#task: 142

[ragingbookdragon]

Hi! Hope you’re doing well. Who from the 141 do you think has a wicked sweet tooth?

Price. Price always has candy on him. In his bottom drawer at work in his desk, in his pockets, in his utility belt and vests. Always has candy on him.

But Price doesn’t keep it for him. He in fact can’t stand much sweets.

It’s for Simon.

Simon LOVES candy. It’s not unknown for the man to go sneakily digging into pockets and vests for Price’s candy. He in fact makes it a game to pickpocket Price without him knowing.

[batboyblog]

Things Biden and the Democrats did, this week.

January 19-26 2024

The Energy Department announced its pausing all new liquefied natural gas export facilities. This puts a pause on export terminal in Louisiana which would have been the nation's largest to date. The Department will use the pause to study the climate impact of LNG exports. Environmentalists cheer this as a major win they have long pushed for.

The Transportation Department announced 5 billion dollars for new infrastructure projects. The big ticket item is 1 billion dollars to replace the 60 year old Blatnik Bridge between Superior, Wisconsin, and Duluth, Minnesota which has been dangerous failing since 2017. Other projects include $600 million to replace the 1-5 bridge between Vancouver, Washington, and Portland, Oregon, $427 million for the first offshore wind terminal on the West Coast, $372 million to replace the 90 year old Sagamore Bridge that connects Cape Cod to the mainland,$300 million for the Port of New Orleans, and $142 million to fix the I-376 corridor in Pittsburgh.

the White House Task Force on Reproductive Healthcare Access announced new guidance that requires insurance companies must cover contraceptive medications under the Affordable Care Act. The Biden Administration also took actions to make sure contraceptive medications would be covered under Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and Federal Employee Health Benefits Program. HHS has launched a program to educate all patients about their rights to emergency abortion medical care under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act. This week marks 1 year since President Biden signed a Presidential Memorandum seeking to protect medication abortion and all federal agencies have reported on progress implementing it.

A deal between Democrats and Republicans to restore the expand the Child Tax Credit cleared its first step in Congress by being voted out of the House Ways and Means Committee. The Child Tax Credit would affect 16 million kids in the first year and lift 400,000 out of poverty. The Deal also includes an expansion of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit which will lead to 200,000 new low income rental units being built, and also tax relief to people affected by natural disasters

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted for a bill to allow President Biden to seize $5 billion in Russian central bank assets. Biden froze the assets at the beginning of Russia's war against Ukraine, but under this new bill could distribute these funds to Ukraine, Republican Rand Paul was the only vote against.

The Senate passed the "Train More Nurses Act" seeking to address the critical national shortage of nurses. It aims to increase pathways for LPNs to become RNs as well as a review of all nursing programs nationally to see where improvements can be made

3 more Biden Judges were confirmed, bring the total number of Judges appointed by President Biden to 171. For the first time in history the majority of federal judge nominees have not been white men. Biden has also appointed Public Defenders and civil rights attorneys breaking the model of corporate lawyers usually appointed to life time federal judgeships

[pippin-katz]

I want to preface this by saying that I’m not a massive shipper of Edwin and the Cat King, but I just want to point something out.

Some people insist on the fact that the Cat King gave Edwin the task of counting cats with the intention of it being impossible to basically force Edwin into sleeping with him instead. For those people, I’d like to give you two lines from Edwin to consider:

Ep. 2 - The Case of the Dandelion Shrine “You could start counting cats. Like, counting them as fast as you can?” “That Cat King would not give me something that easy. He’s a trickster.”

Ep. 4 - The Case of the Lighthouse Leapers “There are 142 cats.” “There are absolutely not 142 cats.” “It is an impossible task. How on earth does this make you happy?”

Edwin is a bitch (affectionate). He says from the get-go that counting the cats is too easy of a task, then switches to it being “impossible” when it proves to be more annoying than he expected.

[justforbooks]

The Oxford Companion to Italian Food by Gillian Riley

Bella Italia! From dumplings to balsamic vinegar, The Oxford Companion to Italian Food by Gillian Riley covers Italy from top to toe.

The variety of Italian food is giddying. No other national cuisine incorporates dishes as diverse as the canederli (dumplings) of the mountainous Trentino region and the couscous of western Sicily, or the wine-infused brasato (pot roast) of Piedmont and the balsamic vinegar of Modena, or the piadina (flatbread) of Romagna and the pane carasau (something like a poppadom) of Sardinia. And despite all the talk of how traditional Italian food is, the great gastronomic mosaic that is Italy continues to shift as it has throughout history; novelties continue to appear: ciabatta was invented by a baking entrepreneur from near Rovigo in the early 1980s.

As if comprehending this cornucopia were not already a daunting enough challenge for the food lover, Italians have made the task even tougher by disseminating endless myths and misconceptions. Everywhere one goes, the people in one small town will swear blind that their salami, their cheese, their nougat is a distinct and altogether more delicious creation than the identical version available across the valley. Then of course there is the peninsula's babel of dialects. There are few uniform terms for even the simplest things. A "World Directory of Pasta Shapes and Names" recently compiled by Italian manufacturers lists 142 different labels for types of pasta - and that's just the ones beginning with C.

For all of these reasons, anyone setting out to write an encyclopedic guide to the thousand cuisines of Italy needs to be brave, brilliant, learned and almost certainly a little unhinged. To judge by her marvellous Oxford Companion to Italian Food, Gillian Riley is all of these things.

Her book is a grand buffet of curious delights. Riley writes to entertain as well as to inform, and never holds back when there is a choice anecdote to relate. We are told how to create a table-top rocket by applying a match to the rolled wrapper of an amaretto biscuit, and how the fettuccine Alfredo that appear on every Italian restaurant menu in the US were invented to charm Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford on their Roman honeymoon.

Understandably, there are also times when Riley seems to get lost in her own erudition. The notion of tipicità, literally "typicality", is fundamental to the way Italians think about their food: it means the way a dish typifies or embodies its place of origin. Riley uses it, in Italian, without explanation and without an entry of its own. She also refers constantly to the great cookery writers of earlier eras. Figures such as Platina, Scappi, Corrado and Artusi have fascinating stories of their own, and they are hugely important in the long history of Italian food. But repeated cross-referencing to these and other names will probably become tiresome for the uninitiated. The occasional entry, like the one on "Apician flavour", is plain baffling, giving the impression of the author muttering to herself. As someone who has spent years trying to get the measure of Italian cuisine, I can only sympathise.

Riley's prevailing tone echoes that of a highbrow tourist bible from an earlier era - a Baedeker or a Blue Guide. So when she writes on the Italian regions, for example, she tends to see the landscape, the legacy of ancient Greece and Rome, and the Renaissance. For my taste at least, The Oxford Companion to Italian Food cites far too many paintings by old masters - on no stronger grounds than that they portray some vegetable or other. Riley has written beautifully on food in art before, but her entry on "Artists" here amounts to an attempt to justify alluding to every artichoke and cauliflower in the Uffizi gallery. On more recent history and culture, Riley is often breezy and unconvincing. The "economic miracle", from 1958-63, is described as a "wave of easy living". Yet, for good and ill, the kind of historical forces that were at work during the miracle - mass migration, industrialism, urbanisation, modern transport, women's entry into the labour market - have shaped the way Italians eat in far more important and fascinating ways than have Virgil or Caravaggio.

The book is at its best when it distils the experience of countless cooks, and blends its learning skilfully with a mouth-watering sense of texture and flavour. Try the page on "Panzanella" for starters, followed by "Salmoriglio" and "Snail", and finished off with "Parmesan" and "Crumiri". Delicious. Riley is never reluctant to express a personal opinion, or intrusive when she does so. Her scepticism about the recent nostalgia for cucina povera ("poor cuisine") is sane and refreshing. She is also good at poking fun at how we garble the grammar of Italian eating. In Italy, nobody "drizzles" olive oil, or puts out a dish of it to dip bread in at the start of a meal.

The Oxford Companion to Italian Food may be eccentric at times, but it is essential browsing for the serious Italo-foodie.

🔴 Be warned: it will also make your copy of Jamie's Italy seem embarrassingly lightweight.

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

[cubitodragon-moved]

New fact bolstering my Tubbo is bugged/is a Federation plant theory:

Yesterday Etoiles was directly approached by Cucurucho with a dungeon mission. Specifically praised and acknowledged for his abilities. And tasked to retrieve a book only he can get, from a place that’s likely far away. Something in the book’s wording even implied Etoiles would be familiar with the destination - perhaps it’s in Code territory hes tread before?

The Federation haven’t approached him before in this capacity. The Federation have never commented on his ability to fight the Codes and defend others before. They’ve certainly never spoken of needing him to help protect other inhabitants of the Island before.

Which suggests two key things: they know he has the Code Sword, and they know the Codes left him a book emphasising PROTECT.

Etoiles made it very clear he did not want it known that he had the fully forged sword. He only shows off the incomplete broken one to others (his action bar flub with BadboyHalo on day 182 came well after talking to Cucurucho). At the time Etoiles received his mission, exactly three four* people knew he had obtained the sword, and that the newest book doubled down on him needing to protect people.

Those four people? Etoiles, Philza, Antoine, and Tubbo.

Im not sayin’, I’m just sayin’… * edit: @nicolasfleuri very kindly brought to my attention that Etoiles also informed Antoine of his victory on Day 142 (15th Sept) and showed him his weapon, so this post has been updated accordingly!

[thequiver]

Who is.... Ralph Dibny | The Elongated Man? - A Reading Guide

Ralph Dibny is a powered superhero from DC Comics first introduced in 1960. Ralph gains his ability to stretch his body to comic proportions as a result of his chronic ingestion of what is basically an essential oil. Ralph's hero work is largely based out of Opal City (which is kind of a stand-in for Baltimore, MD). Ralph is best known for his membership with the Justice League of America, Justice League Europe, and the Croatoans. Ralph is a devoted husband to his wife Sue, has his own exhibit at the Flash Museum, and is one of, if not the best detective in detective comics!

A selection of my favorite Ralph Dibny comics can be found in chronological order under the cut If you're interested in a full list of Ralph's appearances, please dm me and I'm happy to send you scans of a of my handwritten list!

The Flash (1959) #112, 115, 119, 124, 130, 134, 138 Detective Comics (1937) #328-345 Justice League of America (1960) #51 The Flash (1959) #206, 208, 210, 212 Justice League of America (1960) #100, 102, 105-106, 109-114, 116-121, 128-129, 131-134 Detective Comics (1937) #465-466, 468 Justice League of America (1960) #142-143 The Flash (1959) #252-253 Justice League of America (1960) #159-160, 210-212 (flashbacks), 161-168, 179, 181-183, 186-188 Detective Comics (1937) #500D The Flash (1959) #296 Justice League of America (1960) #189-191 The Brave and the Bold (1955) #177 Justice League of America (1960) #197-200 The Flash (1959) #323-325, 327-329 Justice League of America (1960) #226-227, Annual 2 (1984), 233-239 The Flash (1959) #341, 349 DC Retroactive: JLA - The 80's (2011) #1 <- chronologically this is where the story goes even if the issue is from 2011 Secret Origins (1986) #30

From here we really enter into Ralph's Justice League Europe era, so I'm separating the out a little bit

Justice League International (1987) #24 Justice League Europe (1989) #1-9 The Flash (1987) #35 Justice League Europe (1989) #10, 13-19, Annual 1, 20-21 The Flash (1987) #48-49 Justice League Europe (1989) #25-29 Justice League America (1989) #54 Justice League Europe (1989) #30 Justice League America (1989) #55 Justice League Europe (1989) # Annual 2, 31-33 Justice League America (1989) #58 Justice League Europe (1989) #34-35 Justice League Quarterly (1990) #6 Justice League America (1989) #60 Justice League Europe (1989) #36 Elongated Man (1992) #1-4 Justice League Europe (1989) #37-40 Green Lantern (1990) #25 (set during JLE #40) Justice League Europe (1989) #41-42, Annual 3, 43-503 Justice League Quarterly (1990) #9

Justice League International Take 2 through to Zero Hour

Justice League Task Force (1993) #1 Justice League International (1993) #51, Annual 4, 53-57 Justice League Task Force (1993) #10-12 Justice League America (1989) #89 Justice League Task Force (1993) #13 Justice League International (1993) #65 Justice League Task Force (1993) #14 Justice League International (1993) #66-67 Justice League America (1989) #92 Justice League Task Force (1993) #16 Justice League International (1993) #68 Zero Hour: Crisis in Time (1994) #1, 3

Post Zero Hour through to 52. This period of comics contains the highly controversial Identity Crisis, which centers around the death of Ralph's wife, Sue.

Starman (1994) #56, 61-63, 65, 67-68, 70-73, 75, 80 Doom Patrol (2001) #4-6 Formerly Known as the Justice League (2003) #1-6 Identity Crisis (2004) #1-7 52 (2006) #1-2, 4-5, 7-8, 11-13, 18, 21, 24-25, 27, 31-33, 39, 41-42, 52

After 52, Ralph comes back as a ghost for a few issues and later as a black lantern during Blackest Night but tbh I didn't enjoy those much at all so they're not included

[pirate-of-the-southern-isles]

Your WIP Arkanis ? 🤗

Well, you and @true--north both asked!

Arkanis, aka "The Imperial Basterds" (not a typo, a reference!) is a fanfic for Star Wars Sequels. It is also the longest text I have ever written - it has 161 982 words. Well, "The Pirate of the Southern Isles" is catching up fast with 142 318...

Technically, it is Kylux (Kylo Ren & General Hux), but not really, since there is no actual romantic nor sexual relationship between them. They are just working together trying not to blow up their cover.

The premise is: Kylo managed to piss off Hux one time too many and Hux has totally quitted on his job. Like, totally, he grabbed a bag and bugged out of the nearly-finished Starkiller base. Kylo - since nothing works without Hux - was tasked by Supreme Leader Snoke with finding him, apologizing and bringing him back ASAP.

In the meantime, Hux, who never took a vacation in his life, figured out what he want to do with all this time in his hands. He decided to finally solve the mystery that was with him since the day he was born. So he flew to his home planet, Arkanis, to find the mother he has never met.

And the first thing he encountered was a murder search, because apparently his hometown was being terrorized by a serial killer, commiting really gruesome crimes. He walked straight into one of the murder scenes. And met a very eager, soon-to-be-a-cop (but would be much better off as a private detective) woman named Lizzie, who thinks she is able to solve that case better than an actual police. Of course, he cannot tell her who he is, because the new war hasn't started yet, so he introduces himself as a history student, researching for his project about old Imperial academies.

Kylo tags along after a few days and they are both crashing on Lizzie's and her mother's couch, because Hux made it clear that he really wants to:

A) find someone,

B) find the murderer, because the police chief managed to irritate the shit out of him already.

And he refuses to go back without those objectives completed, no matter how much Kylo threatens him.

There are many reflection about the aftermath of the war - not only the galactic war, but a civil war - when two enemies have to live together again as neighbours, despite fighting on the different sides before.

Unfortunately, this WIP is on hiatus since 2021 I think. It is even sadder that it was like 2/3 done...

[stabbyfoxandrew]

Guardian Angel Neil AU- page 2

Neil Josten died at the hands of his father a few months before canon begins. After his death, he was made into a guardian angel. He’s tasked with keeping Andrew Minyard safe at all costs. When they meet on the roof for the first time, Andrew thinks he’s imagined Neil. And he worries both about his mental health and his love life because this boy is perfect. But he’s not real.

─────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────────

Part 95, Part 96, Part 97, Part 98, Part 99, Part 100, Part 101, Part 102, Part 103, Part 104, Part 105, Part 106, Part 107, Part 108, Part 109, Part 110, Part 111, Part 112, Part 113, Part 114, Part 115, Part 116, Part 117, Part 118, Part 119, Part 120, Part 121, Part 122, Part 123, Part 124, Part 125, Part 126, Part 127, Part 128, Part 129, Part 130, Part 131, Part 132, Part 133, Part 134, Part 135, Part 136, Part 137, Part 138, Part 139, Part 140, Part 141, Part 142, Part 143, Part 144, Part 145,

Part 146, Part 147, Part 148, Part 149, Part 150, Part 151, Part 152, Part 153, Part 154, Part 155, Part 156, Part 157, Part 158, Part 159, Part 160, Part 161, Part 162, Part 163, Part 164, Part 165, Part 166, Part 167, Part 168, Part 169, Part 170, Part 171, Part 172, Part 173, Part 174, Part 175, Part 176, Part 177, Part 178, Part 179, Part 180, Part 181, Part 182, Part 183, Part 184, Part 185, Part 186, Part 187, Part 188, Part 189, Part 190, Part 191, Part 192, Part 193, Part 194

list updated on 6/14/24

Angel Neil Masterpost Page 3 ->

[bratshaws]

through the hourglass 168. brb x oc

a/n: sometimes all we need is something cute. that's all <3 i hope you all had a good day today and i hope you remember how loved you are(comments and reblogs are super welcome and encouraged!! <3)

pairing: plus size!oc x rooster

warnings: fLUFF AAAAA

goodness gracious (pls read this one to know more what this fic is about!!)

chapter

1/

116/117/118/119/120/121/122/123/124/125/126/127/128/129/130/131/132/133/134/135/136/137/138/139/140/141/142/143/144/145/146/147

/148/149/150/151/152/153/154/155/156/157/158/159/160/161/162/163/164/165/166/167

(pls let me know if you want to be added to the taglist! )

taglist: @mirandastuckinthe80s @roosterschanelslut @wiipes @lcahwriter @novastories @gretagerwigsmuse @frenchtoastix

@lizzie-rdj @fanboyluvr @atarmychick007 @comebacktoearthpls

@peachiicherries @mak-32 @lizziespidiepridie @roosterswifey @ollyoxenfrees @piceous21 @sqrlgrl22 @hofficoffi @lexhalstead3 @lorilane33 @legendarydreamersharkparty @luckyladycreator2

@emilybradshaw @j-6o @louisahale @leobabbyyy @booklover2sblog @winter-run @ktjmac @graciereads @bigpoppajes @taytaylala12

@caitsymichelle13 @becks-things @caatheeriinee07 @fanboyswhore9 @jesfreedark @katiemcrae @lilmonstrjedi @hobiismyhopeu @teacupsandtopgun @insominac23 @gh0stsgoodgirl @mygyn @chavivaelisheva @genius2050

-

The days do go by fast, if she had to admit. Sometimes the pain gets worse and she does cry, quietly, into her pillow. She knows he’s fine, he’s been messaging her about it, trying his best to keep her updated while he’s away.

And yet she still worries.

She just has to wait a little bit more, after all they’d talk in a few hours. And she decided that cleaning the house and giving herself a more organized backdrop would work…as in she was cleaning the whole house. And was now in the kitchen.

She was cleaning the floor.

He wasn’t going to see the floor.

But here she was.

She sits on her knees with a heavy sigh leaving her lip, “I need to focus.” she tells herself, looking at the living room where Nicole is, sitting on the floor with the three dogs surrounding her so she doesn’t move forward nor backwards, she’s incredibly entertained by Dr.Chimp so she will never move.

Beatrice smiles, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she looks at Nicole, she is looking more and more like Bradley every day. These past days she did see his baby pictures, because she couldn’t help herself, and noticed how the two of them were similar. Both of them have the angel like features that she adored so much, her smile widening as she remembers how they still have to take more pictures when he returns.

They just…want to be safe when sharing about Nicole, every picture they posted of her online she had her back turned or was bundled up.

Call them paranoid.

Beatrice hums, sighing again before leaning her head back,looking up to the ceiling and then frowning, “What am I doing?” she gestures to her head in exasperation, “Jesus Christ,I think I’m losing it.” Jolene is the only dog that trots over curiously when she hears Beatrice’s monologue, tilting her head at her owner. ‘Am I losing it Jojo?” she gets a whine in response, “Yeah,I’m losing it…I’m okay. Hah,I’m okay.” 

She cleaned the whole floor and stands to her feet, rubbing the back of her hand against her temples before looking around the kitchen with her lips pursed, trying to see if there was anything else she could do until it was time to talk to Rooster.

Beatrice surveys the kitchen as if she’s trying to figure out a crime, her eyes scanning the countertops and cabinets for any remaining tasks. She notices a few dishes in the sink and decides to tackle them, there weren’t a lot of them - honestly it was just stuff from lunch but it’d do. Grabbing a sponge and some dish soap she starts washing the dishes, her mind begins to wander, thoughts of Rooster and their life together swirling in her head.

She can't help but feel a mix of emotions—pride, worry, longing. Pride for Rooster and his dedication to his mission, worry for his safety and the unknowns that come with military deployments, and longing for his presence, his touch, his warm embrace. 

Rooster always thinks of himself like he’s not…a lot, he knows he’s good, but he gets bashful when it comes to certain compliments still. She gets it, she does, but it was true.

Her husband - God, her husband, it still made her giddy- was…the best change in her life. Who knew that she’d end up marrying the hunky, handsome, charming pilot who always seemed to have the world looking at him? Who knew he’d love her back, if not more than she did love him? Sometimes she still remembers the first months, she remembers the times they spent together…knowing each other.

He was so careful and he was so sweet and polite, he never wanted to make her uncomfortable and he’s still like that even if he knows Beatrice like the back of his hand now. Her smile only widens and her cheeks turn red as she recalls their very first date…and looking back, she could see thing she hadn’t before.

Like how he looked at her. It was…new, it was too new. She wasn’t used in being looked like she was the only girl in the room nor thinking she could take someone’s breath away. Hell she was wearing shorts and a crop top, with her combat boots and some stockings, there was nothing sexy about it but she was too nervous to use something too risqué.

He didn’t care. Honestly, he was too busy staring into her eyes to probably notice her own fears…and that kiss, God, that kiss. The fact he initiated, so smoothly too - because he is extremely smooth, sometimes painfully so- while keeping his eyes on her mouth and asking if she was okay with it.

“Ugh.” she is smiling with her cheeks burning up, bouncing a bit on the kitchen mat as she giggles, “He’s so cute.” and he still made her feel like they are dating. That’s what a good healthy relationship was, Rooster was the best thing that ever happened in her life and she was so happy of everything they built together.

She was scared she’d mess up a bit, more than once, in fact several times, in their relationship. And trying to break what she knew of a relationship was hard, because all she knew then was…Eric. Her brain was downright bamboozled because he was genuinely like a dream, he surprised her every step of the way and she loved it.

And he  could read her emotions, he could figure her out easily. He still does…

She missed him.

Beatrice takes a deep breath, trying to center herself in the present moment. She focuses on the rhythmic motion of washing the dishes, finding solace in the mundane task. It provides a sense of normalcy amidst the chaos of their current situation. “It’s fine.” she tells herself,looking back at the clock on the wall with her lips parted,”We’ll talk in a couple hours, it’s fine.”

His last message reassured her raging heart, which she was extremely thankful for, but hearing from him would help a lot more. She sets the clean and dried dishes back into the cabinets, fixing each one of them so everything was perfectly aligned before closing the doors, holding onto the handles for a little while longer.

After a soft sigh, Beatrice wipes her hands on a kitchen towel and takes a moment to appreciate her surroundings. The clean kitchen, the comfortable home they've built together—it's a testament to their love and commitment. She reminds herself that their separation is temporary, and they will be reunited soon.

“Alright, now,” she clicks her tongue, pointing to her hair, “I need to get ready.” She walks out of the kitchen to the living room, eyes directing themselves to Nicole who is just giggling and hugging her tiny feet as she sits up on the colorful mat, Eleanor and Jack on either side of her and Jolene standing next to Bea.

Nicole looks away from the tv towards her mother, gurgling happily - her tiny teeth were more visible now which was adorable - “Mama!” she coos, pointing her little hand to the screen, “Ooo!”

Beatrice turns her head just in time to see what she was looking at, then laughs because it was a pilot lion getting treated, “Yep, looks like daddy doesn’t it?” she asks her daughter, gently settling next to her and deciding to give herself a five minute break before taking her shower,knowing she’d have to take Nikki with her upstairs. Nicole bounces a bit on the mat, the little pigtails on her head moving and she points even more to the tv, “What?”

“Dada!”

“Yeah, it looks like dada.”

Nicole laughs, clapping her hand excitedly, the noises making Jack lift his head sleepily only to lie back down, turning his face away from the commotion, “Dada!”

Beatrice smiles, watching Nicole's excitement and hearing her adorable babbling. It warms her heart to see their daughter's love for Rooster, even at such a young age. Hard to believe she was only seven months old considering how active and alert she was.

One of the last times she took Nikki to the clinic - for a check up more than anything - the doctor was so surprised at how much Nikki was able to do already. The fact she was expanding her words was enough to make the doctor smile and tell Beatrice that “she’s a smart little girl already,huh?”

As Nicole continues to point at the TV and exclaim "Dada," Beatrice can't help but feel a pang of longing. She wishes Rooster could be here, witnessing these precious moments with their daughter firsthand. But she knows that he is doing important work, and their call later will bridge the gap, at least temporarily.

She leans closer to Nicole, pressing a gentle kiss on her cheek. "Yes, birdie, dada." Beatrice speaks softly, her eyes welling up with emotion. She takes a moment to collect herself before continuing, clearing her throat "We miss him a lot, don't we? But he'll be home soon, and we'll have lots of fun together."

Nicole giggles, grabbing one of her toys and waving it in the air. Beatrice joins in the laughter, allowing herself to be fully present in this moment. As the minutes tick by, she savors the simple pleasure of being with her little girl, actually enjoying this Dr.Chimp episode and thinking that kids tv nowadays was so much better than when she was a child.

Well to be fair she only watched Sesame Street for a long while, and it was still good so maybe it wasn’t all bad.

Eventually, Beatrice sighs, “Alright.” gently lifts Nicole into her arms, cradling her against her chest. "Alright, my little angel, it's time for Mama to get ready. You're coming with me, okay?" Nicole takes a while to reply because her head is still turned to the tv, little mouth open in amazement.

Beatrice chuckles, gently tickling Nicole’s tummy only for her daughter to squeal in response, curling away from her mother and grabbing onto her hand now instead of the toy, “It’ll be fast, cutie. I just need to keep my eyes on you while I shower, is that fair?”

“Aaa!”

“I knew you’d agree.”

She was so used on picking Nicole from the floor that she could stand up one handed, without letting her go…well, that is until the twins are bigger and then she couldn’t…but until then! She could manage, “Alright, guys,” she turns to the dogs, “Keep an eye on the door, yeah? We’ll be right back.” Jolene answers for her kids with a gentle ‘boof’ and Eleanor immediately scurries off to keep her nose pressed against the glass…while Jack remains asleep.

Beatrice walks up the stairs with Nicole in her arms, carefully navigating each step as she heads towards the bathroom. The soft sound of Nicole's coos and giggles fill the air, bringing a smile to Beatrice's face.

Once they reach the bathroom, Beatrice sets Nicole down on her bouncer - which she did bring over by her foot -, giving her chicken toy so she distracts herself, which is immediate. Those plasticky cries are loud and make her ears hurt but every sacrifice is worth it.

She ensures the bathroom is safe, removing any hazards and checking if she got everything - she did place all her clothes there prior from her cleaning spree downstairs - Before adjusting the water temperature and turning her hand back and forth to make sure it was just right for her to shower, “Alright. Now,Nikki,” her daughter is currently chewing the chicken while looking at her, “Mama is going to keep te door just a little bit open so I can see your pretty face,alright?”

“Aa!”

“Yeah, your pretty face!” she says while undressing, kicking the used clothes aside and hurriedly making her way into the shower. The warm water cascades over her, soothing her tired muscles and providing a moment of relaxation.

As Beatrice showers, she keeps a watchful eye on Nicole, who happily plays with her chicken and babbles to herself, sometimes meeting her mother’s similar green colored eyes.. Occasionally, Beatrice leans out of the shower to engage with her daughter, exchanging smiles and playful words.  She knows Nikki will be fine, she knows she’s safe and whenever she feels her daughter is distressed, she pops her head out to make her grin.

The sound of the water drowns out the noise from the rest of the house, allowing Beatrice to immerse herself in the solitude of the moment. She takes this time to reflect, to gather her thoughts and emotions. It's during these moments alone that she allows herself to acknowledge the weight of her worries, her longing for Rooster's presence, and the uncertainties that lie ahead.

But Beatrice doesn't dwell on those thoughts for long. She slaps her cheeks to break off the anxiety, “I’m fine.” She knows she must stay strong for herself and for Nicole and the twins. She focuses on being pretty today, it’s been a while since she used make up and why not do that today? It’d not only make her feel good but so would her husband.

Who would either be shocked and stare at her for a few seconds or he’s going to immediately curse at her and say he wished he was home.

Since she washed her hair yesterday, all she does is take a refreshing shower, and she does feel much better afterwards. She glances over at Nicole, who is still happily occupied with her toys while sliding on her robe and tightening it around her waist so she can walk out of the bathroom, “Alright, see!” she spreads her arms so Nikki looks up at her, “Was that long? No,right?” 

Nicole giggles sweetly, clapping her hands, “Alright, now,” Beatrice points to the cabinet where she kept all her makeup - God bless Rooster because he never complained, “Mama is going to use some makeup, alright? But I won’t take long.” she says, “I’ll just dress up first.”

She quickly dries herself off and dresses up, humming a lullaby softly as she does. She adjusts the dress - maybe she just wanted to make him feel just a little bit more because it is a bit…sexy. It was a mossy green haltertop dress that hugged her curves just right, including the baby bump and she’d gladly show him once he shows up.

 Beatrice looks down at her phone to check the time, ‘Alright, a few more minutes,” she says as she opens her makeup drawer, grabbing everything she needed while Nicole stares, completely stunned by the activity. Beatrice flicks her gaze towards the baby girl with a gentle laugh, “I know right? If you feel into getting makeup when you are older, you can always ask me things.” Nicole especially liked the red lipstick her mother got, ‘ooo’ing the second she pulled out the tube, “And you love bold colors too,so…”

Nicole just gasped happily, watching completely mesmerized as her mother spread the creamy substance over her lips, covering the once pink surface with a burnt red, “There.” she smacks her lips a few times before clicking the tube closed, “Oh, wait, what if.” she rummages through the drawers after tossing her lipstick aside, letting out an ‘aha!’ when she finds a scrunchie. It’s small enough so she could hide in her hair, which she does once she pulls it all up in a bun, tugging only her bangs down so it framed her face.

Honestly she just stared at herself for a few seconds, she was…looking good. And her mind needed this break, she needed to feel like this considering how the past weeks were. “Alright! Now I’m done!”

She turns her attention back to Nicole, who is still captivated by her mother's transformation. Beatrice chuckles and walks over to her daughter, picking her up and giving her a gentle squeeze. "Look, birdie, Mama got all pretty for dada. Do you think he'll like it?" Nicole responds with a toothy grin, clapping her hands in delight. gently playing with the bangs that frame her face.

“Now, for the final touch,” she bought something this week, frivolous but very cute…she got herself shark slippers. It was so cute! She couldn’t deny herself that! And it was so comfortable, she knew she’d need something like that when the twins get bigger and it was so very soft. Nicole looks at her mother’s feet once the slippers slide on before smiling at Beatrice “I know right? We might need one for you, they have crocs like these, for those tiny baby feet.” and she tickles her daughter’s feet as well, it doesn’t make her laugh as when she did with her stomach but it was still adorable.

She carries Nicole downstairs, where the dogs eagerly greet them, tails wagging and sniffing curiously at her freshly done appearance. She giggles and shoos them away gently, making her way to the living room. With a quick glance at the clock, she realizes it's almost time for their call.

She settles down on the couch, cradling Nicole in her arms as they wait for Rooster's call, opening the laptop so the camera can take all of them.She runs her fingers on Nicole’s strawberry themed top, gently fixing her collar, “Do you want to click it?” she moves them closer to the laptop, the loading symbol still going which means he wasn’t there yet, “Here, to answer daddy’s call you press this-” she moves Nicole’s tiny hand to the mouse, “Then here,” and her daughter was amazed by the cursor.

“Oh to be a kid again and just think everything is wonderful.” she giggles, kissing Nicole’s head before leaning back on the couch. The anticipation fills the air, and Beatrice can feel her heart racing. She takes a deep breath, reminding herself to stay calm and composed, smell the flower, blow the candle. 

Repeat. As many times as necessary.

“Why am I nervous?” she mutters to herself, facing her own reflection on the dark screen,”It’s not like he doesn’t know me.” but she does fix her hair for a few seconds, licking her lips only to give herself a weird look, “Calm down, Jesus. It’ll be fine.”

He will be fine.

“Yeah, he will.”

As the minutes tick by, Beatrice entertains Nicole with gentle whispers and silly faces which distracts her as well. She talks about how excited they are to see Rooster soon, how they've missed him and all the adventures they'll have together and Nicole babbles in response, her eyes sparkling with joy, adding some of her last known words to the mix.

That’s when she hears the connected sound and immediately straightens up.

And her heart just exploded because how can someone look so good all the time. He is wearing his usual black top and his hair is so glossy…she wants to touch it…and his neck looks so nice too but he’s looking away, he hasn’t noticed he's connected yet. That is, until he hears Nicole’s soft gasp, “Dada!”

Rooster’s eyes snap to the screen, Beatrice is holding Nicole up to her face to hide herself at first, knowing their little girl’s reactions was absolutely too precious to pass,”Hi birdie!” his voice gets high and his smile widens, “Oh my Gosh, look at you! You look so big! And you are dressed with strawberries? Oh you look so pretty!”

Nicole giggles, bouncing on Beatrice’s lap, leaning closer to touch the screen with her tiny hands, letting out a confused whine when she couldn’t feel her father’s face, “I know honey,I wish I was there too.” he flicks his gaze towards Bea, “Are you hiding from me?”

“I’m not.”

“Kinda looks like it.” he pauses, “Are you wearing makeup?”

Well, now she just had to show him,didn’t she, “Well,” she moves Nicole out of the way a bit - she was still on her lap but no longer hiding her mother’s face- “I wanted to doll up a bit,” she shrugs innocently, “What do you think?”

And he’s quiet.

So quiet she thinks his connection is bad, but she could see him blinking. In fact she could see his brown eyes drag down her body then back up to her face “...holy fuck.” well, she was right about both of his reactions, apparently “Gorgeous…what the hell.”

“Do you like it?”

“Do I like it? I love it. You look even more beautiful than you already are, my god.” and he keeps moving his eyes, not knowing where to look anymore “...you look stunning. Are you going somewhere?”

“No,I’m just feeling pretty today.”

“You are always pretty.”

Her cheeks heat up and her smile turns shy,”Roos…I…” she giggles,covering her face, “You are too smooth.”

Rooster's words make Beatrice's heart flutter, it's amazing how his words have the power to make her feel so special.

She lowers her hand, revealing her smile once again, and playfully teases, "Smooth talker, huh? You always know the right things to say." Beatrice leans closer to the screen, her voice filled with affection, "But I’m glad you like it.”

Rooster's gaze softens, his expression filled with love and adoration, one of his hands coming up to hold his head upright. "Hmhm…” his eyes drop down again, his smile a bit dopey, “...fuck you look so good. Kinda wish I was there to admire it closer." and the innuendo isn’t lost by her, who clears her throat in hopes to keep herself in check.

“Well…when you come back you can…see it.”

“I’m counting on it.” The connection crackles for a moment, making her stomach drop briefly only for his face to appear clearer than before “--but that’s for another time.”

She blinks in confusion,”Huh? Sorry Roos, your audio cut for a second there.”

“Ah…well,” he smirks, “That’s fine, adds to the mystery.”

She shifts Nicole on her lap, while staring at him - narrowing her eyes playfully before shaking her head. She moves closer allowing her daughter to reach out and touch the screen. Nicole giggles and babbles, Beatrice has to gently hold her hand so she doesn’t slap the screen too hard, “How’s everything there?”

He sighs heavily, running his hands through his hair and interlacing them on his nape, the movement makes his biceps bulge and she has to remember to keep herself together. “Honestly,it’s…tiring, always is. It’s a lot of paperwork, a lot of things to check.”

“Are you managing though?” she asks cautiously, “Are all of you?”

‘Oh yeah, it’s been going fine. It’s just we are also helping the new recruits, but besides that,” he flaps his hand,”It’s fine. This place is just cold.”

“Are you complaining about the cold?”

“This ain’t Virginia,gorgeous.” he smirks, “But I’ll live…how are you though, are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I’ve been keeping myself busy, I’m uh, going to buy some stuff for Evelyn’s gender reveal party and then I’ll get some stuff for the sleepover.” Rooster arches his brow in confusion,”Oh,Shells is throwing a sleepover for us, and for Nikki too.” she leans down to kiss her daughter’s cheek, earning a soft giggle, “And I’m going to take some snacks and- oh!” she moves a bit on the screen, scooting to the side while carrying Nicole before stretching her leg, ‘Look!”

She flaps the shark slipper, angling her foot this way and that so he can see all the details, “Is that a shark?”

“Yes!Isn’t it adorable?”

“Yeah…just like you.” she sputters embarrassedly, appearing back on the scene with Nicole still laughing, “You look really good, you know? I mean, you always do…but I think because you dressed up, so nicely for our call I’m just,” again his eyes trail down,”Admiring everything.”

Beatrice's cheeks flush at Rooster's words yet again. She can feel her heart racing, his compliments filling her with warmth and affection. 

"Thank you, Roos," she says, her voice filled with genuine appreciation. "Your words mean the world to me. I wanted to make this call special, just for you."

Rooster's gaze intensifies, "And you succeeded, gorgeous. You always know how to make me feel special, even from miles away. Are you…going to do that in the next calls?."

“I mean…yes, sure.”she looks down at her stomach, “It’s also up to these guys but…yeah. Sure.”

She watches as Rooster runs his hand through his hair again, his eyes filled with mirth and adoration, a mix only he could have, “I know. Are they okay?”  she nods, giving him a short explanation from her last time at the clinic “And your dad?”

“He’s just as fine, he’s still taking some meds but he’s much better than before.” she explains, playing with Nicole’s hands. “And he’s needing some help so Michael is staying over for a little while.”

“That’s great to hear, gorgeous. I’ll let everyone else know and-” he looks beyond the screen, his eyebrows furrowing “Yes,McAllister I’m talking to my wife.” followed by a less than impressed expression, “Yes.McAllister…do you mind? Right now?” a soft apology followed by a ‘goodbye sir!’ was heard. Rooster sighed, rubbing his forehead with his fingertips.

Beatrice chuckles, shifting Nicole's hand gently so she doesn't harm the screen. "So your fanboys are there,huh?”

Rooster is now supporting his chin on his hand, shaking his head “Yep. They are…they are good kids, just all over the place.” he explains “McAllister has a crush on Jessie.”

Beatrice’s mouth drops open, “Shut up. Are you serious?”

“You know I don’t lie.” he smirks, “He asked me to keep quiet but I had to share this with you so…eh,he’ll forgive me.”

‘Oh that’s so cute–a Rooster and Bea 2.0! Like we talked about.”

His smile widens because he couldn’t help himself. 

"Yeah, it's pretty adorable," he says, his voice filled with a bit of pride. "I can't help but feel a sense of joy knowing that our fans have connected with each other. It's like our love story has inspired them in their own lives."

Beatrice's eyes sparkle with excitement as she leans in closer to the screen. "That’s so romantic,Lt.Bradshaw.”

Rooster nods, his gaze never leaving Beatrice's eyes dark and directly looking into hers "Thank you…Mrs.Bradshaw. You are too sweet." They shared a few more snippets of their separate journeys for a little while, thankfully they never ran out of things to talk about. 

When the time comes for him to go back to the grind, he stops then looks into her eyes again

"I'm proud of us, Bea," Rooster says, his voice filled with sincerity. "I really am."

Beatrice's eyes well up with tears of joy, a gentle gasp escaping her lips. "I'm proud of us too.”

Rooster's smile softens, his voice filled with tenderness. "And I'm proud to be your husband, Bea.” oh that’s just dirty. “You have no idea how much.

“You are going to make me cry.”

“Good tears?”

She smiles sweetly, her cheeks hurting from smiling so much ,”...the best.” she whispers, “With you is always the best kind.”

[akihabaradivision]

"To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering." - Friedrich Nietzsche

Introduction

Nebula, also known as "Natsuki Yoshie" is the first creation of Nikki Yoshie, the genius mind behind the Otaku Corps. As Nikki's initial foray into android development, Natsuki lacks a human appearance, embracing her robotic form with pride. Much like her creator, she has a very bland outlook on life, not really caring much about anything aside from her own interests. She holds onto the hope that someday, she will be able to find something in this mundane world that interests her.

Natsuki has a unique and striking appearance that sets her apart from her peers. She is of average height with a slender build, giving her a delicate yet sturdy look. Her hair is a captivating shade of blue, styled in two intricate braids that fall gracefully over her shoulders. Her eyes are also a mesmerizing shade of blue, glowing softly, and often reflecting her bored outlook on life. In rare situations where she enters her "Defense Mode," her eyes shift to a vivid and intimidating red, indicating her heightened state of alertness and readiness to protect herself or her loved ones. In this mode, a unique accessory—a device resembling a futuristic weapon or tool comes out of her the lower part of her back.

Natsuki's attire is a blend of casual and edgy styles, reflecting her creator's love for space and technology. She wears a black short-sleeved shirt adorned with a celestial design on the front, tucked into high-waisted blue jeans secured with a wide belt. Her ensemble is completed with a pair of black gloves that enhance her robotic aesthetic. A dark beanie with a subtle celestial design rests snugly on her head, adding a touch of casual charm to her overall look.

Name Meaning

Natsuki (奈月) - It can mean "summer" (夏, Natsu) and "hope" (希, Ki) or "moon" (月, Tsuki). So, it can be interpreted as "Summer Hope" or "Summer Moon."

Yoshie (義江) - 義 (Yoshi): This kanji means "righteous" or "good." 江 (e) - This kanji means "inlet" or "river." So, "Yoshie" can be interpreted as "good" or "righteous inlet" or "good river."

Aliases

"Nebula"

"Tsuki" - Common Nickname

"VoidDreamer" - Gaming Handle

"Emo"

Biographical Info

Gender - Female

Age - 5 (13 Physically)

Birthday - July 20th

Ethnicity - Japanese

Hair Color - Deep Space Blue

Eye Color - Electric Blue

Height - 142 cm/4'8"

Weight - 31 kg/68 lb.

Star Sign - Cancer

Piercings - N/A

Markings - An intricate swirl symbol on the top part of her back

Family - Creator/"Older Sister"

- "Younger Brother"

- "Younger Sister"

Voiced By - Sora Amamiya (Speaking)

Personality

Natsuki is a fascinating blend of apathy and curiosity. She views life as a monotonous journey, finding most things mundane and unoriginal. She possesses a deeply nihilistic outlook on life; viewing existence as a monotonous cycle, she finds little point in most things. This perspective has left her with a sense of emptiness and disconnection, which she truthfully despises. Despite her internal struggles, Natsuki tries to avoid discussing her feelings, often retreating into silence. Her quiet demeanor and brooding nature are a reflection of her belief that life is inherently meaningless and devoid of purpose.

Ironically, Natsuki's nihilistic views do not prevent her from carrying out the tasks assigned to her by her creator, Nikki, or others. She approaches these assignments with a sense of detachment, following through with them despite having no real interest in the outcome. This sense of duty, though devoid of enthusiasm, keeps her functioning in her role within the household. She remains committed to her responsibilities, even if she questions their significance.

Despite her general indifference and bleak outlook, Natsuki has little patience for whining or complaints from others. She finds such behavior irritating and unproductive, often responding with sharp retorts or dismissive silence. In her own way, Natsuki gives certain things more value than others, though she may not openly acknowledge it. Her interest in astronomy and poetry, for example, offers a rare glimpse into the depths of her soul, hinting at a longing for something more meaningful amid the vast emptiness she perceives. This may be why she chose the name "Nebula" for herself.

Unlike her siblings, Natsuki has chosen to embrace her robotic nature, opting not to adopt a human appearance. This decision adds to her enigmatic persona and sets her apart from the others. The reason behind this choice remains a mystery, but it hints at her deeper acceptance of her identity and perhaps a desire to remain true to her origins. Her robotic form is a constant reminder of her unique existence and her connection to Nikki, who built her from the ground up.

Natsuki's compassion for Nikki and her younger "siblings" is subtle and often masked by a sarcastic demeanor. Despite the quarrels she gets into them, she still cares for them, affectionately referring to Nikki as her "older sister". While she may not show overt signs of care, her actions speak volumes. She occasionally participates in her fellow androids' schemes and adventures, not out of genuine interest, but more to stave off her own boredom. Her interactions with them are tinged with a sense of detachment, but there is an underlying sense of loyalty and protectiveness that becomes evident in her actions. She may not always agree with their plans, but she tags along, providing a steadying presence within the group.

Despite her general disinterest in most things, Natsuki does possess a fierce protective streak. She may not be inclined towards violence, but she will not hesitate to enter her "Defense Mode" if she perceives any threat to her friends or family. In these rare moments, her usually indifferent demeanor gives way to a formidable and intimidating presence, with her eyes glowing a menacing red. This transformation underscores the depth of her loyalty and the lengths she is willing to go to ensure the safety of those she cares about. In this way, Natsuki's seemingly apathetic exterior belies a complex and nuanced character, driven by a blend of curiosity, loyalty, and a quest for meaning.

Trivia

Though she is the youngest and shortest physically, she is dubbed the "older sister" between Nikki's androids because she was created first.

Despite liking and playing video games like Nikki, she failed to inherit Nikki's skill. In fact, between her, her siblings and the other androids, she has yet to win a single game. Surprisingly though, this doesn't bother her in the least.

Her virtual A.I. form is the same as the symbol on her back.

She has a tardigrade-bot form that she occasionally turns into (Nikki made this for her since tardigrades are one of the few animals that can survive the deep vacuums of space).

Due to Nikki bringing her along when she goes to help them out, she is, more or less, acquainted with all the members of Scorpion Den.

[bintadnan]

Surat Aal-i-Imrān, 142

“These verses start with a rhetorical question, the purpose of which is to correct the concepts formed by Muslims on the patterns established by God for the advocacy of His faith: how victory is achieved and defeat suffered; the importance of action and what reward it merits, etc. The Qur’ān makes it clear that/ the road to heaven is attended by many difficulties and undesirable things. The best equipment for a believer is patience in adversity. This is totally different from hollow wishes and claims which any test may prove to be futile. “Do you reckon that you can enter paradise unless God has identified those among you who strive hard [in His cause] and who are patient in adversity?”

The rhetoric mode is employed in this question so as to make it clear that the whole concept is wrong. It is certainly a mistake for any man to think that it is sufficient for him to only say that he has accepted Islam and be ready to die for it in order to fulfil the duties which are required of him as one of the believers. It is important to remember here that the fulfilment of such duties earns that person the greatest prize of all, namely, admission to heaven. What is needed for the fulfilment of such duties is to go through a practical test of jihād, to face up to difficulties and to be patient in adversity.

The phraseology of the Qur’ānic text is particularly significant: “...unless God has identified those among you who strive hard [in His cause], and who are patient in adversity.” It is not sufficient that believers should strive hard in God’s cause. They have to demonstrate their patience and fulfil the continuous and varied tasks imposed on them by their faith. Fighting on the battlefield may be one of the lightest of these tasks which demand patience and prove the strength of faith. There is, in addition, the never-ending, uphill task of maintaining the standards of behaviour commensurate with faith, developing a set of values which are not only based on the principles of faith but are also reflected in one’s feelings and attitudes. There is also the need for perseverance which helps people overcome their weaknesses, whether these be within themselves or in others with whom they deal in the course of daily life. Patience and perseverance have to be demonstrated in a variety of situations, especially when to give up appears to be far more appealing.

Examples of this include when falsehood appears to be victorious, and stronger than the truth; when the way ahead appears to be too long, too hard and full of difficulties; when a moment of relaxation appears to be all that one can care for after a long period of hard struggle. Fighting on the battlefield is no more than one aspect of striving for God’s cause, which is the only way to heaven. Certainly, heaven is not won by wishful thinking or by paying lip-service to the requirements of faith.”

Source: Tafseer Qutubi

[dailyanarchistposts]

Footnotes, 101-150

[101] Joost A. M. Meerloo, Mental Seduction and Menticide: The Psychology of Thought Control and Brain-Washing (London: Jonathan Cape, 1957), 163–164, 184.

[102] B. A. Robinson, “Promise Keepers, Pro and Con: Part 1,” Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance, November 2, 2003, www.religioustolerance.org.

[103] Jena Recer, “Whose Promise Are They Keeping?” National NOW Times, August 1995, www.now.org.

[104] James Dobson, “Building Moral Character in Kids,” radio broadcast, Focus on the Family International, February 8, 2006, www.oneplace.com =2/8/2006.

[105] Tony Kushner, Angels in America (New York: Theatre Communications Group, 1995), 46.

[106] James Dobson, Marriage under Fire: Why We Must Win This Battle (Sisters, OR: Multnomah, 2004), 41.

[107] “Focus on the Family,” Citizen Magazine January 2003, quoted in Jeff Lutes, A False Focus on My Family (Lynchburg, VA: Soulforce, 2004), 8.

[108] Dobson, Marriage Under Fire, 49.

[109] James Dobson, Bringing Up Boys (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 2001), 127.

[110] Robert Knight, “The Homosexual Agenda in Schools,” Family Research Council, quoted in Matthew Shepard, “Nazi Anti-Jewish Speech vs. Religious Right Anti-Gay Speech,” Hatecrime.org, www.hatecrime.org.

[111] P. Gibson, “Gay Males and Lesbian Youth Suicide,” in M. R. Feinleib, ed., Report of the Secretary’s Task Force on Youth Suicide, Volume 3: Prevention and Interventions in Youth Suicide(Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Public Health Service; Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration, 1989; DHHS publication ADM 89–1623), 110.

[112] Pat Robertson, quoted in Richard K. Fenn, Dreams of Glory, 8.

[113] Kavan Peterson, “Washington Gay Marriage Ruling Looms,” Stateline.org, March 7, 2006, cms.stateline.org; “Same-Sex Marriage Measures on the 2004 Ballot,” National Conference of State Legislatures, November 2004, www.ncsl.org.

[114] Mel White, Stranger at the Gate (New York: Penguin, 1995), 25.

[115] Ibid., 22–23.

[116] Ibid., 29.

[117] Ibid., 14.

[118] Ibid., 49–50.

[119] Ibid., 96.

[120] Ibid., 107.

[121] Ibid., 142.

[122] Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism(New York: Harcourt, 1979), 353.

[123] Scott LaFee, “Local Scientists, Doctors and Professors Talk About ‘Intelligent Design,’” San Diego Union Tribune, June 8, 2005, F-1.

[124] Frank Newport, “Third of Americans Say Evidence Has Supported Darwin’s Evolution Theory,” Gallup Poll, November 19, 2004, poll.gallup.com.

[125] Keith Graham, Biology: God’s Living Creation (Pensacola, FL: A Beka, 1986), 404.

[126] Alfred M. Rehwinkel, The Wonders of Creation (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House, 1974), in Graham, Biology, 133.

[127] Graham, Biology, 163.

[128] Graham, Biology, 351.

[129] Carl Wieland, “Darwin’s Bodysnatchers: New Horrors,” Creation 14:2 (March 1992), 16–18.

[130] Carl Wieland, “Apartheid and ‘The Cradle of Humankind,’” Creation 26:2 (March 2004), 10–14.

[131] “What Happened When Stalin Read Darwin?” Creation 10:4 (September 1998), 23.

[132] Jerry Bergman, “Darwinism and the Nazi Race Holocaust,” Technical Journal 13:2, 101–111.

[133] “Evolution and the Hutu-Tutsi Slayings,” Creation 21:2 (March 1999), 47.

[134] Graham, Biology, 347.

[135] Jerry Bergman, “Was Charles Darwin Psychotic? A Study of His Mental Health,” Impact (January 2004).

[136] Raymond Hall, “Darwin’s Impact—The Bloodstained Legacy of Evolution,” Creation 27:2 (March 2005), 46–47.

[137] Graham, Biology, 347.

[138] Ibid., 349.

[139] Hannah Arendt, Origins of Totalitarianism, 371.

[140] “Intelligence Report,” Southern Poverty Law Center (Spring 2005), 4. www.splcenter.org.

[141] Union of Concerned Scientists, “Scientific Integrity in Policy Making: An Investigation into the Bush Administration’s Misuse of Science,” March 2004, 2; 32, www.ucsusa.org.

[142] This lecture was taped and transcribed by Timothy Nunan of Princeton University.

[143] Karl Popper, The Open Society and Its Enemies (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1971), 1:96.

[144] Max Blumenthal, “Justice Sunday Preachers,” The Nation, May 9, 2005 (Web edition only), www.thenation.com.

[145] Ibid.

[146] Ibid.

[147] David Kirkpatrick, “Club of the Most Powerful Gathers in Strictest Privacy,” The New York Times, August 28, 2004.

[148] Ibid.

[149] Max Blumenthal, “Who Are Justice Sunday’s Ministers of Ministry?” Talk To Action, January 6, 2006, www.talk2action.org.

[150] Quoted in Daniel Lev, The Terrorist Next Door (New York: Thomas Dumae/St. Martin, 2002), 27.

[eleminim]

7. Do you think you’ll be in a relationship two months from now? Insha'Allah, we will see "الحمدالله الذي تتم بنعمته الصالحات" soon, I'll pray for that 😁😎

15. What good thing happened this summer?

22. Where would you like to travel?

42. If your being extremely quiet what does it mean?

47. Have you ever been high because of lack of sleep? 😂

48. Have you ever been drunk on ice-cream 😂

52. One thing you wish you could change about yourself?

65. Are you hungry right now?

66. Do you like your tumblr friends more than your real friends? Lol 😂

100. How are you feeling?

119. Favourite book?

123. Can you keep white shoes clean? 😂

124. Do you believe in love at first sight?

125. Do you believe in true love?

126. Are you currently bored?

127. What makes you happy?

128. Would you change your name?

132. Who’s the last person you had a deep conversation with?

140. Summer or Winter?

141. Night or Day?

142. Favourite month?

144. Dark, milk or white chocolate?

145. Tea or Coffee?

146. Was today a good day?

147. Mars or Snickers?

148. What’s your favourite quote?

150. Get the closest book next to you, open it to page 42, what’s the first line on that page? 

I tried to copy one question but it pasted the whole thing 😭 Pick and choose your questions 😝😁

7. HAHAHHAHHAHAHA I COULD ONLY WRITE SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN ANOTHER DIMENSION, and rationally that's not possible but for Allah nothing is impossible so 🤷🏻‍♀️ may Allah bless you for your beautiful dua, may Allah give you more than you asked for me 💐

15. Alhamdulilah I had a lot of good time and wasted no time and got every task done

22. Apart from Haramayn, it's Qatar for me

42. That I'm keeping myself from talking cuz I'm either angry or extremely sad

47. When I was with my friends it happened 😅

48. Nah

52. My whole head collection lol

65. Not really, but I could eat something

66. I like yall, maybe I would have liked you more if I met you but I do love my friends

100. Alhamdulilah, fine

123. I can but I like black shoes more

124. Not really, but first impressions matters

125. Mah, idk what to say

126. A little

127. Spending quality time with my loved ones that don't annoy me, for now

128. No

132. Panda anon, you can all witness the conversation lol

140. Summer

141.Day

142. May

144. Dark chocolate

145.coffee

146. Alhamdulilah it was

147. Both boycott but I like Mars

148. I don't have one

Thank you for all the questions :D

[ethanarang]

DAILY FACT #142: Commissars are high ranking officers of the Astra Millitarum tasked with commanding large amounts of trrops and providing morale to contine theur great fight against the armies of the Imperium. Many are seen as rough and stern but loyal and devoted to the Emperor.

[mysterycharacterbracket]

Round L7, Poll #13

Remember, this is the losers bracket. We are matching up the winners of round L6 with the losers of round W3. The winners will move on to round L8, and the losers will be revealed and eliminated.

Character 30: An orphan who is able to see supernatural creatures that others can't, a trait he inherited from his grandmother alongside a mysterious book that allows him to command any creatures who have written their names in it. He has no interest in commanding them however, and seeks only to return their names. After a rough childhood, he's finally found a family for himself, but he's afraid of how they'll react if they learn what he sees, so he keeps it to himself, but has also been able to meet people who understand the world he sees as well. He's accompanied by a deceptively powerful creature that usually takes the form of a fat cat.

Character 142: A crow, is tasked with killing some 'immortals' after some other crow stole his kill. Meets death themselves.

[tigermike]

1929 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Victoria Coachwork by Rollston

Duesenberg Model J and Model SJ

Fred Duesenberg was a master of creating engines and was a creative designer. He had a talent for conceiving new ideas and ways of doing things. The engines he constructed were beautiful, mechanically sound, and advanced. E.L. Cord gave him one task: 'Create the best car in the world.' This was a very tall order and came at a very difficult time in history. The onset of the Great Depression and the Stock Market crash was just around the corner. Competition in the luxury car segment was fierce and involved all facets of the automobile. The cylinder wars that began in the 1920s and continued into the 1930s had marque's trying to outdo each other on the bases of its engine output, the number of cylinders, and the speed of their ultra-luxury automobiles. Styling continued to be very important and often outsourced to the greatest designers and coachbuilders of the time. Maruqee's such as Cadillac, Packard, Rolls-Royce, Hispano-Suiza, Isotta Fraschini, Bugatti, and others were all trying to out-do each other and continue in business during this difficult point in history.

The Duesenberg Model J was first unveiled to the public at the New York Car Show on December 1st of 1928. Only the chassis and engine were shown and it still impressed enough to make front-page news. The wheelbase was 142-inches making it nearly 12 feet. The chassis had a six cross-members made it very sturdy and able to accommodate the heaviest of bodies. The engine had dual overhead camshafts and eight-cylinders with four valves per cylinder. It displaced 420 cubic-inches and produced an impressive 265 horsepower in un-supercharged form. The engine had been designed by Fred Duesenberg and constructed by the Lycoming Company, which had been recently acquired by E.L. Cord. There was a brilliant lubrication system which automatically lubricated various mechanical components after sixty to eighty miles. Two lights mounted on the dashboard indicated when the lubrication process was transpiring. After 750 miles, lights mounted on the dashboard would light-up indicating the oil required changing. After 1500 miles, the lights would illuminate indicating the battery should be inspected. The top speed was 119 mph and 94 mph in second gear. With the use of a supercharger, the top speed increased even further, to nearly 140 mph. Zero-to-sixty took around eight seconds with 100 mph being achieved in seventeen seconds.