherokee, Wrangler, Compass, Gladiator, and Renegade.

Maserati

Common knowledge is these are also garbage cars, and you’re paying for the name. Current models are the Grecale, Levante, Ghibli, Quattroporte, and MC20.

Ram

Current models are the 1500, 2500, 3500, Chassis Cab, and ProMaster. These are all trucks, and while they used to be part of the Dodge lineup (which is why you’ll still see Dodge Rams around or hear people refer to them as such), they have become their own brand aimed mostly at professionals in construction and transportation.

Defunct: Plymouth, although it was only owned by Chrysler at the time it suspended operations. The history of who owns what in this particular line up of brands is really complicated.

————

Volkswagen Group

Audi

One of the more annoying naming conventions, in line with other luxury brands of the same price range. Current models are the e-tron, e-tron Sportback, e-tron S, e-tron S Sportback, e-tron GT, RS e-tron GT, Q3, Q4 e-tron, Q4 Sportback e-tron, Q5, Q5 Sportback, SQ5, SQ5 Sportback, Q7, SQ7, Q8, SQ8, RS Q8, A3, S3, RS 3, A4, A4 allroad quattro, S4, A5 coupe, S5 coupe, RS 5 coupe, A5 Sportback, S5 Sportback, RS 5 Sportback, A5 Cabriolet, S5 Cabriolet, A6, S6, A6 allroad quattro, RS 6 Avant, A7, S7, RS 7, A8, S8, TT coupe, TTS coupe, TT Roadster, R8 coupe, and R8 Spyder.

Bentley

As with higher luxury brands, there aren’t a ton of models. Currently in production are the Bentayga, the Continental GT, and the Flying Spur.

Lamborghini

In line with the above, we only have three models. The Aventador, Huracan, and Urus. (Hot tip: the Urus, their only SUV, is on the same exact platform as the Audi Q7, Audi Q8, Bentley Bentayga, Porsche Cayenne, and Volkswagen Touareg. So, rather than spend $225,500 on a Urus, go and get yourself a Cayenne or Panamera witht he same engine in it for half the price, or if you’re after the interior and space, a Q7 or Q8 $60k, or a Touareg for something like $20k.)

Porsche

Porsche my beloved. I will never say a single bad thing about this brand. Other than the fact that sometimes their naming conventions, particularly for their coupes, cane get a little confusing. Nonetheless, current models include the 718, 911, Taycan (which is all electric, which surprised me, tbh), Panamara, Macan, and Cayenne. However, you start seeing the confusing naming conventions once you get into all the options. See, my mom drives a Boxter. But, do I have any idea if it’s a 718 or a 911? No. So, a further breakdown of the models:

718 models: Cayman, Boxter, Cayman Style Edition, Boxter Style Edition, Cayman T, Boxter T, Cayman S, Boxter S, Cayman GTS 4.0, Boxter GTS 4.0, Cayman GT4, Spyder, Cayman GT4 RS.

911 models: Carrera, Carrera T, Carrera Cabriolet, Carrera 4, Carrera 4 Cabriolet, Carrera S, Carrera S Cabriolet, Carrera 4S, Carrera 4S Cabriolet, Targa 4, Targa 4S, Carrera GTS, Carrera GTS Cabriolet, Carrera 4 GTS, Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet, Targe 4 GTS, 911 Edition 50 Years Porsche Design, Turbo, Turbo Cabriolet, Turbo S, Turbo S Cabriolet, GT3, GT3 with Touring Package, GT3 RS, Sport Classic

Taycan models: Taycan, 4 Cross Turismo, 4S, 4S Cross Turismo,  GTS, GTS Sport Turismo, Turbo, Turbo Cross, Turbo S, Turbo S Cross

Panamera models: Panamera, Platinum Edition, 4, 4 Edition, 4 Executive, 4 Sport Turismo, 4S, 4S Executive, 4S Sport Turismo, 4 E-Hybrid, 4 E-Hybrid Platinum Edition, 4 E-Hybrid Executive, 4 E-Hybrid Sport Turismo, 4S E-Hybrid, 4S E-Hybrid Executive, 4S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo, GTS, GTS Sport Turismo, Turbo S, Turbo S Executive, Turbo S Sport Turismo, Turbo S E-Hybrid, Turbo S E-Hybrid Executive, Turbo S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo

Macan models: Macan, T, S, GTS

Cayenne models: Cayenne, Platinum Edition, Coupe, Coupe Platinum Edition, E-Hybrid, E-Hybrid Platinum Edition, E-Hybrid Coupe, E-Hybrid Coupe Platinum Edition, S, S Platinum Edition, S Coupe, S Coupe Platinum Edition, GTS, GTS Coupe, Turbo, Turbo Coupe, Turbo S E-Hybrid, Turbo S E-Hybrid Coupe, Turbo GT

Could these be condensed to trim packages? Probably. But they are all listed as individual models.

Volkswagen

Current models are the ID.4, Atlas, Tiguan, Taos, Jetta, Arteon, and Golf, with the ID. Buzz coming 2024 (return of the VW bus!). Special shoutout to the Beetle of course.

Bugatti

Ugh. So, this is stupid and complicated, but ultimately they only have two models, the Chiron and the W16 Mistral. The Veyron doesn’t count if memory serves. At the end of the day these are cars that cost between $2 and $20 MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS so don’t even worry about it.

————

General Motors

Buick

Current models are the Encore, Envision, and Enclave.

Cadillac

Current models are the XT4, XT5, XT6, Escalade, CT4, and CT5.

Chevrolet

Current models are the Trax, Trailblazer, Equinox, Blazer, Traverse, Tahoe, Suburban, Colorado, Silverado, Bolt, Spark, Malibu, Camaro, Corvette Stingray, and Corvette Z06. Shoutout to the Cruze, tho, I drive one of those

GMC

Current models are the Canyon, Sierra, Terrain, Acadia, Yukon, and the Hummer EV.

Defunct: Hummer (brought back as a model under GMC), Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Saturn

————

BMW AG

BMW

Also some annoying names. X1, X3, X4, X5, X6, X7, iX, 2 Series, 3 Series, 4 Series, 5 Series, 7 Series, 8 Series, M3, M5, M8, i4, i7, M4, and Z4. Shoutout to the i3 though you stupid piece of shit golf cart

Mini

Current models are the Electic Hardtop, Hardtop 2 Door, Hardtop 4 Door, Countryman, Clubman, and Convertible.

Rolls-Royce

Because fancy, not a ton of models. Current models are the Spectre, Phantom, Phantom Extended, Cullinan, Ghost, Ghost Extended, and Black Badge.

————

Toyota Group

Lexus

Current models are the UX Hybrid, NX, RX, GX, LX, IS, ES, LS, RC, LC, with the RZ 450e coming sometime in the future.

Subaru

I’m like, triple into this brand despite not owning one. I’m a lesbian, I grew up in Lafayette where their factory is one of the biggest employers, and my grandpa actually retired from that factory. Anyway, current models are the Crosstrek, Forester, Outback, Ascent, Solterra, Impreza, Legacy, BRZ, and WRX. Shoutout to the short-lived Baja which they should bring back.

Toyota

Current models are the Crown, Prius, Corolla, Camry, Mirai, GR86, GR Supra, Sienna, Tacoma, Tundra, Sequoia, Highlander, Venza, C-HR, RAV4, Corolla Cross, 4Runner, and bZ4X.

Mazda

Current models are the MX-5 Miata, CX-30, CX-5, CX-50, CX-9, Mazda3, and if you’re in California, the MX-30 EV. Shoutout to the Mazda6, specifically model years 2009-2012, for the gas line spider problem.

Defunct: Scion, Suzuki

————

Ford Motor Company

Lincoln

Current models are the Navigator, Aviator, Nautilus, and Corsair, though they have the Star and L100 concept cars listed as well.

Ford

Current models are the Ecosport, Escape, Bronco, Explorer, Edge, Mustang Mach-E, Expedition, Maverick, Ranger, F-150, Mustang, and a handful of commercial vehicles. Shoutout to the Ford Focus and Fiesta.

Rivian*

This is a brand spanking new brand that only technically is owned by Ford. They’re all-electric trucks. The R1T is a standard pickup, and the R1S is totally enclosed; think more like a Chevy Suburban.

Defunct: Mercury

*Shared ownership with Amazon

————

Zhejiang Geely Holding Group

Lotus

This is a luxury/performance brand. The only models are the Eletre, Emira, and Evija.

Volvo

Current models are the C40 Recharge, XC40, XC60, XC90, S60, S90, V60, and V90.

Polestar

I did not know this brand existed until like, June of this year. They’re an electric lineup, and their models are the Polestar 1, Polestar 2, and Polestar 3. They only made 1500 Polestar 1s.

—————

Mercedes-Benz AG

Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG, and Maybach

I don’t see the point in differentiating between these three. Current models are the GLA, GLB, GLC, EQB, GLE, GLS, EQS, G-Class, A-Class, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, CLA, CLS, Mercedes-AMG GT, SL Roadster, and AMG One.

Defunct: smart

————

Notable standalone makes, meaning they are their own company and don’t have a billion subsidiaries (looking at you, Stellantis)

Aston Martin - luxury brand

McLaren - sports car and racing brand

Ferrari (after briefly being part of Fiat/FCA before it was part of Stellantis) - sports car and racing brand

Karma - weird hybrid sports car that’s like, wildly heavy for what it is?? Cars weigh a lot but that’s a LOT for a sports car.

Tesla - you know.

[ran-orimoto]

COol to see people who want to give Junpei a family bg but I'm so intrigued in HIS family too and the cute babies you gave these two. So I wanted to ask if there's any chance to know more about your take on a Junpei dad, headcanons? I wil, wjat for a fic about the fam though. I spy you on tw and the intention is there

My God, I know some of you want me to write something about the Shibayamas’ fam but the embarassment about my trash is too great to pollute Ao3🤣. Okok, sorry, I will come up with something but maybe I could post it here??? Like, I’ve already polluted Tumblr enough so why not posting one-shots about the Junzumi fam here at this point. I won’t tag it in Frontier unless it’s an ask reply, but it looks like a good compromise between your ideas and my deep awkwardness, yah.

Said this, I will randomly go with some headcanons. I’m not sure if you want to know generalized stuff or specific headcanons about him and each kid, so I’ve mixed a bit of everything 🤣! My Papà Junpei is a pretty melancholy one because I like playing with the fact an opera singer ends up getting a life that resembles a tragicomedy. He’s become a realistic union of his roles🤣🤣🤣.

Hm long post yeah!

• Junpei isn’t at home that often to spend time with his family, which is something he will always feel so horrible about, especially when Izumi finally manages to open a japanese-italian cuisine restaurant in Japan like she has always wanted. Izumi knows it’s impossible for him to work in Japan after having reached the top of his career working for Milan’s La Scala, so she is willing to remain in Italy but he refuses to become the one who will shatter Izumi’s dream. So he ends up parting the fam in a more evident way by allowing them to move to Japan again (Ran will remain with him for a bit more time because of reasons), and reaching them whenever he can, even if it becomes more than just difficult to keep his promises on this level because of the much bigger distance. He feels extremely guilty about having not found the courage to finally drop his career, which is a subtle wish of his creeping in his soul as the higher he gets in success, the harder it becomes for him to stay close to those he loves and be true to himself. That’s why he will eventually switch to opera singing teaching, like I said a while ago.

• When it comes to returning to Japan, as a dejá-vú, he finds it hard to socialize with other parents during group occasions. He’s not only a sturdy man, but he’s also a foreigner at that point, no matter he is japanese, and ,on top of that, he’s also a famous opera singer in Europe. He can’t really ignore the glares and hushed comments he gets from the other fathers and can perceive how mean some weird questions he is asked about by them are. On this note, Kou used to admire Papà a lot, but it becomes hard not to feel so uncomfortable about him when his classmates laugh about Junpei also because of his phsical aspect. So Kou grows a little cold to Junpei and Junpei will take such a long time to understand it’s not really his fault.

• He……Plays Scopa (an italian card game you can play on PC too XD) during his free time and the whole fam teases him about this passion of his, especially in the middle of what he calls “tournaments”🤣. It’s eventually revealed Toto is much better at Scopa than him, just like the youngest Shibayama is an ace at whatever game Junpei proposes to spend some time with him. I kinda see Junpei as a person who can never get bored at home. He is a fan of board games, puzzles, maybe even chess. Anyway, Junpei will understand it’s better to use his Scopa cards for his magical tricks.

• Having developed a theatrical side, he has many funny outfits he uses to play with the kids. Magical tricks? He MUST dress up as a real wizard. Some Venetian traditional masks and outfits? A freaking Santa outfit? Why not. …………… SOME DETECTIVE OUTFIT to play silly hide-and-seek or real interrogations (during which he will always end up being the guilty one, but whatever, Junpei. It’s obvious you steal chocolate like a child). He’s a bizarre person, so let him really believe he has got twenty seasons about his secret detective career. Izumi rolls her eyes at this craziness of his, but the kids love how weird he is and she does too🤣.

• He risks to fall in his bribery/buying affection tendecies again when he fears he’s staying far from the kids for way too long time, so he starts sending them presents every week, but Izumi will surely kick his a$$ once he comes back home, as she fairly doesn’t want spoiled kids. (And she doesn’t want to be spoiled either🤣)

• Returning to his hobbies, it’s canon for me Junpei loves model trains. He’s one of those people who can spend a whole night to build one of those, and he wishes journalists could take a look at his collection when they interview him (but they never will, for his dismay XD. Ops) . No kid ever got interested in this hobby of his until Toto arrives and he gets fascinated by trains like him. Junpei and Toto…Often go to the station to look at trains passing by because truly Toto enjoys himself like that (and Junpei follows aahahah).

• Junpei learns how to play piano when he’s in conservatory but he obviously can only play parts of arias he needs to practice. Yet when Kou is born he learns how to play some lullabies. As the time passes by, that poor piano will get super out of tune, but he will refuse to buy another one like Izumi wants to.

• He’s STILL afraid of thunders but Ran being afraid af of them just like him makes him realize he has to snap out of it for his daughter’s sake. So he will give his best to protect her from this fear of hers even if it means cradling her with his whole body shaking.

• Kids see Grandpa Shibayama rarely because Junpei hates it when his family presses their kids about their future, reminding them how important to “become rich like Dad” is in life.

• He’s an egocentric and this is so clear. It worsens when he gets where he gets. Whenever they have the occasion to drive a car, he will bring CDs of his own performances to listen to them during the journey. The worst arguments with Kou🤣, because who would ever want to listen to Verdi’s “Requiem” during a peaceful holiday to the beach, I beg you.

• Again, he’s such an egocentric a$$ he claims he’s able to do the most disparate things, even dancing ballet for Ran and risking to break a leg, but we appreciate the effort, Junpei. You only needed a tutu, Kouji said.

• Talking about Uncle Kouji, Junpei will probably find himself at the edge of the world someday because kids want to follow Kouji on his travels so badly and Junpei would even go to North Pole if it was necessary. Eventually Kouji will obviously just take them to observe deers in Kyoto. No, kids, he won’t take you anywhere dangerous🤣🤣🤣.

That’s it, Anon??? I have got ton of hcs about the fam because I always think about them, even while studying , so feel free to ask me whatever you want ahahaha. I could make 700 posts like this one, I’m serious ahahahha.