#selling them through his local network and beyond.

[apisbeesuppliesiebeehive]

Correx Nuc Box

We offer best quality Correx Nuc Box In Ireland, Beekeeping Equipment. We provide all types of beekeeping supplies and equipment that help honey beekeepers to make their business grow.

The beehives are handmade locally by Chris Jeuken. Chris, having grown up on a farm in the west of Ireland, was always exposed to the practical aspects of farm life. As a young school entrepreneur, he started designing and making built-to-order, portable chicken coops, selling them through his local network and beyond.

Correx Nuc Box

[evilminji]

You think the Chimpanzee from Dark LOVES Amity shops?

Like? Think about it...

How many places do you know, near where YOU LIVE, aren't gonna Be Weird About taking a sentient chimpanzee's legal tender. Selling him goods and services. Without, you know, doing the whole "is this a wild animal or a sentient Chimpanzee Detective person" Every Single Fucking Time, dispite him very CLEARLY wearing a suit.

Not treat him like a side show to be ogled at. Baby talked down too.

Treated as Less Then.

How many shops? Because yeah, he can buy things online. Ship them to drop points. Yes, he has a paying job. Legal rights he fought very, VERY hard for. And yeah, those rights are tenuous. Only as real as the willingness of those humans willing to enforce them. But? Money isn't worth much, with no where to spend it.

He's a grown fucking Chimpanzee for God's sake! It's frustrating and embarrassing having to ask his colleagues, to buy his groceries and other such goods, FOR him.

Then? He finds a preportedly "Meta Friendly" shop in the town he's currently working a case in? That reviews say is VERY good.

He'll be the judge of that.

After all, they all say that. Until a chimpanzee walks into their shop.

Only? Beyond the cashier's confused blinking? Nothing. They make what they CLEARLY think is a "discreet" call, the owner pops their head out from the back, look at him briefly, then merely nods. Says something into the phone that seems to clear everything up.

Not once his he bothered, as he peruses the shelves.

He even finds some tea he'd been having trouble locating and a lovely local bread that looks promising. Bobo? Has a new favorite grocery store. To hell that he must take the zeta tubes to get there. Worth it.

And that's BEFORE he learns, through a bit of artful small talk. That there is both a FULL TOWN like this AND a full network of shops/services he can locate through an app.

When they say Everyone Welcome, they truely do mean it.

He's brought swamp thing, shown up covered in blood, swung by with a literal angel for bandages and some water too make holy. Not so much as a blink. Seen Constantine staring blankly at the vodkas, like they offer salvation. The stockers step gently around. Morningstar? Not sure what he was BUYING, but Bobo watched him pay in a solid gold brick and leave with the basket.

He reported that one.

Still. It's? The most... normal, he's ever felt.

@the-witchhunter @hdgnj @babbling-babull @legitimatesatanspawn @lolottes @hypewinter @hypewinter @dcxdpdabbles

[disco-elysium-via-polls]

2. "What do you propose -- that we *don't* investigate the drug trafficking?"

KIM KITSURAGI - "No. If there is reasonable suspicion, we must investigate. Otherwise she could claim we're siding with the Union. Or that we're on their take. We'd never hear the end of it..."

"What I propose is -- we ask her. Then we investigate. *Briefly*…" He adjusts his glasses. "But do *not* share the outcome of this investigation with her. We tell her it's done and demand for her information on the lynching."

3. "We could just, you know, find my badge."

KIM KITSURAGI - "Oh," he nods slowly. "That would be *fantastic*. But do we have the time? The world is large -- and your badge is eight-by-six centimetres."

"You could request a new one from your station but that would literally take *months*."

"I am sorry for putting us in this situation -- I'll handle it."

KIM KITSURAGI - "I'm sure you will, detective."

4. "Let's get back to her, then." [Conclude.]

JOYCE MESSIER - "You're back. Good." She takes a sip from her silvery thermal cup. "What can I help you with?"

"Okay. Tell me about this alleged drug trafficking."

JOYCE MESSIER - "It's quite straightforward. Someone is using Terminal B to smuggle raw ingredients from the Samaran isola into Revachol with the Union's blessing. Wild Pines has suspected it for years."

KIM KITSURAGI - "Ingredients for *what*, ma'am?"

JOYCE MESSIER - "Meth- and dextro-amphetamine, GBL and various synthetic psychedelics. Honestly, it might be quicker to say what you *can't* make from the stuff."

"Let me get this straight -- the materials come from Samara to Revachol *through* the terminal?"

"And you want us to investigate." (Move on.)

JOYCE MESSIER - "Yes. After they clear the terminal we lose track. The actual production is taking place at various sites in and around Jamrock Quarter. North of here."

KIM KITSURAGI - "Wild Pines seems to be *well apprised* of the local drug trade, ma'am. Do you mean to say the Union also *produces* the product? Sells drugs, I mean?"

JOYCE MESSIER - "We're in logistics. It's our business to know -- and no. As far as the company knows, the Union does not produce it. They transport the ingredients. For a cut."

2. "And you want us to investigate." (Move on.)

JOYCE MESSIER - "Yes. But you won't get anything out of Evrart and the Dockworkers' Union. Still --" she raises her bony finger, "every chain has its weak link."

"What do you mean?"

"Am I going to need bolt cutters for this?"

JOYCE MESSIER - "Unlikely, officer. I'm talking about the lorries. Once the ingredients reach Jamrock they're distributed to a network of local manufacturers, well beyond our grasp. But in transit they may be *vulnerable*."

"Perhaps you've noticed that a number of lorries are tangled in a traffic jam at the roundabout just now? Interview the drivers who are still hanging about. One of them might be waiting for a *crucial* shipment." She gives you a knowing look.

"I'll be explicit: if you find this driver, I will share company secrets with you."

"Why didn't you come to the RCM earlier?"

It's no coincidence that the lorries are stranded there like that, is it?"

"What proof do you have that the Union is involved?"

"Okay, I've made up my mind about the smuggling operation..." (Proceed.)

"Actually, let's discuss something else for now."

JOYCE MESSIER - "We *did*, on more than one occasion. Apparently there's some sort of inter-precinct disagreement about whose jurisdiction this area falls under."

KIM KITSURAGI - "We know the company has launched its own probe into the Union's alleged involvement -- we also know it's come up empty. It's not just the RCM -- *no one's* been able to find any hard evidence."

JOYCE MESSIER - "Well," she smiles and points toward the roundabout, "here's your chance, officers."

2. It's no coincidence that the lorries are stranded there like that, is it?"

+5XP

JOYCE MESSIER - "No. We asked East Motor Tract to raise the drawbridge. The road company is a partner of one of our subsidiaries. However..." She pauses, looking to the sea.

"This is a limited-time opportunity. Once the complaint has been processed by the trade committee they'll have no choice but to lower the drawbridge -- and the operation will continue." She looks north.

"Thousands of litres of raw ingredients will pour onto the streets of Revachol. Not the East, across the river, but the West. The vulnerable, the weary..."

KIM KITSURAGI - "Well -- at least this solves *one* mystery."

JOYCE MESSIER - "What is that lieutenant?"

KIM KITSURAGI - "Why I had to call East Motor Tract -- and *beg* them to open the drawbridge for me. I'd wondered since I first drove *in*. On my motor carriage."

+5XP

JOYCE MESSIER - "I am sorry for the inconvenience, Lieutenant Kitsuragi. But we need them trapped here. This is a unique opportunity. I'm sure you understand."

3. "What proof do you have that the Union is involved?"

JOYCE MESSIER - "How do you think they're financing this strike? There are thousands of unpaid dockworkers going strong for the fourth month straight."

KIM KITSURAGI - "There was a shakedown of local businesses preceding the strike. Many were squeezed to bankruptcy to fund it."

JOYCE MESSIER - "With all due respect to these desert cacti, the contents of a few cash registers cannot provide for *two-thousand* men. The local businesses can scarcely provide for themselves."

"So you think the strike is being funded with source ingredients for drugs?"

JOYCE MESSIER - "Precisely. Smuggled out of that very gate at night, most likely. Then loaded onto lorries and driven to Jamrock. You simply need to find *one* driver who'll open up to you."

SUGGESTION [Medium: Success] - It sounds like she tried looking into it herself. But she's clearly not the type your typical lorryman would confide in.

4. "Okay, I've made up my mind about the smuggling operation..." (Proceed.)

JOYCE MESSIER - "Yes?"

[ryancobbinsdenver]

Ryan Cobbins Denver : Navigating the Early Days of Coffee

In the bustling city of Denver, where coffee culture is thriving, Ryan Cobbins stands out as a notable figure in the early days of the specialty coffee scene. With a passion for quality and community, Cobbins has played a pivotal role in shaping how coffee is sourced, brewed, and enjoyed in the Mile High City. This article explores his journey, contributions, and the vibrant coffee culture that has blossomed in Denver.

Early Beginnings in Coffee

Ryan Cobbins’ journey into the world of coffee began not as a barista or roaster, but as a passionate consumer who appreciated the nuances of flavor and the art of brewing. His fascination with coffee was sparked during his college years, where he would often visit local cafes to explore different blends and brewing methods. This initial curiosity soon evolved into a deeper commitment to understanding the coffee industry.

In the early days, Ryan Cobbins Denver noticed a gap in the market for high-quality, ethically sourced coffee. He recognized that many consumers were unaware of the journey their coffee took from farm to cup. Motivated by a desire to educate others and improve the overall coffee experience, Ryan began networking with local coffee producers and roasters to learn about the intricacies of the industry.

Building a Coffee Community

In 2015, Ryan took a significant step forward by founding Cobbins Coffee, a specialty coffee brand dedicated to sourcing exceptional beans and fostering a strong sense of community among coffee lovers. Located in the heart of Denver, Cobbins Coffee quickly became a hub for coffee enthusiasts and a gathering place for those who shared a passion for the beverage.

Ryan’s vision was not just about selling coffee; it was about creating an inclusive space where people could learn, connect, and appreciate the complexities of coffee. He implemented workshops and cupping sessions, allowing customers to engage with coffee in new and meaningful ways. These events became a cornerstone of Cobbins Coffee, helping to cultivate a knowledgeable and enthusiastic customer base.

Sourcing and Sustainability

A significant aspect of Ryan Cobbins Denver philosophy is his commitment to ethical sourcing and sustainability. He believes that great coffee starts at the farm, and he prioritizes building relationships with coffee producers who share his values. By sourcing directly from farmers and investing in fair trade practices, Ryan ensures that the growers receive fair compensation for their hard work.

Ryan is also passionate about educating consumers on the importance of sustainability in the coffee industry. Through storytelling and transparency, he highlights the journey of each coffee bean, from its origin to the cup. This approach not only enriches the customer experience but also fosters a sense of responsibility among coffee drinkers, encouraging them to make informed choices.

The Impact of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic posed unprecedented challenges for the coffee industry, impacting cafes, roasters, and consumers alike. Ryan faced these challenges head-on, adapting his business model to meet the changing needs of his customers. He quickly pivoted to online sales, offering subscription services and virtual coffee tastings to keep the community engaged.

Moreover, Ryan used this time to emphasize the importance of mental health and well-being. He initiated programs that provided support and resources for baristas and coffee professionals affected by the pandemic. By fostering a sense of camaraderie during a difficult time, Ryan reinforced the importance of community in the coffee world.

Future Aspirations

Looking ahead, Ryan Cobbins remains dedicated to his mission of elevating the coffee experience in Denver and beyond. He envisions expanding Cobbins Coffee’s reach through partnerships with local businesses and exploring new coffee sourcing regions. Additionally, Ryan aims to launch educational programs that delve deeper into the science of brewing and the art of coffee appreciation.

As the specialty coffee scene continues to grow in Denver, Ryan’s influence will undoubtedly play a significant role in shaping its future. His commitment to quality, sustainability, and community sets a standard that inspires others in the industry to follow suit.

Conclusion

Ryan Cobbins’ journey in the coffee industry exemplifies the spirit of innovation and community that defines Denver’s thriving coffee culture. By prioritizing ethical sourcing, fostering connections, and adapting to challenges, he has established himself as a leader in the field. As he navigates the early days of coffee in Denver, his contributions will leave a lasting impact on the city’s coffee landscape for years to come.

[digital-marketing-institutions]

Here's Why a Paid Marketing Course Could Be Your Game-Changer

Ever watched your competitor's business take off while yours stays stuck in second gear? Meet Lisa, a local bakery owner who felt the same way last spring. Her treats were amazing, but her social media posts barely got any attention. Fast forward six months - she's now turning away orders and planning to open a second location.

The difference? She finally cracked the code of paid marketing.

The Real Story Behind Marketing Success

Let's cut through the noise. While everyone's talking about going viral and organic reach, smart business owners are quietly dominating their markets through strategic paid advertising. They're not just throwing money at ads - they're following a proven system that turns clicks into customers.

Take Mark's story. He spent three years trying to grow his fitness coaching business through Instagram posts and YouTube videos. After taking a dedicated paid marketing course, he filled his client roster in just eight weeks. Now he helps other trainers do the same.

What Nobody Tells You About Paid Marketing

Here's the truth most "gurus" won't share: Running ads without proper training is like throwing darts blindfolded. You might hit the target occasionally, but you'll waste a lot of money getting there.

The good news? You don't need years of experience to make paid marketing work. You just need the right guidance.

Signs You're Ready for a Paid Marketing Course

Your organic posts aren't reaching enough people

You're tired of watching competitors snap up your ideal customers

You want predictable results, not viral luck

You're ready to scale but don't know how

You're spending on ads but not seeing returns

Sound familiar? Keep reading.

Inside a Real Paid Marketing Strategy

Forget theory. Let's talk about what actually works in today's market:

Smart Platform Selection

Different platforms, different results. Learn where your customers actually hang out:

Google (when they're actively searching)

Facebook (when they're browsing)

Instagram (when they're exploring)

LinkedIn (when they mean business)

Money-Making Ad Creation

The difference between ads that work and ads that flop:

Headlines that grab attention

Images that stop the scroll

Copy that drives action

Offers that convert

Target Audience Magic

Stop wasting money on the wrong people. Start reaching buyers who:

Need what you sell

Can afford your prices

Are ready to buy now

Budget Mastery

Make every dollar work harder:

Start small, scale smart

Track what matters

Cut what doesn't work

Double down on winners

Real Results from Real People

"I was skeptical about taking another online course. But this was different. Within two months, I generated $43,000 in new business using what I learned." - Mike R., Consulting Services

"Finally, someone explained paid ads in a way that makes sense. No fluff, just practical steps I could actually follow." - Sarah T., Boutique Owner

The Course Experience

Forget boring lectures. Modern paid marketing courses offer:

Hands-On Learning

Watch over the shoulder as experts:

Build campaigns from scratch

Optimize real ads

Fix common problems

Scale successful campaigns

Real-World Practice

Apply what you learn immediately:

Create your own campaigns

Get expert feedback

Test different strategies

Measure real results

Community Support

Connect with fellow learners:

Share experiences

Solve problems together

Network with peers

Celebrate wins

Choosing the Right Course

Not all courses deliver equal value. Look for:

Fresh Content:Marketing changes fast. Yesterday's tactics might not work today. Great courses stay current.

Proven Results:Look for testimonials and case studies. Real students getting real results.

Expert Access:Questions will come up. Make sure you'll get answers when you need them.

Practical Focus:Theory is fine, but results matter more. Choose a course that emphasizes doing over discussing.

Beyond the Basics

Once you master the fundamentals, you'll discover:

Advanced Targeting

Find your ideal customers before they even know they need you.

Retargeting Secrets

Turn window shoppers into buyers with smart follow-up strategies.

Testing & Optimization

Make good campaigns great through systematic improvement.

The Path Forward

Think about where you want your business to be in six months. Still hoping for organic reach? Or confidently driving targeted traffic to your offers?

Remember Lisa from the bakery? She made her choice. Now she's helping other food businesses do the same.

Your Next Move

The digital marketing landscape isn't getting any simpler. But with the right training, you can:

Cut through the noise

Reach your ideal customers

Scale your business

Build lasting success

Ready to join the ranks of businesses who've cracked the paid marketing code?

Your journey to marketing mastery starts here. Take that first step.

PS: Still on the fence? Remember this: Every successful marketer started somewhere. The only question is, when will you start your success story?

The digital world is waiting. Are you ready to make your mark?

[jonazhomes]

Realtor

Explore an exclusive selection of luxury real estate listings with Jonathan Leaman, offering the finest homes in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley, AZ. Whether you're looking for a high-end luxury home or the perfect investment property, Jonathan provides a personalized tour of the best on and off-market opportunities, hand-selected to match your preferences. Why settle when Arizona’s top-rated real estate agent is just Real Estate Agent a phone call away? Our mission is to help you find your dream property and make it your new home.

As an industry leader, we recognize that there's no room for compromise when it comes to securing your ideal home. In Scottsdale and Paradise Valley, where luxury real estate often comes with a hefty price tag, expert guidance is crucial for both buyers and sellers. If you’re searching for a “Paradise Valley realtor near me,” Jonathan Leaman is the ideal choice.

From exclusive gated communities to stunning desert estates, we’ll guide you through every available on-market and off-market luxury property. With Jonathan Leaman at your side, you can rest assured that a dedicated expert is working tirelessly to achieve your real estate goals. Interested in luxury homes for sale? Schedule a consultation with Jonathan today! Let’s discuss your preferences and goals to create a customized buying or selling strategy that fits your budget.

Jonathan works with buyers, sellers, and investors in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley, AZ, and leaves no stone unturned in delivering professional, tailored services. His mission is simple: to surpass your expectations in finding your perfect Arizona home. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and start your journey toward making your real estate dreams come true. Discover why Jonathan Leaman is Scottsdale’s top choice for luxury home transactions.

Jonathan ranks in the top 1% of realtors and agents in Arizona and nationwide, with over $200 million in sales since 2020. With more than a decade of real estate experience, he brings unparalleled value, knowledge, and integrity to his clients, building trust and fostering long-term relationships that lead to repeat business and referrals.

His expertise spans all aspects of real estate, including buyer and seller representation, investment properties, distressed properties, and renovation projects. As a real estate investor himself, Jonathan offers practical advice on how to maximize return on investment (ROI) and navigate the complexities of real estate deals.

A realtor is a licensed professional representing buyers and sellers in real estate transactions, guiding clients through the often-complex process of buying or selling property. From analyzing market trends and setting competitive prices to negotiating offers and handling legal paperwork, realtors provide local knowledge and negotiation skills to ensure clients achieve the best possible outcomes.

For sellers, realtors conduct market analysis to price homes competitively, stage properties to attract buyers, and market them across various platforms. They also organize open houses, leverage their networks, and work to maximize the seller's profit by selling quickly and efficiently.

For buyers, realtors curate property lists based on preferences, needs, and budgets. They assist with making offers, securing financing, and managing the inspection and closing processes, ensuring a smooth transaction while protecting buyers from potential risks.

Realtors are also essential in managing the legal and administrative details of real estate transactions. They ensure contracts are properly drafted, coordinate with attorneys, inspectors, and lenders, and help clients avoid legal complications.

Many realtors go beyond the basics, offering personalized advice on home improvements, market trends, and community amenities. Their goal is not just to complete a transaction, but to build lasting relationships and ensure that all of their clients' real estate needs are met, now and in the future.

[amitairi]

Expert Real Estate Agent: Guiding Clients to Successful Property Transactions

Whether you're a buyer or a seller, navigating the real estate market can be a complex and overwhelming process. That's why it's crucial to have a knowledgeable and experienced real estate agent by your side to guide you through every step of the transaction. If you're in the Cambridge, Ontario area, look no further than Amit Airi, one of the top real estate agents and brokers in the region.

Amit Airi is a trusted name in the real estate industry, known for his professionalism, expertise, and exceptional customer service. With years of experience in the Cambridge and Ontario markets, Amit has helped numerous clients achieve their real estate goals. As one of the best real estate agents in Cambridge, he understands the local market dynamics and possesses valuable insights that can make a significant difference in your property transaction.

When it comes to real estate agents in Cambridge, Ontario, Amit Airi stands out for his comprehensive knowledge of the area. From understanding the unique features and amenities of different neighborhoods to staying updated on market trends and property values, Amit has his finger on the pulse of the local real estate scene. He leverages this expertise to provide his clients with accurate and timely information, empowering them to make informed decisions.

As one of the top real estate brokers in Ontario, Amit Airi has built a strong network of professionals in the industry. This network includes mortgage brokers, home inspectors, contractors, and other experts who play a crucial role in a successful real estate transaction. By tapping into this network, Amit ensures that his clients have access to the best resources and services throughout the buying or selling process.

Amit's commitment to excellence extends beyond Cambridge. As one of the top real estate agents in Toronto, he has earned a stellar reputation for delivering outstanding results. Whether you're looking to buy or sell a property in the bustling Toronto market, Amit can guide you through the intricacies of the city's real estate landscape. His expertise and dedication to his clients have consistently placed him among the best real estate agents in Toronto.

When it comes to choosing a real estate agent or broker, reputation matters. Amit Airi is highly regarded by his clients for his professionalism, integrity, and personalized approach. His goal is to ensure that every client receives the highest level of service and achieves their real estate objectives. Whether you're a first-time homebuyer or an experienced investor, Amit will tailor his approach to meet your specific needs and preferences.

In addition to being one of the top real estate agents in Cambridge and Toronto, Amit Airi is associated with one of the top real estate brokerages in the region. This affiliation provides him with additional resources, marketing platforms, and exposure to a wider audience, giving his clients a competitive edge in the market.

If you're looking for real estate agents or brokers in Cambridge, Ontario, or Toronto, Amit Airi is a name you can trust. With his in-depth knowledge, extensive network, and commitment to client satisfaction, Amit has established himself as a leading expert in the industry. Whether you're buying, selling, or investing in real estate, partnering with Amit will ensure that you have a smooth and successful transaction.

To learn more about Amit Airi and his services, visit his website or contact him directly. Whether you're in Cambridge, Ontario, or Toronto, Amit will be delighted to assist you in your real estate journey.

[mikeanzivino]

How Mike Anzivino Helps You Find Your Dream Home in Southwest Florida

Are you in the market for a new home in Southwest Florida? Look no further than Mike Anzivino, your go-to real estate agent for finding your dream home. With years of experience and a deep understanding of the local market, Mike can help make your search stress-free and enjoyable. From waterfront properties to golf course communities, let Mike guide you through the process of finding your perfect slice of paradise in sunny Southwest Florida.

Introduction to Mike Anzivino

As a full-time real estate professional, Mike Anzivino understands the challenges and opportunities that come with buying or selling a home. He's helped countless clients find their dream homes in southwest Florida, and he's eager to help you too.

Mike knows the area like the back of his hand, so he can help you find the perfect home for your needs and budget. He'll also guide you through the entire process from start to finish, making sure everything goes smoothly.

If you're thinking about buying or selling a home in southwest Florida, contact Mike Anzivino today. He'll be happy to answer any of your questions and get you started on the path to your new home.

Benefits of Working with Mike Anzivino

If you're looking for a real estate agent who can help you find your dream home in Southwest Florida, then Mike Anzivino is the perfect person for the job. As a native of the area, he knows all the ins and outs of the local market, and he'll work tirelessly to help you find a property that meets all your needs and wants.

But that's not all; here are just a few more reasons why working with Mike Anzivino is the right choice:

1. He has an extensive network of contacts in the Southwest Florida real estate market, which means he can give you access to listings that you might not otherwise have known about.

2. He has a deep understanding of the SWFL market trends, so he can advise you on when to buy or sell in order to get the best possible price.

3. He's an expert negotiator, so he'll make sure you get the best possible deal on your new home.

4. He has a team of experienced professionals who will help with every aspect of your purchase, from financing to closing.

5. He offers complimentary concierge services to help with things like finding temporary housing, setting up utilities, and more - so you can focus on enjoying your new home instead of worrying about the details.

What Sets Mike Anzivino Apart from Other Realtors?

When it comes to finding a dream home in Southwest Florida, Mike Anzivino is the Best Realtor in Southwest Florida you want on your side. With years of experience in the area and a deep knowledge of the local market, Mike is able to help his clients find their perfect home – whether it’s a beachfront property or a condo in the city.

But what really sets Mike apart from other realtors is his dedication to his clients. He takes the time to get to know them and their needs, so that he can find the right property for them. And he doesn’t rest until his clients are completely satisfied with their new home.

If you’re looking for a realtor who will go above and beyond to help you find your dream home in Southwest Florida, then Mike Anzivino is the one for you.

Tips for Finding Your Dream Home with Mike Anzivino

If you're looking for your dream home in Southwest Florida, Mike Anzivino is the real estate agent for you. With years of experience in the area, he knows all the ins and outs of finding the perfect property. Here are a few tips from Mike to help you find your dream home:

1. Know What You Want: The first step to finding your dream home is knowing what you want. What kind of property are you looking for? How many bedrooms and bathrooms do you need? What's your budget? Once you know what you're looking for, it'll be much easier to find the right property.

2. Do Your Research: The next step is to do your research. Not all properties are created equal, so it's important to look at multiple listings and compare prices before making an offer. Mike can help you with this by providing information on different properties and neighborhoods in Southwest Florida.

3. Get Pre-Approved for a Mortgage: Once you've found the perfect property, the next step is to get pre-approved for a mortgage. This will give you a better idea of how much house you can afford and make the buying process go smoother. Mike can put you in touch with some great mortgage lenders in Southwest Florida who can help you get pre-approved.

4. Make an Offer: Once you've found the right property and been pre-approved for a mortgage, it's time to make an offer! Mike

Conclusion

Mike Anzivino has been helping people find their dream homes in Southwest Florida . He is a knowledgeable and experienced Best Realtors in Southwest Florida who can help you navigate the process of buying or selling your home, regardless of whether it's your first time doing so or not. With Mike on your side, you can be sure that he will do everything in his power to ensure that you get the best possible deal for either purchasing or selling a home. With his vast knowledge and expertise in this area, Mike Anzivino is the ideal choice when it comes to finding the perfect place to call home in Southwest Florida!

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

In Brazil's Amazon, there's little political cost to destroying the rainforest

Word was spreading across the Indigenous territory: The land invaders were preparing to attack. Remote villagers said they were surrounded by armed horsemen. Authorities warned of violence. A neighboring tribe said that “blood could be spilled at any moment.” And in one bitterly disputed stretch, a slight man stood before a wooden house, fearing that such a moment had arrived.

Kawore Parakanã, a leader of the Parakanã people, had ventured miles into the jungle in May with three warriors to track the invasions that have made this Indigenous land in Pará state one of the Amazon’s most deforested. Up ahead lay an illegal clearing. Beyond it was a wooden shack. Outside the dwelling, a chain saw coughed awake.

“Kawore,” one of the warriors said, “someone is home.”

They considered their options. One was to fight, to take back the land. But they had traveled unarmed, and Kawore believed they’d be killed. Another was to seek help — but from whom? He couldn’t go to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who says restrictions within Indigenous territory have impeded the country’s economic development. He couldn’t go to the surrounding communities, populated by newcomers who eye his territory with avarice.

But most of all, he couldn’t go to the mayor, one of the most powerful and feared men in the Amazon, known by some as “the god of São Félix.”

It’s not just that Mayor João Cleber Torres had aligned himself with the land grabbers. It’s that he has been described — by federal attorneys, police, news reporters, government-funded researchers and a federal judge — as one himself.

Torres moved to São Félix do Xingu in 1981, when it was little more than dense forest. He is then alleged to have built what federal attorneys described in an internal memo as a large criminal organization that butchered the jungle — first extracting its precious wood, then stealing the land and selling it to be cleared for pasture. Torres, attorneys wrote in the memo, orchestrated “dozens of homicides,” assembled a network of 100 gunslingers, and violently seized territory from the weak and the isolated, including in this very Indigenous territory.

Police reports show that he was investigated for homicide in 2002. His criminal file links him to two cases of attempted homicide in 2003 and 2005. Records indicate that he has been charged with illegal deforestation, fined more than $2.4 million for deforestation and accused by federal attorneys, in 2016, of subjecting farmworkers to slavery-like conditions.

The catchphrase that one Brazilian journalist and residents attribute to him: “Either you sell the land to me, or I’ll buy it from your widow.”

Torres, 61, has never been convicted of any crime. He said he opposes illegal deforestation and has always followed environmental laws. He dismissed all allegations of wrongdoing as unproven and said publishing them would potentially be a “criminal act against my honor.”

“In our country, we have a well-structured, well-designed justice system, based on fundamental juridical principles and guided by international human rights,” Torres said in a statement. “No one else is authorized to act as the judiciary, issuing moral convictions against my name, as is happening here, gravely wounding our justice system and my fundamental rights.”

In a region where people amass wealth and power through deforestation, and where the local leaders charged with enforcing environmental laws are often the very people alleged to have broken them, Torres is just one of many Amazon officeholders accused of environmental misdeeds. But few command a city as vast or ecologically threatened as São Félix, which routinely posts some of Brazil’s highest deforestation and carbon emission rates.

One of its most endangered forests belongs to the Parakanã in the Apyterewa Indigenous Territory, where Kawore stood watching the wooden house.

The only thing he could do, he decided, was flee. It was too dangerous to confront the invader. He also worried about antagonizing Torres. In January, three environmentalists had been killed along a forested patch of the Xingu River that property records show had been claimed by the mayor’s brother. The crime remains unsolved. The Torres brothers have denied involvement, but that hadn’t quieted the suspicions in the community.

Kawore turned to leave. He wouldn’t go to the wooden house. He wouldn’t meet the man who lived there, Erasmino Ferreira do Santos, 71. He wouldn’t hear Ferreira say how he’d come to this land, hacked down the forest to graze cattle and felt no remorse. The settler knew the mayor was on his side.

“The best person,” Ferreira said. “He helps us so much.”

In the Amazon, there is little political cost to destroying the forest. Here, a vice mayor in Mato Grosso is cited three times for deforestation and is reelected the next year. A mayor in Amazonas is arrested and accused by federal police of participating in a protest that destroyed an environmental law enforcement base — and stays in office. The “King of Gold Mining,” as he was dubbed by a national magazine, is sentenced to nearly five years for illegal deforestation — but coasts to reelection as a mayor in Pará.

Such cases are not rare.

A Washington Post analysis of thousands of federal infractions and candidate data in the Amazon has found that accusations of environmental wrongdoing against members of the region’s political class are not an anomaly but a defining characteristic. In recent decades, as deforestation has pushed the biome toward what scientists warn could be its collapse, the very people accused of playing a role in that destruction have come to wield significant political power over it.

The Post found that those accused of wrongdoing by federal environmental law enforcement have pumped tens of millions of dollars into political campaigns in the past two decades and won public office more than 1,900 times. Taken together, the electoral victories and campaign financing have formed a parallel political system, law enforcement officials say, that has undermined attempts to safeguard a natural resource that scientists warn must be preserved to avert catastrophic climate change.

“This is the rule, not the exception,” said Alexandre Saraiva, who was chief of the federal police in Amazonas state until last year. “Those who deforest the Amazon completely dominate local politics, both through economic power and through violence. The representatives of the people are, in fact, the representatives of those who deforest.

Continue reading.

[hologramcowboy]

Before I get into it, I just want to say I hope you had a relaxing holiday and I’m happy to see you back! Sorry this is a bit of a long one, I had more to say than I thought.

I get that everybody loves Jensen and want to view his social media as a glimpse into his private life. He’ll always be the leading man in our minds, deserving of any role he wants. But we’re not doing the hiring. What people don’t understand is that Hollywood is a business, and you have to play the game. And that game extends beyond booking jobs. A big part of the game is keeping yourself on the public’s mind when you’re not working, as well as networking. The only people thinking about Jensen right now are Supernatural fans, and as more time goes on since the shows ending the number of fans following his career is dwindling. Soon, only the super ‘fans’ will be left and as we’ve all seen they’re a bit unhinged. There are a few ways to stay in the public eye as an actor/musician in between projects. Paparazzi photos and tabloid appearances, talk shows and podcasts, and social media.

There is some truth to Jensen being a private person, he’s never liked playing the paparazzi game. The only period of time he did was from when he and Danneel announced they were getting married to around the time they moved to Texas. I imagine the paparazzi pictures were to try and help Danneel’s career as well as proving that they were married since their marriage read as a sham from the beginning. He could start hiring paparazzi to take photos of him/his family now, but it would read as extremely inauthentic given he’s not living in California or hanging out in New York anymore. Paparazzi is not hanging out in Texas and Colorado. And the occasional fan photo or spotting isn’t the same thing, if you’re not a part of the Supernatural fandom those pictures don’t reach you. He could get himself back into tabloid news, and I do think he tried. A picture of Danneel painting ended up in the ‘Celebrities, They’re Just Like Us!’ section of Us Weekly at the beginning of quarantine. We always say a big part of his problem is including Danneel in his brand, and this is a great example. He can’t promote himself through family fluff pieces, because him and Danneel don’t come across as a genuine family unit/couple. The only way he’ll make it back into the news cycle is if we return to the era of his marriage being gossiped about (he and Danneel definitely don’t want that, especially since they’re trying to sell producer power couple) or if Chaos Machine Productions starts picking up projects (we haven’t heard from them since June, and no hints of when we’ll hear from them again).

I’m actually really surprised that he hasn’t been on any podcasts (that I’m aware of anyway) following the end of Supernatural. At his tier of fame, they’re a lot more accessible to him than a talk show slot or a local morning news appearance like Jared has been doing. I think he could really shine on a podcast, the environment being a little more intimate than live TV tends to help people come out of their shells. In regards to appearing on talk shows, that’s a bit unlikely to happen for Jensen for a few reasons. The major one being talk shows appearances are usually for promoting projects, and as far as we know Jensen has nothing lined up. And when The Boys finally leaves post production and is ready to be promoted, Jensen is unlikely to be doing any promotion work because his not one of the main characters. Sure, celebrities occasionally appear on talk shows when they have nothing going on (think the Jonas Brothers recent appearance on Jimmy Fallon) but Jensen’s not a household name so that’s unlikely to happen. He could get a spot due to connections like every comedian that appears of Seth Meyers, but the only connection he has to the world of talk shows is Ryan Secrest. Secrest is a a businessman first and foremost, and he’s already tried to give Jensen a chance twice. His two appearances on Live with Kelly and Ryan are actually painful to watch. Which brings me to my next point, Jensen does terribly on talk shows. His charm does not come through at all, and his typical grumpy guy with a heart of gold persona does not translate well to the talk show format. He tries to come across as a family man, but it’s painfully obvious that he used to spend 9 months out of the year away from his family. He sacrifices time he could be using to talk about his work trying to convince an audience whose attention he has yet to capture that they should care about him based on his personal life rather than his career.

And now we’re on social media, a topic that has been so highly debated on your blog these past few days I’m sure you’re sick of it lol. I’ll try not to beat a dead horse. Jensen has to play the social media game even if he doesn’t want to. He is not famous enough to get away with being private. He is hurting himself on the social media front in a few ways. The first is being absent from social media for long stretches of time. No one is saying he needs to be tweeting and posting on Instagram everyday, but he (or a social media manager) should be posting something at least once every one to two weeks. His feed doesn’t have to be impersonal and curated, but it has to be better than it is now. Currently it’s all Dean + Supernatural, family content and him being eccentric. He should be posting behind the scenes pictures of him working at FBBC or Chaos Machine Productions, pictures of him with his famous friends in order to get the attention of their audiences, and the occasional family content for the ‘look I’m a regular person just like you!’ factor. Family content where all of the children are present and smiling, and he doesn’t look like he’s about to cut off his own foot to escape. He wants Danneel to be a part of his brand so bad? Fine, but first make her likable and presentable. No one is going to buy the power couple image if you a) barely look like you like each other and b) have nothing to show for the power part. Jensen and his role on Supernatural can only carry them so far. Danneel brings nothing to the table. She has no fans of her own, her most notable role was a guest role a decade ago on OTH, and she hasn’t even been able to break into the world of being a social media personality/influencer. They haven’t proven that they can run a successful production company, and their time to do so is running out.

We all love Jensen, we want him to continue to work in the industry and succeed. For that to happen, it’s obvious that some things need to change. And for everyone screaming that he deserves a break after 15 long hard years on Supernatural, you’re not wrong. But unfortunately, you don’t get to take a break in Hollywood unless you’re prepared for that break to turn into full blown retirement.

Anon, I love you! ❤️❤️❤️ Thank you for taking the time to express things so beautifully and in such a grounded way.

You don't know how refreshing it is to know some people actually support and value him without turning him into a cult like object. Thank you for this valuable, beautiful, beautiful post. ❤️

[apisbeesuppliesiebeehive]

Beekeeping Supplies Ireland

Apis bee supplies based in Ireland supplies all types of beekeeping supplies and equipment that help honey beekeepers to make their business grow.

Beekeeping Supplies Ireland

About Company-

Apis Bee Supplies was started in 2018 on the shores of Lough Derg in County Clare in the courtyard of a 200year old Georgian House. The first year was very positive and the continued support from customers and beekeeping associations all over Ireland have helped us grow to one of the leading suppliers of beekeeping equipment in the country. We are still running our business from that very same courtyard however, now there are 4 of us in the team which makes it a lovely atmosphere to all work together.

The beehives are handmade in that courtyard by Chris Jeuken. Chris, having grown up on a farm in the west of Ireland, was always exposed to the practical aspects of farm life. As a young school entrepreneur, he started designing and making built-to-order, garden sheds, and other timber products selling them through his local network and beyond.

His continuing interests in and experience with woodworking have led him to focus on designing and making beehives in recent years. He personally started beekeeping after having spent a month working on a beekeeping farm in Wexford in 2013.

Click Here For More Info-  https://www.apisbeesupplies.ie/

Social Media Profile Links- https://www.facebook.com/apisbeesupplies

[totallyhussein-blog]

Resisting genocide, facing the impossible in Iraq

Back in 2016, Nobel Prize winner Nadia Murad came to the UK where she met the AMAR Foundation’s chair Baroness Emma Nicholson and Baroness Anelay of the UK’s Foreign Office, to discuss the plight of Iraq’s Yazidi women.

As Baroness Nicholson stated; “What happened to Nadia and the thousands of other poor Yazidi women was absolutely shocking. Now, the world is finally waking up to the enormity of the crimes perpetrated against them. It is a Genocide. The sheer murderous brutality of the vile Daesh is almost beyond words.”

In The Beekeeper of Sinjar, the acclaimed poet and journalist Dunya Mikhail tells the harrowing stories of women from across Iraq who have managed to escape the clutches of ISIS.

In the midst of ISIS's reign of terror and hatred, an unlikely hero has emerged: the Beekeeper. Once a trader selling his mountain honey across the region, when ISIS came to Sinjar he turned his knowledge of the local terrain to another, more dangerous use. 

Along with a secret network of transporters, helpers, and former bootleggers, Abdullah Shrem smuggles brutalised Yazidi women to safety through the war-torn landscapes of Iraq, Syria, and Eastern Turkey.

“Telling my story of first, surviving genocide and then, as a captive of ISIS is not easy, but people must know.” Last Girl is the remarkable and courageous story of Nadia Murad, a young Yazidi woman who is working with Amal Clooney to challenge the world in the ongoing fight against ISIS.

Ian Birrell of The Times has said: “The Last Girl offers powerful insight into the barbarity the Yazidi’s have suffered alongside glimpses into their mystical culture . . . this is an important book by a brave woman, a fresh testament to humankind's potential for chilling and inexplicable evil.”

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Anti-vaxers cool the mark

I often write about the material conditions that make people vulnerable to conspiratorial thinking, especially covid-denial, anti-masking, and vaccine refusal.

https://pluralistic.net/2021/08/04/eighty-sixed/#risk-management

Specifically, I think it’s important to go beyond the mystical explanations of “algorithmic radicalization” that assume that ad-tech companies are telling the truth when they claim that big data and machine learning can make people do anything.

https://onezero.medium.com/how-to-destroy-surveillance-capitalism-8135e6744d59

The fact that regulators let the Sacklers tell obvious lies about opioid safety so that they could make $10+b pushing Oxy, igniting the opioid epidemic that has killed 800,000 Americans is a good reason not to trust “the system.”

Which is not to say that platforms are irrelevant to the growth of conspiracies — but that relevance is not in the automated mind-control. Rather, it’s that online platforms let people find each other.

That’s what ad-tech is, a people-finding machine, e.g., “Find me people who looked at fridge reviews to show these fridge ads to.”

People-finding has a profound impact on our ideology and discourse.

People with all kinds of disfavored views can locate others without risking social sanction. If you’ve always felt that somehow neither gender binary describes you, but lacked the words to explain it, you can use the internet to find people who have those words.

You can join them in community and find the strength and courage to come out.

Of course, this also applies to people who’ve always secretly dreamed of marching through the streets holding a torch and shouting “Jews will not replace us.”

People-finding is also important for “ideological entrepreneurs” — people hoping to spread ideas, for good or ill. An important kind of ideological entrepreneur is the con-artist — a fraudster on the grift.

Covid fraudsters have found it easy to locate marks, thanks to the combination of a large number of people who’ve been traumatized by official corruption and collusion (for example, the opioid epidemic) and the people-finding character of the internet.

The most successful covid disinformation is orchestrated by convicted fraudsters with histories of conning people for money — like Joseph Mercola, a Florida osteopath the New York Times called “The Most Influential Spreader of Coronavirus Misinformation.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/24/technology/joseph-mercola-coronavirus-misinformation-online.html

In 2017, the FTC made Mercola pay $3m to settle claims related to his fraudulent tanning bed business. Now he’s got a vast online following whom he warns that vaccines will “alter your genetic coding.” He advises people to buy his vitamins instead.

Writing for The Atlantic, Brooke Harrington frames the bizarre about-faces from covid disinformation pushers who now espouse vaccination in the context of the sociology of con-artists.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/08/vaccine-refusers-dont-want-blue-americas-respect/619627/

Sociologist Erving Goffman’s classic 1953 essay “On Cooling the Mark Out” describes his studies of the victims of con artists, and the way that their shame at being taken let the fraudsters revictimize them.

https://infofranpro.wdfiles.com/local--files/19520101-on-cooling/19520101%20On%20cooling.pdf

Victims were so embarrassed at being marks — at being convinced of “highly dubious claims — and blocking out all information to the contrary” — that they’ll do anything to recover their self-image as discerning, smart people.

That desperation opens the mark up to being “cooled” by a confederate of the con-artist — a member in good standing of the mark’s “reference group” (the network of people we all rely on) — to ensure the mark blames themselves, not the con artist.

The cooler helps marks rebuild their lives and social standing, and also re-frame the story of the scam so that nothing bad really happened.

This, Harrington says, is the right way to understand the wave of far-right pundits and grifters who now say vaccines are safe and needful, after a year and a half of social and economic profiteering through disinformation.

When Ron DeSantis says “the unvaccinated folks that are letting us down,” he’s shifting the blame from his cohort of cynical disinfo peddlers to other marks, and opening space for a mark to go and get vaccinated at last.

This cool-off lets the con artists skip away without consequence and can lead to more vaccinations — but for so long as your reference group continues to believe in the con, it’s a tough sell.

That’s why Missouri’s Ozarks Healthcare has created a private entrance where people in disguise can come and get a quiet vaccination — they don’t want their friends and family, the people they depend on, to turn on them.

But Harrington is optimistic: “The conservative coolers are finally on the case, and only they have a chance of transforming partisan vaccine refusers into vaccine adopters.”

Beyond that, Harrington urges us to adopt a sociological framework for understanding what’s going on with vaccine refusal — not a matter of individuals making bad choices, but as a community-level phenomenon.

[timeclonemike]

Axiom Verge 2: Here We Go Again

So Axiom Verge 2 came out not long ago, but I don’t have a Switch and I don’t trust the Epic Games Store. Rather than wait and possibly get spoiled, I bit the bullet and watched a Let’s Play.

Consequently I can now build on this post. Cutting for length and spoilers right about here.

The Filter: The biggest revelation that AV2 provides is a refinement of the multiverse theory, plus defining some terms from the original game. Trace’s note next to his wheelchair mentions going upstream to the Filter or beyond for answers. As it happens, “upstream” refers literally to the Worldstream, and different universes are connected to each other in a serial fashion. The terminology used to describe the connections is upstream and downstream, with upstream leading towards the Source Worlds that are the progenitors of all other universes. Likewise, the Filter refers to worlds in the worldstream that function as firewalls and safety mechanisms to keep disruptive influences from downstream worlds from traveling too far up, since disrupting one world can damage all of the worlds downstream from that world.

We even get to see the Worldstream or some analog to it when Indra (the protagonist of Axiom Verge 2) travels to the Filter world upstream of Kiengir (which is either upstream of or parallel to Earth) and the background of the rooms is a MASSIVE fractal pattern originating from / coalescing into a singularity off in the distance.

There are also some notes from Trace to Dr. Hammond, his research partner in the cutscene for the first game who took Trace’s revolutionary theory and turned into a way to make Faster Than Light communication and computing technology. Dr. Hammond also finds herself in a unique position to test one of the possibilities implicit in Trace’s theory, namely if the existence of an afterlife is somehow accounted for in the multiverse. One of the notes in the first game says that different instances of a person across the multiverse can survive events that their counterparts do not, but that the survivors have no idea that they even have a counterpart who died.

What happens in the second game is more about what happens to the ones that didn’t make it, because Dr. Hammond is communicating with Indra through the prototype superluminal communicators (called ansibles) scattered here and there, but Indra can also find Hammond’s body and a suicide note in some of Kiengir’s ruins. Dr. Hammond refers to where she is as a sort of “detention center” that she needs Indra’s help to escape from, and this help involves hacking the control computer in the Filter world. An earlier message at an ansible mentions data throttling, which seems to refer to the memory limitations of the ansible prototypes themselves; they can only send so much data over their operational lifetimes.

Except there’s Trace’s original paper and the axioms he starts with, where reality is described as algorithms running a universal / multiversal simulation, and cognition is a sub-algorithm within the parent algorithm. Put it all together and the game all but states that there is an afterlife, but it operates on the same rules as life - it’s an adjacent or related universe to our own and minds / spirits / souls / cognitive algorithms can migrate between those universes under certain conditions even if the material body they used to pilot is no longer functional. At least, that’s what normally happens, but for some reason the transmigration of souls was limited or stopped or throttled. It’s semi-implied but never explicitly stated that there’s a trans-universal system in place to keep the Worldstream stable, and the Lamassu computer network that controls Kiengir is part of that network, and the fact that realities are starting to glitch and break down further implies that this system is damaged or overwhelmed.

Trace’s Motivations: Trace never shows up in the game, and only gets mentioned here and there in a few notes. The game takes place in the 2050s and Trace’s lab accident was in 2005, with Dr. Hammond starting Hammond Corp and making money hand over fist in 2007 by selling the world zero-latency computing technology. Hammond’s suicide note explains that Trace was already exploring the Breach before she started her company, but she hasn’t heard from him in decades and the entire antarctic expedition was just so she could try to find him again. She mentions a few things in passing that come up in the first game, like a device called a Scry that can locate anything in the multiverse, and the term PatternMind which Trace was but Hammond was not.

By itself, this would seem to imply that we don’t know anymore about what Trace saw or experienced that turned him from a pacifist to somebody willing to commit genocide. But there’s another factor in play, one that has nothing to do with Trace at all at first glance.

At a certain point in the game, Indra gets stuck in her alternate drone form until she finds the right upgrade to become human (well, humanoid) again. She can still communicate with people, such as the survivors from Hammond Corp’s expedition and one of the Kazakh members of a Russian expedition that came through the portal and decided to settle a world upstream of Kiengir. However, coming back to revisit those areas and talk to those survivors later may result in them not being in the same spot anymore. Instead, there’s a sort of flying enemy that looks like a miniature version of the first boss of Axiom Verge. People who examined the game’s code found that there is actually an “infection” mechanic involved based on time elapsed since Indra comes in contact with the survivors.

That the survivors turn  into the types of monsters we see in Axiom Verge 1 is significant on its own, but it takes on more importance when we consider the endgame cutscenes. The Kazakhs have settled and colonized an upstream world, while a few of them are staying in an adjacent world where time passes differently; this is explicitly so that they can observe and track the changing of society over long spans of time and direct its evolution. After beating the final boss, Indra decides to team up with Drushka, the leader of the Kazakhs and a name mentioned in one of the notes found in Axiom Verge 1, in order to further her own goals.

Here’s the thing: What we see of the world that Drushka is standing watch in, called The Emergence, looks so similar to what we’ve seen of Sudra as to be almost identical. Given how time is explicitly stated to pass at different rates in different parts of the Breach compared to the worlds in the Worldstream, it isn’t out of the question that the Kazakhs were the ancestors of the Sudrans. The only problem with this theory is that long before anyone from earth showed up in Kiengir, the Lamassu had upstream technology brought in to allow the locals to defend themselves, as part of its broader directive to safeguard the Worldstream from disruption. Some of this technology included Rebirth Chambers - Indra even accesses the Filter through one - which was later destroyed to prevent too much cultural contamination. That technology had to come from somewhere, so either the Kazakhs inhabited a world adjacent to Sudra or downstream from it so there were similarities in art and culture and architecture, or the Rebirth Chambers and other advanced technology were themselves brought to Sudra from upstream worlds and simply shut down rather than completely destroyed after the Sudrans nearly wiped themselves out.

In either case, the important part is how Indra is subtly implied to be some sort of nanotech Typhoid Mary. She might be the actual source of the Pathogen that wipes out Sudra, not Athetos. In hindsight there is a hint to this effect in the first game because after Trace starts getting sick and hallucinating, there is a Rusalki called Ophelia that saves him. He doesn’t have any symptoms for the rest of the game, implying he is cured. If it was something unique to Trace that made him immune, he wouldn’t have gotten sick in the first place and neither would Athetos. Same with him getting better, if Trace could do it so could the original. So it had to be something unique to Ophelia that she couldn’t - or wouldn’t - do for anyone else.

And during Axiom Verge 2′s credits, we see a detailed close up look of Indra’s nanotech-enhanced body. The face and head look a LOT like Ophelia. Not conclusive by itself, but too similar to be completely shrugged off as coincidence.

And that has got me thinking.

I ended my first post pondering what Trace could have found in the Breach or while traveling the multiverse that caused a pacifist scientist to turn to genocide to achieve his ends. It’s possible that nothing could, because he didn’t. Maybe Athetos didn’t release the pathogen on Sudra, the Rusalki did; it’s shown in the notes that they resented the way that the Sudrans crippled them and reduced them basically to talking heads, but still had some influence over what was going on either through manipulating the priests or through exchange of data that the Sudrans were unaware of or incapable of understanding.

Athetos refers to the Rusalki as masters of war just before the final battle of Axiom Verge 1. He might have shown up at Sudra thousands of years prior to the events of the game as Trace, gotten healed, traveled up to the Filter to try to learn more, and then come back after the flow of time had changed to find a civilization on the verge of collapse from a virulent contagion that turned people into monsters. Trace may be a pacifist, but he will still use the Axiom Disrupter and all of its bells and whistles to protect himself in game. It’s entirely possible that the original realized that the Rusalki were trying to escape Sudra and would cause devastation throughout the Worldstream, and he applied his knowledge to create weapons and tools to turn himself into a one man army once he realized he couldn’t cure the pathogen. (Or maybe he did try to come up with a cure, and the Rusalki’s retaliation / interference was what made him realize what was actually going on.)

He doesn’t say any of this before his boss fight because he realizes that Trace and the Rusalki have the advantage now. Trace can keep coming back using the Rebirth Chambers, so Athetos has to come up with contingency plan. The secret ending shows Trace in a Dream Algorithm set up by one of the Rusalki, but Athetos shows up and shoots him, telling him it’s time to wake up. During his boss fight, Athetos shows the ability to manipulate the environment to a certain degree, spawning in new enemies and replacing power cells for the Breach Attractor when Trace destroys them. It’s not clear if this is a result of Sudran tech of being a PatternMind, but whatever the reason, it’s possible that Athetos was doing all of it to buy time.

Time for what?

To hack Trace’s Nanogates so that the Rusalki couldn’t control him anymore.

Trace keels over not long after the final battle, but Athetos showing up with a gun implies that Athetos was able to at least get a Trojan Horse into the nanogates that would wake Trace up when the remote overrides were disabled. Then Trace could wake up, find all his equipment again, and take the fight to the Rusalki before they could cause too much damage to the Worldstream, possibly including Earth.

The only truly glaring flaw in this theory is that it doesn’t account for why Indra would side with a bunch of genocidal robots, one way or another; she refers to the storage bay in Axiom Verge 1 as where “our bodies” are kept, and these are massive war machines, while her humanoid nanotech form is about human sized. The Lamassu refers to some fairly devastating war machines from upstream worlds and the Rusalki might just be those machines; she was heading to the world they were stored in because it might have the technology to restore one of her Apocalypse Arm upgrades - the child Damu that controls her drone body - to a flesh and blood body that can live a normal life.

There is a big gap between trying to help this kid she found and teaming up with sentient weapons platforms to devastate the multiverse. At least as big as the gap between Trace being a pacifist and Athetos committing genocide.

Like so many sequels, Axiom Verge 2 has raised even more questions than it answered.

[popculturebuffet]

Static Shock: Shock to the System and Aftershock Review

“You know what? 13 years ago, me and some friends sat in a restaurant all night and daydreamed about the kinds of stories we would tell if we had the chance. We wanted to expand the concept of superhero to include characters that kind of looked like us, who had some of the same background, experiences and dreams as we did. We wanted to create something fun that a new generation would respond to the same way we responded to our childhood heroes -and damn if we didn't succeed beyond my wildest dreams. Today, Static Shock is a household name with millions of fans of all ages (Is there stuff I'd do differently? Yeah, almost all of season four but why nitpick?) Static is the most successful thing I've ever helped create and I'm both proud and gratified that people have taken it into their hearts. “ 

Dwayne McDuffie, Co-Creator of Static and Writer for Static Shock

This review is dedicated to Dwayne McDuffie and Robert L. Washington III.                                                        Rest In Power Static Shock is awesome. I grew up with the show watching it both first run on the WB and second run on Cartoon Network and loved it as much as I did other large parts of my childhood courtsey of DC like Batman the Animated Series, Teen Titans and both Justice League Shows. What makes this unique among the DC Properties is that Static wasn’t really a big name when he got a show. He wasn’t even part of the DC Universe. 

See as I had no idea for probably a good decade, Static actually came from Milestone Comics, a company ran by and focused on african americans. The goal was understandable: While black heroes existed at the time, and there were some fantastic ones like Storm, Jim Rhodes and Steel... these guys weren’t the center of their universes. The big faces of the big  companies, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Hulk, Iron Man, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash.. were white. So milestone was a shakeup of that with the main teams and heroes all being black, from Icon, an alien who’d lived among man but rather than end up in kansas like say superman ended up imprinting on a slave woman centuries ago and has been with us since, who was encouraged by an energetic teenager named Rocket to put on a costume and do something with his powers and his community, Hardware, a tech genius who had his work stolen by a white asshole and wanted to fight back and BLood Syndicate, a group of gang members all caught in the “The Big Bang”, a huge fight between all of Dakota, the midwest city where the comics take place, that ended when the police released a bunch of experimental gas that gave them all super powers. 

As most of you who have watched the show already know, this is where Static comes from. Static was the company making their own Spider-Man, i.e. a nerdy teenager who suddenly gets super powers, in this case Virgil Hawkins who at the prodding of a friend took a gun to The Big Bang to get revenge on a bully. .but ultimately couldn’t go through with it, decided it wasn’t him and got rid of the gun and ran.. and still ended up in it, becoming Static, a young hero dedicated to using his powers to fight other “Bang Babies”.. a term that dosen’t really sound that great and they really should’ve thought through. But Phrasing aside the character was great and I look forward to reading more and only haven’t because I have to buy the issues gradually, but DC is currently re-releasing the individual issues of Static, Icon, and Hardware weekly in anticipation of a reboot of Milestone Coming in May digitally on Comixology at only 2 bucks a pop, and rereleased the original print collections that were long out of print for 10 bucks each, though i’m getting static on it’s own since i’ts really not that much less expensive as it only collects four issues while Icon and Hardware both collect 8, so I can wait a bit there on Hardware and already own Icon: A Hero’s Welcome.. and really need to review it at some point. 

While Milestone’s output was good, at least from the two books i’ve read, with Robert Washinton III, who sadly not only ahs also passed but was fucking homeless for a while  in the 2000′s.. what the actual hell, writing Static alongside Dwayne McDuffie, whose later moved onto animation writing tons of Static episodes all of them classics including the school shooting episode, the first three rubberbandman episodes and both Anasazi episodes. Point is it had good writers and artists and even had a distrbution deal with DC, so they had a leg up on the glut of other comic book companies.. but happened to start at the start of the comic book crash, a huge downturn in sales in the 90′s as the speculator boom, i.e. a bunch of people assuming every number one would be worth golden and silver age money, forgetting a character has to BUILD INTREST and this stuff takes time, and whose attempts to sell fast flooded the market with comics no one wanted,, caused the roof to cave in and with a bunch of assholes pegging milestone as a “Company for black people” rather than you know, a company trying to add fucking diversity and represntation to the comics industry, and that simply wanted a unvierse that was centered around people of color instead of white guys. The company eventually had to shut down, and was left to lisencing.  This is where the show comes in. Producers HAD been trying to make shows based on Milestone for a while, as far back as the mid-90s and the company was was all for it but the closest it got was an x-men style team series using various characters whose first draft was terrible and whose second draft by Alan Burnett, a producer on various DC Animated shows who’d go on to produce Static Shock, that McDuffie and others really liked but sadly did not get picked up. eventually though with presistance Static ended up getting a series and as I said McDuffie went on to write for it though he did not develop it. Some changes went into place naturally to make it work for an early 2000′s kids show and while i’ll probably miss so since again, only read one issue as we go. But due to Milestone coming back my intrest was peaking, hence finally reading the copy of Icon I had to buy from the library years ago due to keeping it overdue but am now EXTREMLEY glad I own as i’ts incredibly rare and really damn good, and wanting to read static, doing so lately since it’s finally on digtiial and again not too expensive. So join me as I give you a shock to the system and revisit this hell of a series to see if it holds up.. which just to cut that short it does and i’m only holding off binging MORE because I want the first two eps to be fresh enough in my head to review properly.. and also go over the various voice actors because that’s a thing with me now and charcter co-creator dwayne mcduffie because he’s awesome. 

As I like to do when covering a series first episodes, let’s run down the voice cast. 

First up is an UTTER LEGEND, and I use the term voice acting legend a lot, and mean it every time and have good reason to use it when I say it, and Phil LaMarr is a GOD in the buisness, having done a metric ton of voice acting roles, and being easily the most proflific black voice actor in animation. He’s also done some acting work, mostly in pulp fiction which I have not seen, but his true staying power and talent is in animation so here’s just the roles I feel are most notable or may not be very notable but i’m bringing up anyway because it’s my list. 

His roles besides Virgil include Lester Payton the Texas Ranger who showed up for one very good episode of king of the hill to be badass and show up the hickish, stupid and very punchable local Sheriff, Gearld’s obnoxious older brother Jamie O on Hey Arnold, Hermes Conrad from futurama, Carver from the Weekenders (PUT IT ON PLUS DISNEY), Axel Foley for exactly one bit in Clerks the Animated Series, but anyone whose seen it will know exactly which one, Micheal on the Proud Family, Black Vulcan on Harvey Birdman (In His Pants), Hector Con Carne and Dracula on Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy and Evil Con Carne, Jack on Samurai Jack something I didn’t know for decades (and I didn’t know about the carver thing till today though i’ts obvious in hindsight), John Motherfucking Stewart on Justice League and later Steel and Adult Static in the Unlimited seasons, Osmosis Jones on Ozzy and Drix, Bolbi Strogofski on Jimmy Neutron (And yes i’m just as shocked as you are.), Wilt on Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, Marcus on Life and Times of Juniper Lee, Bull Sharkowski on My Gym Partner is A Monkey and Also a Sociopath Please Help God My Life is a waking nightmare..... okay the rest of that title is implied but we all watched the same show, we all know in our hearts that was the title

Moving on, he was also, and yes there’s MORE: Maxie Zeus on The Batman, Philly Phil on Class of 3000, Both Robertsons AND Fancy Dan on the Spectacular Spider-Man, Jazz on Transformers Animated, Kit Fisto and Bail Organa on Star Wars the Clone Wars, Gambit and Bolivar Trask on Wolverine and the X-Men, Aquaman I, L-Ron and Green Beetle on Young Justice, J.A.R.V.I.S. and Wonder Man (Simon Williams) In Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, Gabe and Carny on Kaijudo: Rise of the Duel Masters (Really miss that game and have been snapping up what cards I can get lately), Baxter Stockman in the 2012 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (And there’s also an awesome photo of him with 2003 Baxter... the two best together in one place. I got chills), Dormammu (I’ve come to bargin) in various Marvel Shows, Noville in Mighty Magiswords, Zach’s dad Marcus in Milo Muprhy’s Law, Craig’s Douchey Brother Benard on Craig of the Creek, showing he’s clearly come full circle, And Mr. Scully on the Casagrndes. And given It took about two paragraphs to cover all of this, yeah, I MEANT legend. 

Next we have Kevin Micheal Richardson as Virgil’s Dad Robert, and it’s the first time since I started introducing Voice Actors on a show that i’ve overlapped. I already covered him during the second episode of legend of the three caballeros, but for the short version he’s also very acomplished, very damn good and I somehow missed he played the old blind guy in hey arnold> Needless to say the dude is awesome. 

Virgil’s Sister Sharon is played by Michele Morgan who was in the rap group BWP and did some smaller roles outside of this the one exception being Juicy on the PJ’s, which I have not watched much of but REALLY do not like, though i’ll at least give it credit for being a decently long lasted black claymation sitcom at at time when there were, and hoenstly still aren’t, many black animated shows. 

Back to long casting sheets, next up is Jason Marsden, who is one of my faviorites as i’ve realized recently as Ritchie. As I also found out only recently he started on the Sitcom Step By Step and while that show is .. ehhhhhhhhh, he is great in it because he’s great in everything. He also apparently has his own internet variety show which I have to watch now. His roles include Max Goof, ironically given I was just talking about that role a few days ago, Haku in the english dub of Spirted Away, Micheal, the kid being yelled at by a bunch of 80′s cartoons characters not to take drugs in Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue!, Nermal in the DTV Garfield movies and The Garfield Show, Tino on the Weekenders (SERIOUSLY DISNEY), Snapper Carr on Justice League, Rikochet on Mucha Lucha! for the last season (Why I do not knkow and while I love the guy he was not the right choice), Felix on Kim Possible, Chase Young on Xiaolin Showdown (WHich I did not realize was him and now I do easily his best role and I REALLY should’ve), Red Star and Billy Numerous on Teen Titans, Speedy on Batman Brave and the Bold, Impulse/Kid Flash II on Young Justice, and Fingers on Kaijudo. He hasn’t done as much lately which is a shame but hopefully i’tll pick up again. 

Next up is Hotstreak, Virgil’s brutal bully turned unhinted pyromancer played by DANIEL COOKSY, another actor i’m happy to talk about and another faviorite I haven’t seen much of lately. Daniel was an actor from childhood, playing Budnick on Salute Your Shorts, but he quickly gained a long and storied catalogue of VA Work: His first big roll was as Montana Max on Tiny Toon Adventures and if there is a god he’ll be back for the reboot, Stoop Kid on Hey Arnold, the incomprable Jack Spicer on Xiaolin Showdown, far and away his best role and part of why Chronicles sucked so bad was he was he didn’t get to reprise the role, The titular Dave the Barbarian, Django of the Dead on El Tigre (Had no idea), Kicks utterly insufferable big Brother Brad on Kick Buttowski and apparently he’s back at it again after laying low for a bit as he’s voicing Snag in Long Gone Gultch.. which I already really needed to watch but hot damn, I missed him. Sign me up. 

Frieda, Virgil’s crush and close friend who in the comics was his main confidante and love intrest but here is eventually pushed aside, is voiced by Danica Mckeller whose work didn’t seem all that familiar.. until I found out she was Ms. Martian on Young Justice. Hello, Megan. Very talented and she did get a major role in a dc show eventually so good for her. Can’t wait for season 4. 

So with our major players out of the way,  let’s talk about Dwayne. McDuffie is an AWESOME man and my respect has grown for him more and more with time. A writer and editor at Marvel, McDuffie has a decent resume doing smaller but awesome books, which I got most of for free last year when Marvel was giving out free digital collections due to the lock down, like Damage Control, a sitcom set in the marvel universe about the company that picks up after superhero battles and the logistics and antics that insue and Dethlok, about a pacfist trapped inside a cyborg zombie. He was as mentioned one of Milestone’s founders, and wrote Icon, Hardware and co-wrote the first few issues of Static. He’d go on to a pretty stacked career in animation, writing on this show and Justice League before becoming  story editor and show runner for Unlimited , even making a return to comics as a result writing the Marvel miniseries beyond and an arc of Fantastic Four in which Black Panther and Storm filled in for Reed and Sue while the two of them worked on their marriage after Reed did.. pretty much everything he did in Civil War. He also became head writer and show runner for Ben 10: Alien Force and Ultimate Alien, revamping the franchise a bit, and Alien Force, at least the first two seasons are awesome and I feel people overreacted on the changes. Ultimate Alien is okay, but has it’s problems but the finale was awesome and left the man’s legacy on a high note.. as he sadly passed in 2011 due to heart complications. He is truly missed and produced some utterly amazing stuff whlie he was alive. So on that melacholy note let’s see what happens when his creation hits the tv screen shall we?

Shock to the System:

This episode is written by Christopher Simmons, who is apparently a huge art designer guy.. but i’m not sure that’s the same chirsptoher simmons. Much more notable is the writer of the episode after this Stan Berkowitz, who was showrunner for season 1 and has done a LOT of DCAU work and is suprising talent, having written a lot of awesome Justice League episodes including Secret Society and The Royal Flush One. Point is we’re in first class hands.  Before the episode itself I want to talk about the intro and how it’s unique among DCAU shows. Like most Western Animation the intros for DCAU shows didn’t change much over the seasons with the most I can see is JLU changing up the footage to preview the current episode and later adding Hawkgirl to the intro after her return to the team. I THINK superman the animated series changed some of it’s footage too, but I can’t confrim it and may of just been imagining it. As i’ve talked about on my blog it’s normally a pet peeve of mine, mostly because shows you know, change after season 1, characters get added some one shot characters used for the intro never return, and after a while it can feel dated especially in more recent shows where the status quo is not at all set in stone and things change quite a bit. But sometimes it can be good enough that either the dated elements don’t matter or general enough that you don’t need to change it and i’ts just that good.. and given Batman the Animated Series has both in spades, you can see why i’ts probably my golden standard for intros and after superman the animated series DC mostly followed suit. But being part of the teen superhero boom of the 2000′s Static is unique in that it splits the diffrence: It’s intro gets the character across perfectly like a good intro should starting with Virgil getting out of bed and running a comb across his head before showing off to his sister to bug her and literally running into his dad who hand shim his bag and smiles, silently showing off his family. He then runs to school and runs into some trouble.. and said trouble changes for each intro, with Rubberband Man for season 1, Kanga (Whose name I only know because I happened to run across it) for season 2 and your guess is as good as mine for seasons 3 and 4, though Hotstreak is a constant. They still save some money for seasons 1 and 2 by recycling some animation.. but that’s alright with mea s it was good animation, and the improtant thing is cycling out old villians for new ones, while Season 3 is the only out and out redo to show off Richie taking on the Gear identity, adding about 10 seconds of intro to let him show off.  Seriously it’s an utterly great intro and like the other DCAU intros outside of superman, stuck in my brain. 

The other change that’s ENTIRELY diffrent from the rest of htem is that the music changes each time. The first two have the same formula just with a difrent vocalist and backing track: a superhero theme but with some hip hop beat boxing over it. The first intro is fine enough, not specattcular but stilll god. The second song.. is eh. Not really great and feels like a marked downgrade from season 1 and just dosen’t blend an ocrehstiral superhero theme with the beatbox elements NEARLY as well. The third song though is my faviorite.. even if I HATED Little Romeo as a  kid because I really did not like his nick show, it’s more a straight up rap song, but it has a faster beat that fits the intro better, and Romeo’s bragging fits Virgil’s character and penchant for Spidey quips perfectly. I also find it ironic that the theme that blends in with the dcau the most, the first season’s, is the one from BEFORE they decided to put it in the same universe. Still this season’s intro slaps, I just like the LIttle Romeo one a bit more.  The opening scene is picture perfect. Some masked crooks looting a warehouse are loading some stolen TV’s into a van when suddenly the lights come on one by one above one of the crooks before his tv switches to various channels before going haywire. Cue our heroes’ entrance. Let’s tak ea good look at him

Static’s Costume is awesome. While I prefer the season 3 redesign, and clearly DC agrees as the redeisgn was used for both pre and post new-52 when they used him, and while he’s getting a fresh design for the reboot, said design takes a lot of cures from said outfit. As for how the outfit differs from the comics itself  this is the design he had in the comics

It didn’t change much from the first issue, with the exception of his now iconic big puffy jacket which was added pretty early into the character’s history but I was unaware of that and just assumed he had the bodysuit the whole time. The more you know. But as you can see outside of the cool puffy jacket over a costume the two couldn’t be more diffrent. While the Dakotaverse outfit is more a standard superhero outfit, with some regular clothes touches on top the first cartoon outfit comes off more realistic, looking fantastic, but still coming off as something two teenagers could realistically have thrown together with what clothes they could buy, while still looking awesomely superheroy. IN short it’s perfect and only topped by the season 3 onward look...

But the slicker look, with an even cooler jakcet and the new colors all fitting the lighting ascetic better, but fits: not only has Virgil come along farther since he started, but with Richie now having a genius brain as Gear, he can provide a far slicker, far more professional superhero outfit on the budget the two have.  This show is just great  at costume design. 

So getting back to the episode at hand, Static puts up a huge sign in elecrticy saying “Bad guys here”, PFFFT, and then hides away and narrates that a few days ago he’d be the last person anyone would’ve expected to be a hero. Cue Flashback. 

We meet Virgil Hawkins on an average day: rapping into his razor, getting into a petty argument with his older sister Sharon, as a younger brother myself I relate to this, and talking to his dad who tries to get them to cut that out. We find out his mom has passed via his sister making really terrible eggs and saying that’s how mom made them. Exposition! Though we do get a great bit through this as when his sister gets distracted by her boyfriend calling, he uses the opportunity of her leaving the room to dump the eggs.. after having earlier jokingly prayed to his mom for a way out of breakfast. “Thanks for looking out for me mom” That’s both very sweet and very hilarious. 

This is a change from the comics it turns out as I was utterly flored to find Virgil’s mom alive and well when reading the first issue of Static. Turns out this was a change made during development and one Dwane McDuffie admitted in the interview I got the tribute quote from to not liking as he had a good reason for having Virgil have a nuclear family, as most black families in media at the time were just one single parent and a kid or two with the other having either left or died. He wasn’t too bothered by it as while he preferred what he came up with in the first place, the show DID get some really good stories out of her being gone and didn’t just have her be absent because shut up. Virgil is still working over her death and the way HOW she died ends up playing an important role in this episode and gives Virgil a dislike of guns, as she died to gang violence. So the change wasn’t for stupid or racist reasons, but likely both to keep the character count down while giving them something to work with for storylines. Or it could’ve been for stupid reasons and the writers simpily made lemonade out of that very dumb lemon, either way it ended up working.  Virgil also plans to ask his friend Frieda out. Frieda was a bigger deal in the comics, being Virgil’s friend and confidante as well as his ocasional love intrest, but here while she was inteded to at least be his love intrest here, that sorta fizzled out. As for the best friend role we meet her replacement in Richie, which McDuffie conceded was the kind of change a studio would make swapping out a female character for a male one. That being said the crew made the best of it and Richie is awesome, a bit of an overcompensating dipstick at times, but a good sounding board and pal for virgil and funny as hell too. He was also gay, something only revealed post series by McDuffie.. but unlike say Dumbledore, it’s a bit easier to swallow here: The early 2000′s were an even worse time for gay characters in tv let alone cartoons, and if they couldn’t kiss or have sex scenes on regular tv, there was no way we were getting any representation in a children’s show. So it was largely just hinted at by Richie overcompensating in how “into girls” he was and i’m once again fine with this being word of god as it was literally the best they could do and his counterpart in the comics was also gay, if not as relevant.  Ritch encourages Virgil to work on his opening to ask her out as it’s awkward as heck, hits a bit close to home.. but I do appricate the show just .. having him try and ask her out from the first episode. They likely would’ve drug thigns out a bit granted had they used Frieda more, i’m not blind to the convetions of the time. .but as someone who got the very wrong idea from tv that just waiting around meant a girl would like you eventually, when no you need to actually try even if rejection happens, I honestly wish we had more of this in media than the other garbage morals at the time. 

So he prepares to , not helped by her mentioning guy after guy is asking her out.... but before he can F-Stop, the future hotstreak, shows up.  F-STOP

That being said...... it’s not as bad as the original gangster name for the comic’s version, Biz Money B. Yes BIZ MONEY B

So yeah while F-Stop is no more intimidating, it at least means I can stop laughing. Francis, because I can’t type F-Stop without laughing and this review is already behind, shoves Virgil out of the way and agressively hits on Frieda, even saying “you smell good”, the international sign your a douchebag and also to call the police. Virgil steps up to the guy and gets PAINFULLY slammed into the lockers, something I give the animation team a lot of credit for, as you can FEEL how fucking painful that was. Virgil is saved by Wade, another local gangbanger who in the comics was a close friend of Virgils but here saves him seemingly just because.. seemingly. 

On the way home though Virg’s problems don’t end as naturally, the giant sized asshole with nothing better to do has his goons corner virgil before VIOLENTLY beating him.. off screen but the noises, and the clear brusies including a black eye, on virgil afterwords.. just holy damn i’m suprsied they got away with this but it shows just how horrifing it was and that this is a step above regular bullying, which make no mistake is absoluttley terrible and the series would later do an episode on it and school shootings, into straight up gang violence. Wade shows up again and gets the bastards to flee.. but also makes it clear he can’t keep doing this.. and forces Virgil to meet him at his base under the bridge. And it’s a tense sequence, with Virgil KNOWING this is a bad idea but having no real choice and Wade making it abundantly clear that he wants Virgil to join his crew, and makes a chilling point: while Virgils dad RIGHTFULLY dosen’t want his son to join a gang as Virgil points out.. he can’t be there for him all the time and eventually one of those times, Francis will be around. And he may not surivive that. Virgil nods noncomittaly.  At home it gets even more grim as he dosen’t open up to his family, understandably as his dad would jsut say to call the police and well.. we’ve seen how the police treat black people. At best they’d just try and use Virgil as an informant and that likely wouldn’t end fucking well for Virgil. Ritchie points out he can’t join a gang, virgil’s mom died that way.. see told you it’d be important to the plot.. but I like how the story dosen’t offer an easy answer.. well okay he gets electric powers soon enough but without the fantastic element this is just an innocent kid caught between either joining the very thing his mom hated or hoping a system not built to protect him will keep him alive. It’s utterly saddening and chilling and holy shit is it amazing a cartoon in the early 2000′s was able to get away with.. ANY OF THIS, and they handle it great, paired down a bit from the comics but even then it’s still incredibly balsy they got THIS much in. 

Naturally Wade calls in his favor and our hero is forced to come running.. and soon finds out Wade’s brought him in for a massive gang war. Welcome to the big bang, baby. He hands Virgil a gun as things get started and Virgil.. drops the thing and tries to escape, in a harrowing sequence.. and runs into Francis because god apparently REALLY hates this kid today. As if to prove that the police show up and while that prevents a beating, they demand they disassemble. then release untested gas on them because of course they do. 

As a result the big bang truly begins, with the various gang members getting mutated.. and naturally so does virgil. Though he wakes up the next day seemingly fine. How’d he get home? Does his dad know where he was?

I don’t know and we’re not getting any answers, but Virgil soon finds weird stuff happening like his clock shorting out, change being attracted to him and his razor going wild. It’s only once he get sback to his room he gets an inkling of what’s going on and calls Ritchie to meet him at the Junk yard.. though it is a bit of a dick move as he dosen’t you know, tell him anything about Wade or Francis right away. He does at the yard though.. and that he has powers, having finally figured out how to use them to a point. And the series does provide a decent justification later as to why he’d get this so quickly: Virgil is a smart kid, gets great grades at school and apparnetly there’s even an episode later where he gets a scholarship to a fancy genius school. So him getting how elctromagntisim works or being a quick study on it makes perfect sense. 

Richie suggest the obvious.. to become a superhero. And the thought.. hadn’t occured to Virgil. It’s honestly a nice twist on the old trope. That he hadn’t thought of it, not because he’s selfish or any of that or needs to learn a hard lesson, those have been done.. simply because the rush of getting his powers, and implicitly of having a way out of his current predciament, a way to keep Francis off his back and keep Wade from pulling him in further. His own path. But once i’ts brought up.. he jumps on it. Part of it is being a nerd like you or I, of course he wants to.. and being a good intetioned one, he knows this is the right thing to do. It’s waht makes a superhero a hero: Anyone can get powers in a universe like this, esepcailly the dcau, but it takes true courage and heart to use them selflessly and knowing you’ll be in danger. It’s why I love surperheroes: they often didn’t ask for this but they do it anyway because somebody’s gotta. We also get an intresting wrinkle is superman is, at least I think in this episode I could’ve missed it or misremembered things, mentioned as a fictional character. That’s because originally like the comics this wasn’t part of the DCAU.. but eventually the crew decided it shared staff from it, shared a network, both first run and on reruns, why not just make it part of the DCAU proper. I fully support this decisionf: While i’m midly annoyed unlimited never really used anything from static shock outside of Static himself in the time travel episode, despite you know Static and Gear having BEEN to the tower and not being much younger than Kara and defintely older than Courtney, I chalk it up to weird rights issues or something like that. But having Batman, Batman Beyond, Superman, Green Lantern and the Justice League itself all guest star was a good idea, and expanded both static’s universe and gave the DCAU something differnt as most heroes in it were older and more experinced in contrast to the up and coming virgil. Again really would’ve been nice if he and gear could’ve been a part of the expanded league but production might of just been too far ahead or, given he had his own series, they might just have wanted to stick to toher characters. Also begs the question why Icon or Hardware wasn’t adapted for the expanded League but hey, questions for later and the tricky logisitics of the milestone rights might’ve been the issue. I don’t know I wasn’t in the room. 

So we get a costume montage, including Black Vulcan from Superfriends, who again ironically would be voiced by Lamarr not too long after this, though weirdly they DON’T use his outfit from the comics for this montage. I mean why not? It fits the gag and would’ve been a good second to last choice.But what could’ve been aside we get our winner and cut back to present day...

Thanks boys. Static finds out one of the things in the warehouse is a shipment of computers for the school and can’t help but show off, showing up to the school, where Frieda and Richie are setting up for the dance, and dropping off the computers, and even saying his catchphrase for the first time “I’ll put a shock to your system” (Which Richie chimes in with awesome line and I agree, great catcphrase), before helping set up and flirting with frieda. 

Though as Richtie says he’s a natural. He’s not wrong as he can work a crowd. .but back it up too as his first run out had him easily taking out the crooks, and as many teen superheros and fans of heroes of hte type, myself included will tell you, getting it right in one is not easy. Not even Miles MOrales was immune. All Static needs now is a villian. 

And the end of the episode provides one as we see, in horrifc and once again damn suprising detail most of hte new metas aren’t doing so good and are melting and other stuff and we catch up with Francis whose burning up.. and naturally given that hair, though given he named himself F-Stop it’s the least of his problems, he’s got fire powers and escapes to “Have me some fun”

So with that we end episode 1. And it’s excellent, a great way to introduce the hero and while the warehouse opening is a bit superflous, it is a decent addition, showing our heroes first outing in costume and giving us a bit of an action scene to get us through the very heavy rest of the episode. But the rest of the episode is no less grippping, telling the tale of a teen caught in an unwinnable scenario who suddenly finds a way out. And speaking of which waht of Wade? Will we see him again? Is he perhaps Ebon, the series big bad as I thought when I was a kid? What comes of the man who directly caused static’s origin?

Yeahhh that’s the one mistep I think the pilot makes. Frieda is understandable as that was likely a simple change in creative direction. This though? Why build this guy up if your not going to bring him back. I mean where he went was probably the grave, as he probably did due to his mutation, but it’s still VERY weird to spend a whole episode focusing on this guy, building him up as a big personal threat to our hero.. and NOT have him become the series big bad. And maybe he WAS supposed to be ebon and they just changed their mind. I don’t know but it bothers me it bothers me a lot. Otherwise though flawless. ONe more to go. 

Aftershock: We open outside an electronics store, as our heroes watch the news reacap what happened in the first episode, with the media dubbing it the Big Bang and revealing their could be hundreds of “Metahumans”, as Virgil dubs after deciding the media’s term “Mutant” dosen’t fit, a nice wink to the fact that that’s the term used in dc comics and I believe milestone but could be wrong there. Me I like the term, has a nice ring to it. 

At the store while Richie mulls over waht this means Static finds out he’s a human CD player.... this was before mp3 players and streaming on your phone made them horribly obsolete mind you and if you don’t know what one is congradualtions you live in some sort of bubble and you made me feel really old junior. 

Frieda happens to be there and Virgil quips “What’s the matter they run out of britney cds”. Dude she’s not bad. Also be careful what you wish for man. Nickeback returned the year after this. You have not truly suffered through bad music yet my young friend. They spot a kid looking feverish, and he soon turns into a purple werewolf, as you do. It’s a bang baby.. those are richie’s exact word and you may not want to start a panic there bud. Just saying your best friend is one. THeir not all like this. Our heroes book it only to run into Francis who naturally refuses to let them leave and only doesn’t try to beat up Virgil because Virgil points otu the werewolf and nonplussed, he goes to fight it, scarring it off by revealing his own powers. He’s now dubbed himself Hotstreak which points for getting an actually good name kid. No points for what happens next as unsuprisingly getting powers did NOT mak ehim a better person and he attacks Virgil who blocks with a garbage can lid and thankfully is blasted into an ally. Richie tries to guard frieda for damn obvious reasons but gets hsi shirt burnt up because shut up Thankfully Static shows up, and we get our firsdt full on superhuman fight as both fight each other with aplomb, and it’s a damn good fight.. and one that goes pear shaped for Virg as he’s caught off guard when he finds out Hotstreak can use his powers to fly, and tackles him and his previous trauma causes him to freeze up. Thankfully , as Frieda put in a call earlier, the fire department arrive and HOt streak has to retreat, though Virgil is bummed that he “Choked”. And I love this as it not only shows Virgil’s inepxerince, as this is his first time fighting a bad guy but that just because he HAS power now dosen’t mean trauma and his previous fear of Hotstreak goes away or you won’t freeze up from time to time. It dosen’t make him weak or anything like some assholes would call it .. it makes him human. Humans make mistakes, and it makes him all the more relatable that he’s not pefect and that he did freeze up as I know I certainly would at last once in the circumstances. 

Things don’t get better at dinner as Sharon and Pops argue over the bang babies with Pops calling them a meance and Sharon pointing out Static exists so they can’t all be bad. See assuming a group of superhumans are bad because a handful of them ar edick sis why the x-men had to get their own island nation. You can only save an ungreatful populous so many times before you say “fuck it i’m getting my own island, pay me for life saving drugs, save your damn selves and stop doing genocides on us. Kay thanks”. But he does bring up a valid point that rattles his son: We don’t know anything about the Bang Babies or their biological structures and it’s likely they might further mutate into monsters, Static included. 

Virgil, understandably, wants to check this and thus he and richie compare blood samples in science, to no real conclusion. She he checks out with his doctor who assumes he’s sexually active in a great getting crap past the radar bit and a bit of realisim, but he agrees to the test though if something came up he would have to tell Virgil’s dsad and is up front about this. Nice dose of realisim.

That night City Council has a meeting and the Mayor TRIES to deflect Papa Hawkins questions about the bang babies which again, while being a judgmental ass as not every person hit was a gang member (Virgil, and as we discover later some others), and not every gang member is there by choice, some by circumstnace some, like virgil almost was, because they HAD no other option. Again years of reading x-men may of just made me a bit touchy on assholes admitely assuming superpower people bad. But it’s clear the public is upset and while she says an investigation is underway... Virgil and Richie are not only not convinced, but figure she’s actively covering it up. And unlike everyone else there who probably suspects the same, they can do something about it and tail her.  It’s during this, and cleverly as I didn’t realie till writing this using similar skills to his human cd player act, Virgil listens in and discovers whose behind it: Edwin Alva, whose apparently richer than bill gates and a beloved phinarophist Alva, as it turns out, was actually the arch enemy of Hardware in the comics, taking advantage of the guy in his civiliian idtentiy and thus casuing him to launch a war on the asshole. He does transition into this series well though, being the one behind the gas that caused it and with the mayor agreeing to back off, planning to simply dump the info about the big bang on a disc then destroy everything for now till the heat dies down. Yup sounds like a corprate douchebag. 

Static tails him, finds the lab and infiltrates it, stealing the disc.. but getting caught by Alva’s goon, and trapped in a glass prison, forced to use ALL his power to escape and barely getting out alive, but not before bouncing off alva’s car. Still he now has the proof.. and meanwhile Hotstreak, who I was wrong did get captured, is forced to take pill sbut spits them out once the orderly is gone. Dude.. WHY DIDN’T YOU WATCH HIM. Make sure he swallows that shit especially since, as he has no powers right now and can’t harm you. 

Hotstreak escapes off screen and our heroes discuss the disc before he shows up, and we get a REALLY fucking amazing scene: Virgil ducks into an Alleway and ritchie is worried.. and Virgil disarms him with just one word responses Ritchie: Virg you can’t take him.  Virgil: Gotta. Ritchie: Well at least wait for the fire department Virgil: Can’t.  It’s simpile but it gets the point across: This is his fight, he can’t wait for help, and people need him. And this is what makes a true hero: It’s easy to be a hero when everythings going well.. but it’s the true ones who stick it out against the odds and fight anyway. And he’s going to.  So we get one hell of a fight, though naturally Hotstreak burns up the disc. And I do like this as it dosen’t feel contrived.. yes Static could’ve left it with ritchie.. but he wasn’t thinking in the moment and dind’t really have time to think abotu the disc, only that people were being hurt and he was all they had between them and Hotstreak. It was no choice at all. Still that pisses Virgil off that the last night’s work is now worthless, and he fully charges up and curbstomps francis who retreats into a clearing. Hostreak brags when static follows, as even he’s figured out Static needs to be around metal, as he’s usually on his disc or the street, and in the park there suppodsidly isn’t any. But he’s not THAT smart as Virgil points out two things: one, he hoped to do this on PURPOSE so they wouldn’t be around people and no on e would get hurt and 2).. this is a city, there’s metal everywhere.. and he awesomely and cleverly proves it by unlodging a sewage pipe with his powers and dousing his foe, winning and proving his stuff. I love this solution, it’s a clever spider-man type way to disarm him, using smarts and the einvroment instead of just brute forcing it. Though the sewage part wasn’t intetional our hero still won and gets praise from the people dumb enough to follow the fight. 

However at home Virgil points out it was  Pyrrhic Victory and shows off his smarts by telling the tale behind it, which I didn’t know,because tv tropes didn’t exist yet: king pyrhus fought the romans and WON.. but had so little armies left that he still lost overall. That’s what this feels like to Virgil: he beat hotstreak but any chance at a cure for Bang Babies and Alva going to jail for causing them is gone. His mood does get a boost though as the doctor calls and reveals he’s fine, he just has a bit too much elctrolytes and just needs to lay off teh salt. He celebrates, we get a quick gag and the episode ends

Aftershock is another stellar episoe, giving us Virgil’s first super foe and a personal one at that, while showing some growth. As richie tells him he’s not virgil anymore he’s static and he can’t let his past get to him.. and he does’nt going from cowering in fear to easily beating his foe with simple logic. It’s a good followup that answers questions you may have from the first ep, like what does this do to virgil’s body, who supplied the gas, and why has no one done anything about this, and sets up another villian for Static in Alva. Great stuff. I highly recommend these episodes and the show as a whole: it’s fast paced, grounded and enjoyable, having just enough levity to not be too dour but just enough tension and stakes to be intresting. A throughly fantastic superhero show and one that i’d certainly love to revisit on this blog If you have an episode of static or the dcau in general you’d want me to cover, my comissions are open and details are on a tab on my blog or can be gotten simply by asking me via ask or dm. Tommorow we’re going deeper underground, there’s too much damage in this town as the Lena Retrospective continues. So expect gay ducks, straight ducks and some terrfirmains. See you next rainbow. 

[anniekoh]

This Indian Country: American Indian Activists and the Place They Made by Frederick Hoxie (2012)

Frederick E. Hoxie, one of our most prominent and celebrated academic historians of Native American history, has for years asked his undergraduate students at the beginning of each semester to write down the names of three American Indians. Almost without exception, year after year, the names are Geronimo, Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse. The general conclusion is inescapable: Most Americans instinctively view Indians as people of the past who occupy a position outside the central narrative of American history. These three individuals were warriors, men who fought violently against American expansion, lost, and died. It's taken as given that Native history has no particular relationship to what is conventionally presented as the story of America. Indians had a history too; but theirs was short and sad, and it ended a long time ago.In This Indian Country, Hoxie has created a bold and sweeping counter-narrative to our conventional understanding. Native American history, he argues, is also a story of political activism, its victories hard-won in courts and campaigns rather than on the battlefield. For more than two hundred years, Indian activists—some famous, many unknown beyond their own communities—have sought to bridge the distance between indigenous cultures and the republican democracy of the United States through legal and political debate. Over time their struggle defined a new language of "Indian rights" and created a vision of American Indian identity. In the process, they entered a dialogue with other activist movements, from African American civil rights to women's rights and other progressive organizations.Hoxie weaves a powerful narrative that connects the individual to the tribe, the tribe to the nation, and the nation to broader historical processes. He asks readers to think deeply about how a country based on the values of liberty and equality managed to adapt to the complex cultural and political demands of people who refused to be overrun or ignored. As we grapple with contemporary challenges to national institutions, from inside and outside our borders, and as we reflect on the array of shifting national and cultural identities across the globe, This Indian Country provides a context and a language for understanding our present dilemmas.

Image 1

15: My informal quiz is intended to prod students to look beneath the surface of the popular beliefs that define Native people as exotic and irrelevant. I also ask students to consider why it is that Americans so easily accept the romantic stereotype of Indians as heroic warriors and princesses? Why don’t we demand a richer, three-dimensional story? I pose a Native American version of the question the African American writer James Baldwin often asked white audiences a generation ago: “Why do you need a nigger?” My question is the same: Why do Americans need “Indians”—brave, exotic, and dead—as major figures in national culture?

17: This book counters that preference by presenting portraits of American Indians who neither physically resisted, nor surrendered to, the expanding continental empire that became the United States. The men and women portrayed here were born within the boundaries of the United States, rose to positions of community leadership, and decided to enter the nation’s political arena—as lawyers, lobbyists, agitators, and writers—to defend their communities. They argued that Native people occupied a distinct place inside the borders of the United States and deserved special recognition from the central government. Undaunted by their adversary’s military power, these activists employed legal reasoning, political pressure, and philosophical arguments to wage a continuous campaign on behalf of Indian autonomy, freedom, and survival. Some were homegrown activists whose focus was on protecting their local homelands; others had wider ambitions for the reform of national policies. All sought to overcome the predicament of political powerlessness and find peaceful resolutions for their complaints. They struggled to create a long-term relationship with the United States that would enable Native people to live as members of both particular indigenous communities and a large, democratic nation.

The story of these activists crosses several centuries. It opens in the waning days of the American Revolution, as negotiators in Paris set geographical boundaries for the new nation that ignored Indian nations that had fought in the conflict and had been recognized previously in international diplomacy. Native activists take center stage in the 1820s, when nationalistic U.S. leaders abandoned an earlier diplomatic tradition and pressed Indian leaders to surrender their homes to American settlers. The Choctaw James McDonald, the first Indian in the United States to be trained as a lawyer, is the protagonist of chapter two. McDonald became his tribe’s legal adviser and drew on American political ideals to defend Indian rights, thereby laying the foundation for future claims against the United States.A generation after McDonald, the Cherokee leader William Potter Ross developed and widened the young Choctaw’s arguments. During the middle decades of the nineteenth century he traveled among Indian tribes in the West as well as to Washington, D.C., to recruit other Native leaders to defend tribal sovereignty. Among those who followed in Ross’s wake were Sarah Winnemucca, a Nevada Paiute who in the 1880s became a nationally famous writer, lecturer, and lobbyist, and a group of remarkable Minnesota Ojibwe tribal leaders who battled both at home and in Washington, D.C., to preserve their tiny community on the shores of Mille Lacs Lake.In the twentieth century the leading activists were often polished professionals like Thomas Sloan, an Omaha Indian who became an attorney and established a legal practice in Washington, D.C. The first Indian to argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court, Sloan helped found the Society of American Indians in 1911 (serving as its first president) and encouraged other community leaders to create similar networks of support. In the 1930s, when Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal offered those leaders opportunities to speak out in defense of their tribes, these networks brought forth tribal advocates such as the Seneca Alice Jemison and the Crow leader Robert Yellowtail, as well as a new generation of intellectuals and thinkers, among them the Salish writer and reformer D’Arcy McNickle and the visionary scholar Vine Deloria, Jr., who by the time of his death in 2005 had become the leading proponent of indigenous cultures and tribal rights in the United States.

..

Vocal opposition to Indian landholding in Mississippi began in 1803, after Napoleon had suddenly decided to sell the entire territory to the Americans. The French emperor’s decision immediately transformed the Choctaw homeland from a distant border area to an inland province that boasted hundreds of miles of frontage on a river that was destined to become the nation’s central highway.15 Secure borders and the lure of plantation agriculture triggered a surge of settlement. The American population in the region doubled between 1810 and 1820 and then doubled again by 1830. New towns clustered along the east bank of the Mississippi as well as on the lower reaches of the Tombigbee River, two hundred miles to the east.The American immigrants were soon calling for the creation of two territorial governments in the area. Congress had first organized Mississippi Territory in 1798 as a hundred-mile-wide swath of unsurveyed land hugging the east bank of the great river and then in 1803, had expanded its borders so that it stretched south from Tennessee to the Gulf. Finally, in 1817, the region took its modern shape when the Tombigbee settlements became the Alabama Territory, Mississippi’s eastern neighbor.Events on America’s northwestern frontier echoed those along the Gulf. Secure borders, a surging settler population, and aggressive local leaders encouraged the rapid organization of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois into territories and states during Jefferson’s presidency. (Ohio became a state in 1803; Indiana in 1816; Illinois in 1818.) Jefferson championed both traditional Indian diplomacy and westward expansion. He understood the value of traditional diplomacy, but he also understood the rising power of western politicians and was far more likely to accommodate them.In 1808 Jefferson supported a major purchase of Choctaw land. He noted that while it was “desirable that the United States should obtain from the native population the entire left (east) bank of the Mississippi,” federal authorities were also determined “to obliterate from the Indian mind an impression . . . that we are constantly forming designs on their lands.” The Choctaws’ current debt of more than forty-six thousand dollars, he explained, provided a solution to this dilemma. Owing to “the pressure of their own convenience,” Jefferson reported, the Choctaws themselves had initiated this sale of five million acres of their land. He wrote that he welcomed this “consolidation of the Mississippi Territory,” and the Senate quickly ratified the agreement.16

...

95: Leaders of the removed tribes were quick to promote the idea of multitribal “international councils” aimed at promoting peaceful relations among the tribes in Indian Territory and the surrounding region. These councils grew out of a tradition of peace conferences that U.S. officials had organized prior to removal to reduce tensions between western tribes (particularly the Osages, Pawnees, Kiowas, and Comanches) and the eastern Indians who had begun to migrate voluntarily to the West early in the century. Fort Gibson, erected in 1822 along the Arkansas River at a spot near the future site of the Cherokee capital of Tahlequah, had been the scene for several of these gatherings. One such meeting in 1834 involved more than a dozen tribes (including recently arrived Delawares and Senecas from the Midwest) that pledged friendship to one another and agreed to meet again to conclude a formal treaty. The 1835 Camp Holmes treaty, negotiated on the prairies west of Fort Gibson, fulfilled that goal. It established peaceful relations between the eastern tribes such as the Cherokees, Choctaws, and Creeks, and local groups such as the Wichitas and Osages. A second gathering the following year extended the Camp Holmes agreement to the Kiowas and Kiowa-Apaches.15In the 1840s the Cherokee tribal government, along with the governments of neighboring groups, began hosting their own intertribal meetings. They took this step both because they were eager to maintain good relations with the powerful tribes that had previously occupied their new homelands—particularly the Osages, Kiowas, and Comanches—and because they were increasingly conscious of threats to their borders. To the south, the new Republic of Texas, dominated by slaveholders, seemed determined to remove its resident tribes and create a homogeneous, independent settler nation on the model of the United States. The Cherokees had little interest in antagonizing these aggressive neighbors, many of whom were recent arrivals from Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Tribal leaders in Tahlequah were also aware that Mexican officials to the west, still resentful of the Texans’ recent success in their war of independence, were eager to form alliances with Comanches and other groups who had traditionally raided agricultural communities along the Arkansas River. To the north, resettled tribes from the American Midwest—particularly Delawares, Shawnees, Potawatomis, and Wyandots—were making new homes on the Missouri frontier. The disruptions accompanying their arrival triggered yet another round of retaliation and resentment among indigenous groups.16Large intertribal gatherings began in 1843. In June of that year more than three thousand representatives of twenty-two tribes gathered at Tahlequah in response to invitations sent out by John Ross and Roly McIntosh, the chief of the Creeks. For four weeks the delegates made camp across a two-mile-wide prairie and participated in round dances, ball games, and parades. William Potter Ross, barely a year removed from his Princeton graduation, was among them.When the formal sessions began, Chief John Ross reminded the delegates of the serious work before them. “Brothers,” he cried, “it is for renewing in the West the ancient talk of our forefathers, and of perpetuating forever the old pipe of peace . . . and of adopting such international laws as may redress the wrongs done by the people of our respective tribes to each other that you have been invited to attend the present council.” In addition to securing pledges of peace from all who attended, Ross won approval for eight written resolutions that established rules of conduct and included the declaration “No nation party to this compact shall without the consent of all the other parties, cede or in any manner alienate to the United States any part of their present territory.”17One white observer predicted that the 1843 gathering would “disperse without having done anything,” but the resolution regarding land cessions was a clear signal that the men who had been victims of removal had a serious purpose. They wanted to forge an alliance that could hold their enemies at bay.18 Often ignored by outsiders, these gatherings continued throughout the coming decade.