#summy's rules

[ohimsummer]

boyf! suguru telling bestf! satoru that, yes, he may play with your chest. and then he has to snatch him by the hair like this immediately after he says it because satoru is about to pounce on you right after he heard the word yes 😭

[baldursgate3gayz]

I hate the god you pretend to be (but love the man I know you are)

Trigger warning: Death

‘It was strange.’ Gale thought.

Gale had dreamed of the Outer Plane for a long time. His yearning to be where the gods were, to sit where they ruled, was what drove him for a long time. The dumbest mistake of his life happened because of his desire for that power and made him a literal bomb. Gale's Folly, he had once called it.

Even with that, his dream never faltered, and in the end, he did it. He was a part of the gods, living in the Outer Plane and amongst the stars. Yet, something was missing, a part of him that felt empty since he made himself a god. It had been easy to ignore at first when he gained godhood; the thrill of his power overshadowed everything else he felt, but…

Time went on, but that emptiness remained aching and sad. The god knew what could fill it, the one man in all the planes that could soothe the void in his chest. 'It's almost funny to think about it that way.' Gale thought bitterly. When he met Tharan, he had an emotional and magical hole in his chest left by Mystra, and foolish Gale thought that was heartbreak.

Here, though, among the stars in the Outer Plane, the hole in his chest felt like true heartbreak.

"Gale."

The god jumped from his thoughts as the quiet voice spoke his name.

A voice he knew.

"Gale." He repeated.

Gale's heart jumped to his throat. There was only one reason he could hear the voice so clearly while in the Outer Plane.

"Gale, come to me… Please."

Tharan was praying to him.

In a hurry, the god used his magic to trace where Tharan was. With a flourish of his power, Gal opened his eyes to see, illuminated by moonlight, Tharan standing before him with a smile. It felt as if it had been centuries since Gale had seen that smile.

"Tharan," He breathed.

"Hello, Gale," The sorcerer whispered, his smile widening.

The god almost didn't want to move, worried he'd break this still moment, but he just couldn't hold himself back. He took a step forward, and to his surprise, the half-drow stepped closer. 'Is this…? Is he finally?' Gale wondered excitedly, only more hopeful as the other man smiled at him. Those mismatched eyes looking at him, the god was excited to see them infused with the Weave, brimming with power. He opened his mouth to speak, ready to shower the half-drow in praise and gush about what would come next for them, but the sorcerer spoke first.

"If you had told me that I'd chose to come back here in this moment, I'd have called you crazy," The smile Tharan had was nostalgic, though Gale was confused about what he was talking about. "I would have never thought this place would bring me comfort; some of my darkest days during our adventure were here, in the beginning. With so many unknowns and fears," The half-drow spoke with reverence as he glanced around before looking back at Gale. The confusion must've been written all over the god's face as the sorcerer gave a soft but hearty laugh. "Oh, Gale, look around you. I know you know where we are."

Reluctantly, the god looked away from Tharan and focused on the place they were in. It was a small clearing next to a river with forest surrounding it. There were boulders littered about, a badly decaying training summy, evidence of embers embedded into the ground around the spot, and very decrypt ruins. Gale's heart stirred as he looked closer to the ruins. He knew them.

He took a few steps toward the center of the clearing. His mind flashed with fair-off, blurry memories. He could hear the grind of Lae'zel's sword against her grinding wheel, he could smell the sweet, tart wine that Shadowheart had a cup of every night, he could see the burning of Karlach's engine that always burned bright, he could taste that awful beer that Wyll would share with him on those more challenging nights, and he could feel the cool touch of Astarion's fingers when the vampire gave him a smack at dinner for something he said.

Their first camp… This was where they all first met, started their adventure, and began their journey together. Everyone had changed so much from the people they were when they first settled here. The start of all of their journeys that would change them, each and every single one of them. But there was more than that. This was where it all started for Gale when he began to fall in love with Tharan.

When they shared a moment in the Weave, the wizard became aware of his feelings. By that point, the sorcerer had already had Gale under his spell, and when the half-drow imagined a kiss between them, the dam had broken. From there, the wizard spiraled. He couldn't stop thinking about that imaginary kiss and started picking up on more things about Tharan that made his heart soar. His one-sided dimple, the way he would slowly blink when someone was telling him something personal to show he was listening, how elegantly he'd cast magic with such gentle hand gestures, the way he'd laugh so freely and those moments he would catch Gale staring at him and then smile at him as if he was the only other person in the world. By the tiefling party, Gale was in love.

When he had to deny the half-drown that night through awkward ramblings about the orb, he expected some kind of adverse reaction. Yet, Tharan so sweetly nodded with understanding and leaned close, kissing the wizard's cheek tenderly. "I can wait." He said as he walked away. The way Gale's heart had thumped in his chest, how his head became fuzzy with glee, and how his insides flipped, that was when he realized.

"You had my heart even then." The god said, back in the present. His eyes didn't leave the spot where his tent was when Tharan spoke. "And you had mine." His voice was soft. "To think I would wait so long to do something," Gale mused somewhat bitterly. There was a moment of silence before the other man spoke again. "And I would have waited longer if you had needed me to." This time, the god noticed a weakness in the sorcerer's voice. He spun around to see Tharan leaning against a tree, slowly sinking down the trunk to sit. With a panic gasp of the half-drow's name, Gale rushed to his side, kneeling next to him. "Hells Tharan! What's happening? What's wrong?" Confusion and worry made the god choke on his words. He cradled the sorcerer's face to get him to look up at Gale. His eyes were half-lidded, and it took the half-drow and moment to focus on the other man.

When he finally did, a sad smile came to his face.

"Gale," He whispered, weak and pained.

The god searched for any indication of what was wrong. The man's skin was greyer when it was usually icy blue, his face was gault as his cheekbones stuck out sharply, and the bags under his eyes were nearly black with how deep they were. A frail hand wrapped around Gale's wrist, the notches in his fingers so pronounced. Gale wondered about when they gotten so skinny. The sorcerer's hair was different, too; it used to be stark white, but now there were thick, dark patches of grey at his temple. The god looked at the entirety of Tharan's face, the way it was frail and aged.

The realization slid down his spine as if it were ice-cold water.

"No," He whispered, panic filling his chest. "No, no, no, no, no," He repeated over and over as he got closer to the other man.

Tharan was dying. He was dying of old age, and Gale hadn't even noticed. How much time had passed? How many years to where Tharan was old, so much older? The god had only seen him a few times since they parted; there was no possible way it had been so long. Gale would've noticed sooner; he would have known if so much time had passed. He would have never let this happen, see Tharan so little, try and convince him to join the god so few times.

None of it mattered; he could save the sorcerer now, and all will be better. This will be a distant memory.

"Tharan," Gale looked into the eyes, staring up at him. "Let me save you and make you a god, and we can be together, Tharan, please." His voice trembled as he begged. He watched as the half-drow blinked ever so slowly. There was a beat of silence as they stared at each other.

"Sit with me," The sorcerer whispered.

"No, Tharan, please! I can save you, I can-"

"Please, Gale, sit with me,"

The god's hands trembled as he pulled them away, shifting so he'd sit next to the half-drow, their hips touching. He fought off a sob when Tharan's arm slid beneath his and intertwined his weak hand with Gale's. The god could feel just how thin and bony they'd become. A tear fell down his cheek when the sorcerer rested his head on Gale's shoulder. Being this close, the god could feel the wild magic that always thrummed in Tharan pulse weakly.

"I never wanted to be a god," The half-drow said breathily. "I never wanted immortality; I never wanted to be worshipped," Gale swallowed against the thick lump in his throat as Tharan spoke. "That's why I always said no, I didn't and don't want that," There was a long pause.

"Death will be a mercy." He whispered.

This time, Gale couldn't stop the sob from his lips.

"Tharan-"

"Hush, my love. Please don't cry." Tharan whispered, dragging his knuckles across the man's cheek. 

The god bit down on his lip. His body shook as he fought against his tears. There was a weak squeeze from Tharan's hand.

"I will die content though, knowing you got what you wanted and are happy."

"I don't want you to be content," The god choked out. "I want you to be happy."

There was another long pause. Gale could feel the wild magic getting weaker.

"I would've been happy if I got to wake up next to you every morning," The half-drow's voice sounded so weak to Gale. "I would have been happy if I got to have dinners with you and Tara, if I got to watch you in your library reading by the evening light, if I got to cook meals for our friends with you, if I got to walk the streets of Waterdeep with your hand in mine if I got to see your grey hair grow longer, see you laughter lines deepen and if I got to see how time changed us together," Tharan took in a shallow breath. "That's what I would have needed to be happy."

Tears were freely flowing down the god's cheeks. How foolish he felt, how unbelievably stupid he was. The pain he had felt in his chest ached more with every word his beloved said. How could he have ever thought being a god, living among the stars, could compare to Tharan and the life they could have had? Why did he not listen to Tharan? How did he let a moment of fascination with power cost him a future with the man he loved? That decision led to this moment, with Tharan dying on his shoulder.

"But know this, Gale Dekarious, knowing you are happy means I'm dying content, and that's more than enough for me."

But he wasn't happy.

Gale couldn't fool himself anymore, and now, with Tharan dying on his shoulder, he realized the actual weight of his mistake.

"I love you." Tharan breathed.

It was so quiet the wild magic was nearly faded.

"I…" The god couldn't find words.

Then, the magic faded to nothing, the weak grip of Tharan's hand relaxed, and his head dropped more into Gale's shoulder as Tharan let out a shaky breath.

The world stopped.

Gale froze, waiting for the flicker of magic, a soft breath of life.

This couldn't be it. He had to have more time, just a little more time.

Tharan remained still. The magic had not returned.

"I made a mistake," Gale said, too late.

Tears fell from his eyes as he held the half-drow's hand. He squeezed and waited for something in return, any sign that he wasn't gone yet.

Again, Tharan did not move.

Gale's throat ran dry as pained sobs fell from his lips.

The silence around them was deafening.

The foolish god closed his eyes and turned his head to place a kiss on Tharan's forehead.

"I'm sorry, I will fix this." He whispered through the tears.

And he promised it, over and over, to his beloved who laid still next to him.

There, the wizard and sorcerer stayed, side by side, as the wizard repeated the promise while the sorcerer laid still, content.

----

So this is the ending of a bigger fic I have published on AO3 that you can find here if you'd like to read the other parts but I'm not the biggest fan of the whole thing so I just wanted to post the end.

I have not actually ascended Gale to Godhood so idk what it's actually like but I don't want it spoiled because I'm going to do it eventually (I still haven't even finished the game lol) I just love writing angst :D

I am currently rewriting this final interaction to be more like what I really think Tharan would react which is much more angry and sarcastic and dramatic but I really do like this specific piece so I'm keeping it up.

Edit: Here is the link to the angry ending!!

[eternal-echoes]

“But for all that, the human race is bound together by reciprocal ties, moral and juridical, into a great commonwealth directed to the good of all nations and ruled by special laws which protect its unity and promote its prosperity.”

- Pope Pius XII, Summi Pontificatus

[webee-systems]

How To Optimise LinkedIn Profile? General Practices Of LinkedIn Optimization!

picture source: Pexels

Landing your dream job isn’t easy coming into this competitive job market of the 21st century. With so many skilled and eligible candidates in the queue, the chances of you getting hired are very low. Besides, each and every job candidate is now updating themselves to fit with employer demands. So it is very compulsory for job candidates to make themselves more visible to recruiters and aim for their desired job roles. And the only thing that can provide you with industry visibility in 2024 is LinkedIn optimization. It is the proven solution to promote you as an industry asset and drag recruiters attention. Want to know some basic optimization tips to trim your profile today? Here go the top practices that answer how to optimize LinkedIn profile in detail.

6 Ways Of How To Optimise Your LinkedIn Profile

1. Start With a Professional Profile Picture

A picture that represents your professional suit plays a big impact in influencing the recruiters. Not only does it make your LinkedIn handle a verified user, but it also creates better opportunities to attract connections. So it is very advisable to upload a professional profile picture that excels your reputation. 

A generic profile picture that reflects not only your identity but also your background and skills you are known for. In that matter, you follow two principles: first, take close-up shot and second, avoid casual photos to ensure background isnt distracting

2. Craft a Compelling Headline

The thing that gives a brief intro about you in your LinkedIn handle is the headline. It is an important element in your profile using which you can highlight what you do and the value you offer rather than just listing your job title. So the second practicum of how to optimize LinkedIn profile is to craft a compelling headline.

Things you can do to write a creative headline are mentioning key skills, industry, and what makes you unique. Suppose you are a Python developer, you should mention your programming experience in that language along with frameworks you use

3. Write an Engaging Summary

Recruiters, when searching candidates via social media like LinkedIn, first study a candidate’s profile summary to shortlist the best. Using that short summy, they decide whether you are eligible for their position or not. So always try to draft an appealing summary on your profile to grab recruiter’s attention.

In this matter, you can follow a few rules to make the summary short yet informative. You can start by mentioning your profession, your experience, your skills, and a sentence on your portfolio. Interestingly, these measures can easily 

4. Highlight Relevant Skills

According to several studies, almost 90% of LinkedIn users who are actively searching for jobs don’t have an optimized profile. Most importantly, they don’t have skills specifically mentioned to make their profile more reachable for recruiters. So if you question how to optimize LinkedIn profile, make sure to work on highlighting your skills.

LinkedIn in general provides 50 spaces to upload your skills. So make sure to prioritise those most relevant to your industry and your profession. In addition, you can follow a rule where you first mention technical skills and then the soft skills that enhance your visibility.

5. Showcase Your Work

Bluffing is one of the common phenomena many unskilled candidates use to get visible by recruiters. Moreover, recruiters occasionally respond to profiles that only highlight name, industry, education, and experience since that does not validate your true potential. So make sure you have your portfolio attached before applying for jobs.

Showcasing your work gives you a competitive edge among other job seekers and helps you get connected with several companies. Most importantly, you can save time for both you and the recruiters at the same time.

6. Collect Recommendations and Endorsements

Recommendations and endorsements are powerful tools that validate your skills. When asking for recommendations, reach out to colleagues or clients who are familiar with your work. Be specific about the skills or accomplishments you’d like them to highlight.

How to optimise LinkedIn profile for credibility involves a strong presence of social proof. A well-rounded profile with endorsements shows that others believe in your expertise, making it more likely for you to attract new opportunities.

Conclusion

To truly succeed on LinkedIn, understanding how to optimise LinkedIn profile is essential. It’s more than just completing your profile—it’s about creating a presence that highlights your skills, experiences, and personality. Keep your profile updated, stay active, and engage with your network to make the most of this powerful professional platform.

By following these general practices of how to optimise LinkedIn, you'll be well on your way to creating a LinkedIn profile that stands out and attracts the right opportunities. So, start today and take your professional presence to the next level!

[doqteqs]

Is Catholicism comparable with eugenics

Yes, absolutely, but apparently almost no one understands how, because they treat eugenics as a dirty word that just means hating and killing people for their skin color/disabilities/sexual proclivities (not Catholic!), rather than understanding eugenics as what it actually is: an inevitable part of the development of the human race.

Catholics (like G. K. Chesterton and his "Eugenics and Other Evils") have been some of the strongest and most vocal opponents to eugenics. If you're Catholic, you have to believe in monogamous marriage, not using birth control or performing abortions, not gene-editing people, not gassing people, and so on. And that's all well and good. So in this shallow sense, the answer is almost always given as 'No'. But in the strict sense, that 'No' is totally misplaced...

What many do not realize is that it was actually the Catholic Church ITSELF that directed at least one, and debatably two or more, of the largest and most successful eugenics programs in all of human history, to the great benefit of all mankind. One was the genetic pacification of Western European states in the Middle Ages, when, under the auspices of the Church, they started hanging violent criminals instead of simply fining them. Law and order, rigorously applied over long periods of time, is itself a eugenic process as such, because you weed out individuals with high aggression and low impulse control - and the Church, to its credit, helped impose that law and order. (nb: you don't need to kill people for this to work, just make it a little harder for them to swim in the gene pool. I think sterilization & penal labor is a more Christian sentence than the death penalty, and I think many caths would agree...)

The other great Catholic eugenics program is the breeding of the Ashkenazi Jews for intelligence. This was accomplished through Catholic laws forbidding usury, which, combined with Jewish laws allowing usury and discouraging intermarriage, had obvious selection effects for Jewish intelligence. Some of my antisemite followers will get mad at me for saying this but even if you don't like Jews, those niggas gave us a lot of inventions n sheeit, so credit where credit is due. See chapter 7 of this book (also by Henry Harpending) for the full argument.

For a more formal, official Catholic answer or to fact check me, check out Dignitas Personae: On Certain Bioethical Questions, and a lot of Pius XII's encyclicals on Nazi matters, like Humani Generis ('we're all one human family, guys'), Summi Pontificatus, ("The Church hails with joy and follows with her maternal blessing every method of guidance and care which aims at a wise and orderly evolution of particular forces and tendencies having their origin in the individual character of each race, provided that they are not opposed to the duties incumbent on men from their unity of origin and common destiny... A disposition, in fact, of the divinely sanctioned natural order divides the human race into social groups, nations or States, which are mutually independent in organization and in the direction of their internal life. But for all that, the human race is bound together by reciprocal ties, moral and juridical, into a great commonwealth directed to the good of all nations and ruled by special laws which protect its unity and promote its prosperity.") and Mit Brennender Sorge ('don't gas your Jewish neighbor, guys').

[bdbdhdjdhdh]

My Hero PSLE: S2E8 "At the end of the day, the day has ended,"

"Number five doesn't look like he could hurt a fly, yet he killed both the brother and the song,"

-Some other random guy on the internet

So Ma Xiao Tiao and gang already set out to find and kill Xiao Ming and gang.

And while everyone was half-drunk somehow from the non-alcoholic drinks, and stuffed with cake and meat and some nice ice cream right, Ma Xiao Tiao and gang striked and kidnapped Xiao Ming and gang.

"Bruhhh! Now we get kidnapped again! Why!" said Xiao Ming when Ma Xiao Tiao finally removed the gags on them.

"Well. It's the gigachad Ma Xiao Tiao, what do you expect?"

"True," Juqla said.

"Well, do ya'll have anything to say? Let's start with... fellow brother, eh?" Kain was speaking with his hands cupped together placed on the table. Wah the lighting make him look sibeh shaui leh.

"SIMI YOU WANT ME TO SAY?"

"Oh I dunno, maybe FUCKING EXPLAIN EVERYTHING? YOU KNOW?"

"SIM- OK FINE I'LL EXPLAIN IT! Ok Xiao Ming listen up, this is gonna be a real history lesson now,

So me and Kain are actually specifically created Summi (singular form Summus) that are designed to be able to resist an extreme amount of corruption so that we can act as vessels to contain it, and prevent it from rampaging and killing innocent people. We were created by a god named Izanagi to vessalise and neutralise the residue left behind by a god that all he said was an all-powerful, almighty god. But even though we're literally built so that we won't go mad from it, it still causes quite a large bit of endless pain and suffering. Aiya Kain is that why you wanna rule the world?"

"Yeah no shit you said it right. Our land was created from the residue of the dead god, but then of course Izanagi has to create us to neutralise it and not just go do it himself. And then when we neutralise the residue liao right, HE DOES NOTHING TO HELP WITH THE PAIN MAN! EVERYDAY I CRY TO MYSELF TO SLEEP AT NIGHT BECAUSE I CAN'T SCREAM OUT LOUD OTHERWISE PEOPLE WILL HEAR AND LABEL ME A CURSE, AND HE DOES NOTHING! AND HE STILL EXPECTS US TO REGULARLY SLAY DEMONS WHEN HE DOES NOTHING! HE ABANDONED US! But don't you think I deserve to be so much better of a leader than him? I actualy did something to protect this piece of land, ok?"

"So that is why he wants to rule the world. Ok history lesson disbanded, time for real shit,"

"Wait wait wait wait wait, I have to interrupt, but..." Xiao An said. "You mean all this while when you're with us you've been enduring endless pain and suffering? Quote unquote, as you said. Damn man, couldn't tell at all from your cheerful way and that... ridiculous Hawaaiin shirt man."

"BRUH THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH MY SHIRT!"

"Ok ok, we get it, your shirt is terrible, let's move on," Now Kain talking liao.

"So like I need the soul and life essence of The Amulet of the Shadow Alicorn to achieve ultimate power, but then I need you to feel this kind of betrayal before I kill you so I had to make you explain everything ANYWAY let's proceed to suck the essence out of you!"

"WAIT WHAT WHEN-"

"Not so fast, mate!" Wah, Juqla and Grandmaster and Freya and basically all the adults were talking now.

"You forgot one crucial thing- your Lahk-Raiu locks? They're rather out-of-date," BOOOOYYYYYAAAAAA! So apparently they were never locked with Lahk-Raiu locks and could always used their powers to escape and beat the shit out of Kain and gang.

"Hold on what" Now Ma Xiao Tiao and Rainslasher already preparing to fight liao.

BOOOOOOOOYYYYYYAAAAAAA! Now Xiao Ming and gang also got off of the chairs they were tied to when they realised that the Lahk-Raiu locks kena expire liao.

"So," commented Kain. "You wanna do this the hard way,"

"Like some famous guy on the internet said, 'It's my way or the highway!' WAIT-"

"Very well then, LET THIS BATTLE REWRITE HISTORY!"

[orleans-jester]

The Gepetto house

All of the dolls were out to play. This was what cleaning month was all about. They would assume positions all around the outside of the place. Oh, even Mr Punch who had to be secured with belts to the front porch, given a ‘stick’ that was made out of pool noodle so that he couldn’t actually hurt trick or treaters. The clown from the party was standing outside, large bowl full of the best candy. Geppy was particularly proud of this year, having new dolls from last year. This took three days to put all together, Fig and Willem and some of the other dolls even helping to strap up the other ones. Diane would be out and about, being a barbie-type girl. Gep, meanwhile, would be dolled up, full on Ringmaster outfit, ruling over the circus of puppets.

Figaro was planning on sticking around, though it would be hard to maneuver in and out of the door given the big cardboard ‘elevator door’ on her back, so they’d mostly stick outside. Their laughter would be heard for two blocks with how hard it was when they finally saw Willem, holy shit, they couldn’t get over that.

Iain and Stinky Pete would stop by on the trick or treating circuit, and Stinky Pete would absolutely adore Diana - though would call her Summy most of the time.

[medievalsimblr]

The Reely House, ruling family of the kingdom of Nova Summis, posing for a family portrait. Pictured here are the King Josiah III Reely, Crown Prince Ervin Reely and Queen Stella Reely. The Reelys are the main instigators and orchestators of the several siege attempts and attacks against the Scaraborough kingdom, as well as their main enemies

[ohimsummer]

WAIT IM TALL WHY AM I SUDDENLY BEING BULLIED 😭😭😭😭 EVERY HEIGHT HAS ITS ADVANTAGES 🥺💔

ITS BULLY OR BE BULLIED AND I WILL NOT BE BULLIED ON MY OWN BLOG 🫵🏾 ANTI TALL PEOPLE PROPAGANDA SPREADS NOW

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Interoperability: Fix the internet, not the tech companies

Everyone in the tech world claims to love interoperability—the technical ability to plug one product or service into another product or service—but interoperability covers a lot of territory, and depending on what's meant by interoperability, it can do a lot, a little, or nothing at all to protect users, innovation and fairness.

Let's start with a taxonomy of interoperability:

Indifferent Interoperability

This is the most common form of interoperability. Company A makes a product and Company B makes a thing that works with that product, but doesn't talk to Company A about it. Company A doesn't know or care to know about Company B's add-on.

Think of a car's cigarette lighter: these started in the 1920s as aftermarket accessories that car owners could have installed at a garage; over time they became popular enough that they came standard in every car. Eventually, third-party companies began to manufacture DC power adapters that plugged into the lighter receptacle, drawing power from the car engine's alternator. This became widespread enough that it was eventually standardized as ANSI/SAE J563.

Standardization paved the way for a variety of innovative new products that could be made by third-party manufacturers who did not have to coordinate with (or seek permission from) automotive companies before bringing them to market. These are now ubiquitous, and you can find fishbowls full of USB chargers that fit your car-lighter receptacle at most gas stations for $0.50-$1.00. Some cars now come with standard USB ports (though for complicated reasons, these tend not to be very good chargers), but your auto manufacturer doesn't care if you buy one of those $0.50 chargers and use it with your phone. It's your car, it's your car-lighter, it's your business.

Cooperative Interoperability

Sometimes, companies are eager to have others create add-ons for their products and services. One of the easiest ways to do this is to adopt a standard: a car manufacturer that installs an ANSI/SAE J563-compliant car-lighter receptacle in its cars enables its customers to use any compatible accessory with their cars; any phone manufacturer that installs a 3.5mm headphone jack allows anyone who buys that phone to plug in anything that has a matching plug, even exotic devices like Stripe's card-readers, which convert your credit-card number to a set of tones that are played into a vendor's phone's headphone jack, to be recognized and re-encoded as numbers by Stripe's app.

Digital standards also allow for a high degree of interoperability: a phone vendor or car-maker who installs a Bluetooth chip in your device lets you connect any Bluetooth accessory with it—provided that they support that device, or at least that they make no steps to prevent that device from being connected.

This is where things get tricky: manufacturers and service providers who adopt digital standards can use computer programs to discriminate against accessories, even those that comply with the standard. This can be extremely beneficial to customers: you might get a Bluetooth "firewall" that warns you when you're connecting to a Bluetooth device that's known to have security defects, or that appears on a blacklist of malicious devices that siphon away your data and send it to identity thieves.

But as with all technological questions, the relevant question isn't merely "What does this technology do?" It's "Who does this technology do it to and who does it do it for?"

Because the same tool that lets a manufacturer help you discriminate against Bluetooth accessories that harm your well-being allows the manufacturer to discriminate against devices that harm its well-being (say, a rival's lower-cost headphones or keyboard) even if these accessories enhance your well-being.

In the digital era, cooperative interoperability is always subject to corporate boundaries. Even if a manufacturer is bound by law to adhere to a certain standard—say, to provide a certain electronic interface, or to allow access via a software interface like an API—those interfaces are still subject to limits that can be embodied in software.

A digitally enabled car-lighter receptacle could be made to support only a limited range of applications—charging via USB but not USB-C or Lightning, or only charging phones but not tablets—and software could be written to enforce those limits. Even a very permissive "smart lighter-receptacle" that accepted every known device as of today could be designed to reject any devices invented later on, unless the manufacturer chose to permit their use. A manufacturer of such a device could truthfully claim to support "every device you can currently plug into your car lighter," but still maintain a pocket veto over future devices as a hedge against new developments that it decides are bad for the manufacturer and its interests.

What's more, connected devices and services can adjust the degree of interoperability their digital interfaces permit from moment to moment, without notice or appeal, meaning that the browser plugin or social media tool you rely on might just stop working.

Which brings us to...

Adversarial Interoperability

Sometimes an add-on comes along that connects to a product whose manufacturer is outright hostile to it: third-party ink for your inkjet printer, or an unauthorized app for your iPhone, or a homebrew game for your console, or a DVR that lets you record anything available through your cable package, and that lets you store your recordings indefinitely.

Many products actually have countermeasures to resist this kind of interoperability: checks to ensure that you're not buying car parts from third parties, or fixing your own tractor.

When a manufacturer builds a new product that plugs into an existing one despite the latter's manufacturer's hostility, that's called "adversarial interoperability" and it has been around for about as long as the tech industry itself, from the mainframe days to the PC revolution to the operating system wars to the browser wars.

But as technology markets have grown more concentrated and less competitive, what was once business-as-usual has become almost unthinkable, not to mention legally dangerous, thanks to abuses of cybersecurity law, copyright law, and patent law.

Taking adversarial interoperability off the table breaks the tech cycle in which a new company enters the market, rudely shoulders aside its rivals, grows to dominance, and is dethroned in turn by a new upstart. Instead, today's tech giants show every sign of establishing a permanent, dominant position over the internet.

"Punishing" Big Tech by Granting It Perpetual Dominance

As states grapple with the worst aspects of the Internet—harassment, identity theft, authoritarian and racist organizing, disinformation—there is a real temptation to "solve" these problems by making Big Tech companies legally responsible for their users' conduct. This is a cure that's worse than the disease: the big platforms can't subject every user's every post to human review, so they use filters, with catastrophic results. At the same time, these filters are so expensive to operate that they make it impossible for would-be competitors to enter the market. YouTube has its $100 million Content ID copyright filter now, but if it had been forced to find an extra $100,000,000 to get started in 2005, it would have died a-borning.

But assigning these expensive, state-like duties to tech companies also has the perverse effect of making it much harder to spark competition through careful regulation or break-ups. Once we decide that providing a forum for online activity is something that only giant companies with enough money to pay for filters can do, we also commit to keeping the big companies big enough to perform those duties.

Interoperability to the Rescue?

It's possible to create regulation that enhances competition. For example, we could introduce laws that force companies to follow interoperability standards and oversee the companies to make sure that they're not sneakily limiting their rivals behind the scenes. This is already a feature of good telecommunications laws, and there's lots to like about it.

But a mandate to let users take their data from one company to another—or to send messages from one service to another—should be the opener, not the end-game. Any kind of interoperability mandate has the risk of becoming the ceiling on innovation, not the floor.

For example, as countries around the world broke up their national phone company monopolies, they made rules forcing them to allow new companies to use their lines, connect to their users and share their facilities, and this enabled competition in things like long distance service.

But these interoperability rules were not the last word: the telcos weren't just barred from discriminating against competitors who wanted to use their long-haul lines; thanks to earlier precedent, they were also not able to control who could make devices that plugged into those lines. This allowed companies to make modems that could connect to phone lines. As the Internet crept (and then raced) into Americans' households, the carriers had ample incentive to control how their customers made use of the net, especially as messaging and voice-over-IP eroded the massive profits from long-distance and SMS tariffs. But they couldn't, and that helplessness to steer the market let new companies and their customers create a networked revolution.

The communications revolution owes at least as much to the ability of third parties to do things that the carriers hated—but couldn't prevent—as it does to the rules that forced them to interconnect with their rivals.

Fix the Internet, Not the Tech Companies

The problems of Big Tech are undeniable: using the dominant services can be terrible, and now that they've broken the cycle of dominance and dethroning, the Big Tech companies have fortified their summits such that others dare not besiege them.

Today, much of the emphasis is on making Big Tech better by charging the companies to filter and monitor their users.

The biggest Internet companies need more legal limits on their use and handling of personal data. That’s why we support smart, thorough new Internet privacy laws. But laws that require filtering and monitoring user content make the Internet worse: more hostile to new market entrants (who can't afford the costs of compliance) and worse for Internet users' technological self-determination.

If we're worried that shadowy influence brokers are using Facebook to launch sneaky persuasion campaigns, we can either force Facebook to make it harder for anyone to access your data without Facebook's explicit approval (this assumes that you trust Facebook to be the guardian of your best interests)—or we can bar Facebook from using technical and legal countermeasures to shut out new companies, co-ops, and projects that offer to let you talk to your Facebook friends without using Facebook's tools, so you can configure your access to minimize Facebook's surveillance and maximize your own freedom.

The second way is the better way. Instead of enshrining Google, Facebook, Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft as the Internet’s permanent overlords and then striving to make them as benign as possible, we can fix the Internet by making Big Tech less central to its future.

It's possible that people will connect tools to their Big Tech accounts that do ill-advised things they come to regret. That's kind of the point, really. After all, people can plug weird things into their car's lighter receptacles, but the world is a better place when you get to decide how to use that useful, versatile ANSI/SAE J56-compliant plug—not GM or Toyota.

(Crossposted from EFF Deeplinks)

https://boingboing.net/2019/07/11/make-big-tech-small-again.html

[xianityisafraud-blog]

Christianity is misogynistic.

Misogyny is fundamental to the basic writings of Christianity. In passage after passage, women are encouraged—no, commanded—to accept an inferior role, and to be ashamed of themselves for the simple fact that they are women. Misogynistic biblical passages are so common that its difficult to know which to cite. From the New Testament we find "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church. . . ." (Ephesians 5:22-23) and "These [redeemed] are they which were not defiled with women; . . ." (Revelation 14:4); and from the Old Testament we find "How then can man be justified with God? Or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?" (Job 25:4) Other relevant New Testament passages include Colossians 3:18; 1 Peter 3:7; 1 Corinthians 11:3, 11:9, and 14:34; and 1 Timothy 2:11-12 and 5:5-6. Other Old Testament passages include Numbers 5:20-22 and Leviticus 12:2-5 and 15:17-33.

Later Christian writers extended the misogynistic themes in the Bible with a vengeance. Tertullian, one of the early church fathers, wrote:

In pain shall you bring forth children, woman, and you shall turn to your husband and he shall rule over you. And do you not know that you are Eve? God's sentence hangs still over all your sex and His punishment weighs down upon you. You are the devil's gateway; you are she who first violated the forbidden tree and broke the law of God. It was you who coaxed your way around him whom the devil had not the force to attack. With what ease you shattered that image of God: Man! Because of the death you merited, even the Son of God had to die. . . . Woman, you are the gate to hell.

One can find similarly misogynistic—though sometimes less venomous—statements in the writings of many other church fathers and theologians, including St. Ambrose, St. Anthony, Thomas Aquinas, St. Augustine, St. John Chrysostom, St. Gregory of Nazianzum, and St. Jerome.

This misogynistic bias in Christianity's basic texts has long been translated into misogyny in practice. Throughout almost the entire time that Christianity had Europe and America in its lock grip, women were treated as chattel—they had essentially no political rights, and their right to own property was severely restricted. Perhaps the clearest illustration of the status of women in the ages when Christianity was at its most powerful is the prevalence of wife beating. This degrading, disgusting practice was very common throughout Christendom well up into the 19th century, and under English Common Law husbands who beat their wives were specifically exempted from prosecution. (While wife beating is still common in Christian lands, at least in some countries abusers are at least sometimes prosecuted.)

At about the same time that English Common Law (with its wife-beating exemption) was being formulated and codified, Christians all across Europe were engaging in a half-millennium-long orgy of torture and murder of "witches"—at the direct behest and under the direction of the highest church authorities. The watchword of the time was Exodus 22:18, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live," and at the very minimum hundreds of thousands of women were brutally murdered as a result of this divine injunction, and the papal bulls amplifying it (e.g., Spondit Pariter, by John XXII, and Summis Desiderantes, by Innocent VIII). Andrew Dickson White notes:

On the 7th of December, 1484, Pope Innocent VIII sent forth the bull Summis Desiderantes. Of all documents ever issued from Rome, imperial or papal, this has doubtless, first and last, cost the greatest shedding of innocent blood. Yet no document was ever more clearly dictated by conscience. Inspired by the scriptural command, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live," Pope Innocent exhorted the clergy of Germany to leave no means untried to detect sorcerers . . . [W]itch-finding inquisitors were authorized by the Pope to scour Europe, especially Germany, and a manual was prepared for their use [by the Dominicans Heinrich Kramer and Jacob Sprenger]—"The Witch Hammer", Malleus Maleficarum. . . . With the application of torture to thousands of women, in accordance with the precepts laid down in the Malleus, it was not difficult to extract masses of proof . . . The poor creatures writhing on the rack, held in horror by those who had been nearest and dearest to them, anxious only for death to relieve their sufferings, confessed to anything and everything that would satisfy the inquisitors and judges. . . . Under the doctrine of "excepted cases," there was no limit to torture for persons accused of heresy or witchcraft.

Given this bloody, hateful history, it's not surprising that women have always held very subservient positions in Christian churches. In fact, there appear to have been no female clergy in any Christian church prior to the 20th century (with the exception of those who posed as men, such as Pope Joan), and even today a great many Christian sects (most notably the Catholic Church) continue to resist ordaining female clergy. While a few liberal Protestant churches have ordained women in recent years, it's difficult to see this as a great step forward for women; it's easier to see it as analogous to the Ku Klux Klans appointing a few token blacks as Klaxons.

As for the improvements in the status of women over the last two centuries, the Christian churches either did nothing to support them or actively opposed them. This is most obvious as regards women’s control over their own bodies. Organized Christianity has opposed this from the start, and as late as the 1960′s the Catholic Church was still putting its energies into the imposition of laws prohibiting access to contraceptives. Having lost that battle, Christianity has more recently put its energies into attempts to outlaw the right of women to abortion.

Many of those leading the fight for women's rights have had no illusions about the misogynistic nature of Christianity. These women included Mary Wollstonecraft, Victoria Woodhull, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Margaret Sanger (whose slogan, "No God. No master," remains relevant to this day).

[urlmysunshine]

20 followers game

I was tagged by @cotton--dandy thank u! 🎀

Rules: tag 20 followers you want to know better

Nicknames: summy, Pawtucket, bush, smudgy (because I’m left handed) n I’m always cool w getting more nicknames. Tbh that misogynistic dude that annoyed me at my old uni was dumb but was kinda all for the Violet nickname

Gender: she/her/babygirl

Astrological sign: Sagittarius 🏹

Hogwarts house: Ravenclaw

Sexuality: I really don’t feel the need to label myself, I’m just me n I’ll love who I love. I mean if having a label makes you feel accepted and helps you belong to a group of people that’s cool n I 100% support the rainbow community but ye 🌈

Favourite animal: Doggies!! I have a page dedicated to them if ur having a hard day check out my “doggies” page on my blog or tagged pup if ur on mobile 😊🐕 also a pre big fan of tortoises n lizards 🐢🦎 and like almost every animal 🦔🐛🦆🦌

Number of blankets: mostly just a big puffy duvet all year round ☁️

Where I’m from: Aotearoa/New Zealand 🇳🇿

Dream trip: probably Japan

When I started my blog: dec 2013

Why I got tumblr: my friend @elai-ney suggested I do

Tagging: @speckledspace @takethefloor @chry-sanths @poppystrawberries @peachesaresnazzy @itquiet @etherealmoon @vangoghan @fangirlfluff @softmoongf @honey-sweet1 @zestyhuman @peachybulb @sleepyweepygirl @spiritedagay @smieci @ambitiousbastard @sadflowrr @oatbug @fleurbloodette

[brn1029]

On this very day…in music history…..

September 22nd

2015 - Happy Birthday

A US District Judge ruled that the original copyright to 'Happy Birthday' was invalid and the song would now be entirely in the public domain. The copyright was obtained by the Clayton F. Summy Co. from the song's writers, sisters Mildred and Patty Hill and bought for $15 million in 1988 by Warner / Chappell Music Inc.

2011 - Queen

Research conducted by car maker SEAT found that Queen’s 'Bohemian Rhapsody' was the song most likely to be found on British iPods, with more than 40% of owners having the hit on their players. The Beatles had four songs in the list, a feat also matched by Coldplay. Other favourites included U2, The Killers and Rihanna.

2005 - Jimmy Page

Jimmy Page was made an honorary citizen of Brazilian city Rio de Janeiro for his work helping its street children. The Led Zeppelin guitarist had opened Casa Jimmy (Jimmy's House) in 1998 which had so far supported more than 300 children.

2004 - Cat Stevens

Cat Stevens, who now went by the name of Yusuf Islam, was escorted from a diverted transatlantic flight and refused entry into America by FBI agents. His name showed up on a US watch list after United Airlines Flight 919 had taken off from London. The flight landed in Maine where Islam, who was traveling with his 21-year-old daughter, was detained and questioned.

2001 - Bruce Springsteen

‘A Tribute to Heroes’ was aired commercial-free on most of the major US TV networks. The live program was organised to raise money following the terrorist attacks on the Pentagon and New York’s World Trade Center. Neil Young, Tom Petty, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, U2, Limp Bizkit, Bruce Springsteen and Pearl Jam all performed. Manning the telephones to take pledges were celebrities including Jack Nicholson, Jim Carrey, Whoopi Goldberg, Goldie Hawn, Robin Williams, Meg Ryan, Cuba Gooding Jr., Kurt Russell, Adam Sandler and many more.

1985 - Neil Young

The first Farm Aid benefit concert was held before a crowd of 80,000 people at the Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois. Organized by Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Neil Young, the event had been spurred on by Bob Dylan's comments at Live Aid earlier in that year that he hoped some of the money would help American farmers. The star studded line-up of country stars included: Alabama, Hoyt Axton, Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash, Charlie Daniels Band, John Denver, Bob Dylan, John Fogerty, Vince Gill, Merle Haggard, Emmylou Harris, Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Kris Kristofferson, Loretta Lynn, Roger Miller, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Willie Nelson, Charley Pride, Bonnie Raitt, Kenny Rogers.

1981 - Harry Warren

American composer Harry Warren died aged 88. He wrote over 800 songs including 'I Only Have Eyes For You', (a hit for The Flamingos and Art Garfunkel), ‘You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby’, ‘Jeepers Creepers’, ‘That's Amore’ and ‘Chattanooga Choo Choo’. Warren's songs have been featured in over 300 films.

1979 - Def Leppard

Def Leppard had their first major live review when UK music weekly Melody Maker reviewed a gig the band had played in Wolverhampton. With a 15 year-old drummer the band had just released their debut 3-track single.

1973 - The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones scored their eighth UK No.1 album when 'Goats Head Soup' started a two-week run at the top of the charts. Also a US No.1.

1967 - The Doors

The Doors appeared on the Murray the K show on WPIX-TV in New York City performing 'People Are Strange' and 'Light My Fire.'

1965 - Grace Slick

San Francisco band The Great Society, featuring Grace Slick and her then-husband Jerry Slick on drums, made their live debut at The Coffee Gallery, North Beach, California.

1964 - Herman's Hermits

Herman's Hermits were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with the Carole King & Gerry Goffin song 'I'm Into Something Good', the group's only UK No.1.

1962 - The Springfields

The Springfields (Dusty Springfield her brother Tom and their friend, Tim Field) had 'Silver Threads and Golden Needles', enter the US Top 20 and became the first British vocal group to chart that high in America.

1958 - Elvis Presley

After receiving special permission from the US Army, Elvis Presley gave one last press conference at the Military Ocean Terminal in Brooklyn. He then joined the rest of the 3rd Armored Division on the USS General Randall for a voyage to Bremerhaven, Germany.

[summysparklesprocket]

Elements of Summy

Rules: Bold the statements that apply to you, italicize your aspirations, then tag nine people. optionally, include an image or gif of the animal you associate your character with! 

AIR: I have small hands • I love the night sky • I watch small animals and birds when I pass them by • I drink herbal tea • I wake to see dawn • The smell of dust is comforting • I’m valued for being wise • I prefer books to music • I meditate • I find joy in learning new truths from the world around me

FIRE: I don’t have straight hair • I like to wear ripped jeans and overalls • I play an organised sport • I love dogs • I am not afraid of adventure • I love to talk to strangers • I always try new foods • I enjoy road trips • Summer is my favourite season  • My radio is always playing (if there was music fm radio it would be)

WATER: I wear bracelets on my wrists • I love the bustle of the city • I have more than one set of piercings • I read poetry • I love the sound of a thunderstorm • I want to travel the world • I sleep past noon most days • I love dimly lit diners and fluorescent signs • I reread kids’ stories out of nostalgia • I see emotions in colours not words

EARTH: I wear glasses • I enjoy doing the laundry • I am a vegetarian or vegan • I have an excellent sense of time • My humour is very cheerful • I am a valued adviser to my friends • I believe in true love • I love the chill of mountain air • I’m always listening to music • I am highly trusted by the people in my life

AETHER: I go without makeup in my daily life • I make my own artwork • I keep on track of my tasks and time • I always know true north • I see beauty in everything • I can always smell flowers • I smile at everyone I pass by • I always fear history repeating itself •I have recovered from a mental disorder • I can love unconditionally

Tagged by: @wardennerd

tagging: @malien-moonray @darbiebot @mremaknu @murkeyglglgl @thalsianiii @kat-hawke @wyrmrestwitch @elaianna @wardennerd (just to make you link it again as an inconvenience)

[thousandeyesand-one]

get to know me game:

rules: complete the fifteen questions and tag ten others who you follow but you want to get to know more!

name: Summi

age: 23

country: USA

favorite color: Black & Red. Not because they're Targaryen colors but because I love them anyways!

when you made this blog: I made this blog a long time ago but never got around to posting untill 2018.

follower count: 124

choose a superhero power: all the powers of Scarlet Witch & Dr.Strange

favorite drink: coconut water.🚫anti caffeine🚫 alert!

a song you love right now: it's a Bollywood song Mere hona Aahista Aahista (Be Mine Slowly, slowly) reminds me of Rhaegar & Lyanna also jonerys!

dream career: CRNA (or) NP in my dream hospital!

dream vacation: ugh to be in Santorini Greece...💙

hogwarts house: Hufflepuff 💥 & proud!

favorite character of the week: Rhaegar Targaryen and lyanna stark because of the rlauweek!

how you like to keep your hair: I have super Long hairs so I always keep them braided!

christmas or halloween?: Halloween dude!

tagged by @womenofthenightswatch thank you so much 💜💜

Tagging @submarinesofpacific @furrolovia27 @toaquiprashippar2

[theodorebennas]

WENT DOWN IN HISTORY

The rays of the early morning sun danced across the walls of Strongheart Castle, a dark haired child sat beneath a great statute in the heart of the castle’s courtyard as he read aloud from a large tome. His lightly glowing blue eyes scanning over each word.

“Duke Theodore I the Victorious. Statesman, Soldier, Advocate. Beginning his rule in the thirty-second year after the Dark Portal first opened after the abdication of his father, the young Lord faced not merely the challenges of a newly risen duke but the Burning Legion world of Argus that threatened the very world itself.

However, Duke Theodore was undaunted. Wielding the elf-blade Libertas, he rose the sons and daughters of Summerfast to war under the banner of House Bennas and Field Marshal Integra Brenagh’s Oathsworn Vanguard. and guided them to Argus itself. There, the men-at-arms of House Bennas distinguished themselves for their bravery and ferocity and under the shrewd gaze of their Duke stood victorious alongside the peoples of the Horde, Alliance, and the Army of the Light as the Burning Legion was finally defeated.

With the fall of the Burning Legion, Duke Theodore was not content. When the Alliance and the Horde clashed once more, he led his fearless people northward under the banner of the Vanguard as one of its Marshals to return civilization back to the northern kingdoms that had become shells of their former selves. So cunning were the strategies of Duke Theodore and so deadly were the famed polehammers of House Bennas that few could stand against their fury. In his conquests in the name of the Alliance, he retook the County of Illyria that belonged to his mother’s family, making himself the Count. In Stromgarde, he was officially recognized for his deeds on behalf of humanity at large and the Kingdom. He was granted the right to wear the symbols and decorations of an imperial general of old Strom.

But war is not all the Duke is remembered for. In his time, he patronized the arts and education in Summerfast and Stormwind. Taking inspiration from the Stormwind University, Duke Theodore constructed universities both magical and mundane in the town of Strongheart and many schools in the countryside. Peoples of many races found home within the safety and prosperity of Summerfast, bringing their ideas, magics, and technologies with them. Chief of them, the gnomish genius, Summy Sparklesprocket, who with Theodore oversaw the construction of the famed Theodorian Walls.

In diplomacy, the Gryphon Lord of Summerfast was unmatched. He brought Summerfast from isolation to friendship with Lord Winterscar of Northrend, the Holts of Duskwood, and so many more. He settled the Gilnean House, House Brenagh, within his lands as a baron. Even the quel’dorei noted his valor, worth, and kindness such that Theodore had taken an elven wife albeit briefly and had his heir, the future Duke Edward, by her. Even those of the Horde recognized both his valor and his honor such that even in war, the great Commander Phaeith of House Ven’torum counted him as friend. Such was his skill at diplomacy that he mended relations with House Von Gacy that had soured during the Gnoll Wars. Thus, during the rule of Theodore the Victorious, from commoner to high noble, the name of Bennas was spoken with praise.

Chief among all his achievements, however, was that Duke Theodore had won the friendship of the Wildhammer dwarves through his Field Marshal Integra and won a gryphon for a martial companion for the first time in House Bennas’ history since Arianne herself.

As for his myriad other accomplishments, no shortage of records exist as they are well recorded in the annals of history. And thus, in time, the rule of Duke Theodore I the Victorious, the Father of Summerfast, came to an end and the coronet and the elfblade passed from father to son. In years following Theodore’s death, Summerfast grew even further in size and prosperity along with the kingdom at large. Thus, a father’s greatest dream became realized, to be exceeded by his son.

The boy looked down from the book up at the statute, a marble image of that same Duke Theodore I dressed in the armor he wore on Argus, a gryphon resting beside him. His gaze focused to the east where the sun rose. An outstretched arm pointed out towards that same direction. 

“Percy!” A sudden voice shook the boy out of his contemplation, “What are you doing up so early?”

The voice came from his Lady-mother, the current Duchess of House Bennas, who looked down at her son from her horse. With a sigh, the armored woman dismounted, “Well, let’s get you some breakfast.” Her eyes glowed brighter than Percy’s own though her hair was just as dark like her father before her. The elven traits of her father and her grandmother still strong in her facial features and ears. She sighed, shaking her head with a laugh. 

Thanks for the ask @areniaagn

Mentions of @integrabrenagh @householt @summysparklesprocket @bodolf-von-gacy @ithaerielbrenagh @scarletlioness @auroryn-dawnsworn (Indirectly?) Also @juliette-bennas