#the unlimited magazine

[mostlysignssomeportents]

2600’s amazing Hackers on Planet Earth con may go down under enshittification

Catch me in Miami! I'll be at Books and Books in Coral Gables on Jan 22 at 8PM.

It's been 40 years since Emmanuel Goldstein launched the seminal, essential, world-changing 2600: The Hacker Quarterly. 2600 wasn't the first phreak/hacker zine, but it was the most important, spawning a global subculture dedicated to the noble pursuit of technological self-determination:

https://www.2600.com/

2600 has published hundreds of issues in which digital spelunkers report eagerly on the things they've discovered by peering intently at the things no one was supposed to even glance at (I'm proud to be one of those writers!). They've fought legal battles, including one that almost went to the Supreme Court:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeCSS

They created a global network of meetups where some of technology's most durable friendships and important collaborations were born. These continue to this day:

https://www.2600.com/meetings

And they've hosted a weekly radio show on NYC's WBAI, Off the Hook:

https://wbai.org/program.php?program=76

When WBAI management lost their minds and locked the station's most beloved hosts out of the studio, Off the Hook (naturally) led the rebellion, taking back the station for its audience, rescuing it from a managerial coup:

https://twitter.com/2600/status/1181423565389942786

But best of all, 2600 gave us HOPE – both in the metaphorical sense of "hope for a better technological tomorrow" and in the literal sense, with its biannual Hackers On Planet Earth con:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hackers_on_Planet_Earth

For decades HOPE had an incredible venue, the Hotel Pennsylvania (memorialized in the phreak anthem "PEnnsylvania 6-5000"), a crumbling pile in midtown Manhattan that was biannually transformed into a rollicking, multi-day festival of forbidden technology, improbable feats, and incredible presentations. I was privileged to keynote HOPE in 2016:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1D7APjmVbk

But after the 2018 HOPE, the Hotel Pennsylvania was demolished to make way for the Penn15 (no, really) skyscraper, a vaporware mega-tower planned as a holding pen for luxury shopping and empty million-dollar condos sold to offshore war-criminals as safe-deposit boxes in the sky. The developer, Vornado (no, really) hasn't actually done all that – after demo'ing the Hotel Pennsylvania, they noped out, leave a large, unusable scar across midtown.

But HOPE wasn't lost. In 2022, the ever-resilient 2600 crew relocated to Queens, hosted by St John's University – a venue that was less glamorous that the Hotel Pennsylvania, but the event was still fantastic. Attendance fell from 2,000 to 1,000, but that was something they could work with, and reviews from attendees were stellar.

Good thing, too. 2600 is, first and foremost, a magazine publisher, and these have been hard years for magazines. First there was the mass die-off of indie bookstores and newsracks (I used to sell 2600 when I was a bookseller, and in the years after, I always took the presence of 2600 on a store's newsrack as an unimpeachable mark of quality).

Thankfully for 2600, their audience is (unsurprisingly) a tech-savvy one, so they were able to substitute digital subscriptions for physical ones:

https://www.2600.com/Magazine/DigitalEditions

Of course, many of those subscriptions came through Amazon's Kindle, because nerds were early Amazon adopters, and because the Kindle magazine publishing platform offered DRM-free distribution to subscribers along with a fair payout to publishers.

But then Amazon enshittified its magazine system. Having locked publishers to its platform, it rugged them and killed the monthly subscription fees that allowed publishers to plan for a steady output. Publishers were given a choice: leave Amazon (and all the readers locked inside its walled garden) or put your magazine into the Kindle Unlimited system:

https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/arp/B0BWPTCP4K?deviceType=A1FG5NAKX0MRJL

Kindle Unlimited is an all-you-can-eat program for Kindle, which pays publishers and writers based on a system that is both opaque and easily gamed, with the lion's share of the money going to "publishers" who focus on figuring out how to cheat the algorithm. Revenues for 2600 – and all the other magazines that Amazon had sucked in and sucked dry – fell off a cliff.

Which brings me to the present moment. After 40 years, 2600 is still at it, having survived the bookstorepocalypse, the lunacy of public radio management, the literal demolition of their physical home by an evil real-estate developer, and Amazon's crooked accounting.

This is 2600, circa 2024, and 2024 a HOPE year:

https://www.hope.net/

Once again, HOPE has been scheduled for its new digs in Queens, July 12-14. Last week, HOPE sent out an email blast to their subscribers telling them the news. They expected to sell 500 tickets in the first 24 hours. They didn't even come close:

https://www.2600.com/content/hope-ticket-sales-update

It turns out that Google and the other major mail providers don't like emails with the word "hacker" in them. The cartel that decides which email gets delivered, and which messages go to spam, or get blocked altogether, mass-blocked the HOPE 2024 announcement. Email may be the last federated, open platform we have, but mass concentration has created a system where it's nearly impossible to get your email delivered unless you're willing to play by Gmail's rules:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/10/10/dead-letters/

For Emmanuel Goldstein, founder of 2600 and tireless toiler for this community, the deafening silence following from that initial email volley was terrifying: "like some kind of a "Twilight Zone" episode where everyone has disappeared."

The enshittification that keeps 2600's emails from being delivered to the people who asked to receive them is even worse on social media. Social media companies routinely defraud their users by letting them subscribe to feeds, then turning around to the people and organizations that run those feeds and saying, "You've got x thousand subscribers on this platform, but we won't put your posts in their feeds unless you pay us to 'boost' your content":

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2023/04/platforms-decay-lets-put-users-first

Enshittification has been coming at 2600 for decades. Like other forms of oddball media dedicated to challenging corporate power and government oppression, 2600 has always been a ten-years-ahead preview of the way the noose was gonna tighten on all of us. And now, they're on the ropes. HOPE can't sell tickets unless people know about HOPE, and neither email providers nor social media platforms have any interest in making that happen.

A handful of giant corporations now get to decide what we read, who we hear from, and whether and how we can get together in person to make friends, forge community, rabble-rouse and change the world. The idea that "it's not censorship unless the government does it" has always been wrong (not all censorship violates the First Amendment, and censorship can be real without being unconstitutional):

https://pluralistic.net/2022/12/04/yes-its-censorship/

What can you do about it? Well, for one thing, you can sign up for HOPE. It's gonna be great. They've got sub-$100 hotel rooms! In New York City!

https://store.2600.com/products/tickets-to-hope-xv

If you can't make it to HOPE, you can sign up for a virtual membership:

https://store.2600.com/products/tickets-to-hope-xv-virtual-attendee

You can submit a talk to HOPE:

https://www.hope.net/cfp.html

You can subscribe to 2600, in print or electronically (I signed up for the lifetime print subscription and it was a bargain – I devour every issue the day it arrives):

https://store.2600.com/collections/subscriptions-renewals

2600 is living a decade in the future of every other community you care about, weird hobby you enjoy, con you live for, and publication you read from cover to cover. If we can all pull together to save it, it'll be a beacon of hope (and HOPE).

I'm Kickstarting the audiobook for The Bezzle, the sequel to Red Team Blues, narrated by @wilwheaton! You can pre-order the audiobook and ebook, DRM free, as well as the hardcover, signed or unsigned. There's also bundles with Red Team Blues in ebook, audio or paperback.

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

https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/19/hope-less/#hack-the-planet

[oldschoolfrp]

Ads for games and miniatures in Adventurer magazine 9, April 1987

[shironezuninja]

I love how Spidey Unlimited got away with lines like this.😏😈.

[beas-mind]

Outtake of Anna Diop from Paris Fashion Week last year for Instyle Mexico Magazine😩🫶🏾.

[dustedmagazine]

Listed: Water Damage

Water Damage plays a thick and noisy variety of drone, favoring looooooong compositions that the band refers to as “Reels”; on Water Damage’s most recent LP, 2 Songs, you get two reels, subtitled “FUCK THIS” and “FUCK THAT” (band’s caps). All those verbal antics feel appealingly playful, but the music is deadly serious stuff — not surprising, given the players involved. Members of this septet also play in Austin-associated bands like USA/Mexico, Marriage and Spray Paint. As the band’s moniker suggests, the music is patient, persistent and often insidious. Here's some music the band has been listening to.

Travis Austin

Surface of the Earth — Surface of the Earth (1994/95, Reissued 2022 Thin Wrist Recordings)

New to me when it was reissued and the record I’ve played most since then. It feels as huge to me as it does microscopic — prehistoric as it does post-apocalyptic.

Jon Hassell — Aka/Darbari/Java: Magic Realism (1983, E.G. Records)

Start to finish, I don’t know of anything else that sounds like this — the hazy atmosphere and way the rhythms tumble. From the liner notes: “a ‘coffee-colored’ classical music for the future.” And the cover is by the same artist who did the cover for Bitches Brew.

Mike Kanin

Archie Shepp — Blasé (1969, BYG/Actuel)

I heard this one for the first time just this past year. I can’t believe I’ve missed it. By turns raw and beautiful, honest and evocative, what’s here transcends genre while highlighting Black experience and struggle. Incredible work.

George Dishner

Clipse — Hell Hath No Fury (2006, Star Trak / Re Up Gang Records)

The most engaging rap record in history as far as I’m concerned. Pusha, Malice, and the Neptunes peaked. Sonically HHNF is minimal and alien sounding, almost nonmusical at times. Lyrically, it’s bleak throughout and incredibly funny at times (some of the best punchlines ever recorded). At 12 songs and 48 minutes with only a few guests and skits, there is no fat whatsoever.

Remarc — Sound Murderer (2003, Planet Mu)

I’m always looking for cheap electronic records at every record store. Mid 1990s Jungle scores are the best. It’s a pretty narrow subgenre but one of my favorites. Remarc checks all my Jungle boxes — chaotic, lo-fi, dubby, rough. It’s devoid of any pretentious jazziness or techy soullessness. His formula is pretty basic — supreme mastery of The Amen and sick ragga Bass shit. This is a comp of some of his best stuff of the era when Jungle was at its best.

Nate Cross

Omertà — Collection Particulière (2022, Standard In-Fi, Zamzamrec)

Not to point out the obvious, but France is a huge influence for Water Damage. I’ve obsessively kept up with everything they’ve done and all their various related projects and their label Standard In-Fi. This is Omertà’s second LP; the group features members of France, Tanz Mein Herz, Societe Etrange and more. The album is a vibe, I can listen to it over and over. Really interesting to hear these folks do something more ‘song oriented’ instead of the normal long-form style in their other groups. Also, you can never go wrong with two bass players.

Bumblebee Unlimited — Sting Like a Bee (1979, RCA Victor)

Always been a huge disco nerd and Patrick Adams was a genius. This one-off LP and group was about as close to perfect as you can get and is a sort of bridge between disco and house music. So much glorious repetition on this album, and the bass lines are minimal brilliance. The chipmunk-esque vocals are ridiculous, but still work so well (similar to another 1979 disco gem — Bryan Adam’s “Let Me Take You Dancing”).

Jeff Piwonka

John Coltrane — Olé Coltrane (1961, Atlantic)

This is one of the first jazz albums I heard that had two bassists on it, Reggie Workman and Art Davis, Davis being a little lesser known I think and a really really amazing bassist. This whole album is great but the first side, 18 minutes of everyone going in and out, and there is space for the bassists to get weird with arco and pizzicato playing. I’ve known this album for a long time, but it’s been played a lot lately because both my 4-year-old and 16-month-old grab this record from the shelf all the time. It’s really strange actually, I put it in a different spot each time and they still grab this record very frequently, it’s a French pressing and Reggie Workman’s name is spelled “Reggie Wokrman” and Eric Dolphy is “George Lane.”

Greg Piwonka

Lungfish — Artificial Horizon (1998, Dischord)

Love this record, and the repetition is something that I often thought about as we were still figuring out Water Damage ideas. I feel like some of the newer songs that we are working on sound like extended Lungfish songs. Much of that has to do with the influence of this band on my drumming. There is a part toward the end of this interview where Daniel Higgs talks about experiencing repetition as a listener, and how there isn’t really a thing such as a repeated passage in time — that it’s unique every time… the listener is creating the pattern. That idea is foundational to me in relation to what we do as a band. Every time we play, I get lost and question how the pattern is even working.

Palace — West Palm Beach/Gulf Shores (1994, Drag City/Palace)

These two songs back-to-back are high on the list of my favorite things ever recorded. The mood here reminds me of all the rundown beach towns around the Gulf. The playing is great, it sounds like they just went in the studio and made it with very little effort. Many other recordings have that same vibe, Neil Young’s Zuma, Songs: Ohia’s Didn’t It Rain, John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme… this list could get long. I guess a technical term for that vibe is magic. I had not listened to this for a few years and returned to it recently and instantly loved it again.

[mia-seth-adventures]

Loves Theme - Love Unlimited

🤎 Barry White née Barry Eugene Carter and Love Unlimited.

Barry at Wikipedia

[vague-humanoid]

[evan-collins90]

Offices of Sound Video Unlimited - Los Angeles, CA (1984)

Designed by Richar Interiors

Scanned from the October 1984 issue of Designer's West Magazine

[doyoulikethissong-poll]

Leila K - Electric 1995

Laila El Khalifi is a Eurodance singer and rapper of Moroccan descent, from Gothenburg, Sweden. Her song "Electric" is produced by Denniz Pop and Max Martin, and was released as a single in late 1995. In 1996, it was included on her third album, Manic Panic. The chorus is sung by Swedish singer Jessica Folcker (poll #247). The single peaked at number 2 in Finland, number 8 in Sweden, number 37 in Belgium, and number 18 in Israel. On the Eurochart Hot 100, it reached number 86.

The song's chorus has the same melody as Shannon's 1984 dance hit "Give Me Tonight". Chris Barbosa and Ed Chisolm share songwriting credits for the song. In the 2020 book, Move Your Body (2 The 90s): Unlimited Eurodance, writer Juha Soininen noted, "It also breaks the pattern of male raps: Leila raps and Jessica Folcker has the refrain. In its ferocity and aggressiveness, it encapsulates the best sides of eurodance." The European magazine Music & Media wrote that the song "shows that Leila K is still "The First Lady of Rap"."

"Electric" received a total of 47,8% yes votes. Previous Leila K polls: #288 "Rude Boy".

[probablyasocialecologist]

Degrowth basics

"The word degrowth stands for a family of political-economic approaches that, in the face of today’s accelerating planetary ecological crisis, reject unlimited, exponential economic growth as the definition of human progress."

What is Degrowth? | Caracol DSA

Why degrowth is the only responsible way forward | OpenDemocracy

Degrowth and MMT: A thought experiment

We Need A Fair Way To End Infinite Growth | Current Affairs

Degrowth: A Call for Radical Abundance | Common Dreams

Can degrowth save us and the planet? | Nottingham Trent

Defending limits is not Malthusian | Undisciplined Environments

Can We Have Prosperity Without Growth? | New Yorker

The Urgent Case for Shrinking the Economy | The New Republic

Giving Up on Economic Growth Could Make Us Cooler and Happier | The New Republic

A guide to degrowth: The movement prioritizing wellbeing in a bid to avoid climate cataclysm | CNBC

What is ‘degrowth’ and how can it fight climate change? | Popular Science

Enough for Everyone | Yes! Magazine

Toward a Post-Capitalist Future: On the Growth of “Degrowth” | Lit Hub

All we are saying is give degrowth a chance | The RSA

A pathway out of environmental collapse | newsroom

On Technology and Degrowth | Monthly Review

What is degrowth (and more importantly, what is it not)? | META

Green growth

"There is no empirical evidence that absolute decoupling from resource use can be achieved on a global scale against a background of continued economic growth."

Is Green Growth Possible? | Jason Hickel & Giorgos Kallis

The Myth of America’s Green Growth | Foreign Policy

The decoupling delusion: rethinking growth and sustainability | The Conversation

Is green growth happening? | Uneven Earth

Green Growth | Uneven Earth

The Delusion of Infinite Economic Growth | Scientific American

Degrowth is not austerity – it is actually just the opposite | Al Jazeera

A response to Paul Krugman: Growth is not as green as you might think | Timothée Parrique

Deceitful Decoupling: Misconceptions of a Persistent Myth | Alevgul H. Sorman

Degrowth isn’t the same as a recession – it’s an alternative to growing the economy forever | The Conversation

Degrowth and the left

"In the middle of an ecological emergency, should we be producing sport utility vehicles and mansions? Should we be diverting energy to support the obscene consumption and accumulation of the ruling class?"

The Left should embrace degrowth | New Internationalist

Ecosocialism is the Horizon, Degrowth is the Way | The Trouble

Degrowth: Socialism without Growth | Brave New Europe

Toward an Ecosocialist Degrowth: From the Materially Inevitable to the Socially Desirable | Monthly Review

For an Ecosocialist Degrowth | Monthly Review

Degrowth and Revolutionary Organizing | Rosa Luxemburg NYC

The necessity of ecosocialist degrowth | Rupture

Degrowth is Anti-Capitalist | Protean Mag

Degrowth Communism | PPPR (Part one | Part two | Part three)

Economic Planning and Degrowth: How Socialism Survives the 21st Century | New Socialist

Degrowth and the South

"Southern countries should be free to organize their resources and labor around meeting human needs rather than around servicing Northern growth."

Who is afraid of degrowth? A Global South economic perspective | IBON Foundation

The anti-colonial politics of degrowth | Jason Hickel

Unlearning: From Degrowth to Decolonization | Rosa Luxemburg NYC

Degrowth requires the Global South to default on its foreign debts | Resilience

Journals/Reports

Degrowth: a theory of radical abundance | Jason Hickel

A systematic review of the evidence on decoupling of GDP, resource use and GHG emissions, part II: synthesizing the insights

What does degrowth mean? A few points of clarification | Jason Hickel

Providing decent living with minimum energy: A global scenario | Global Environmental Change

Urgent need for post-growth climate mitigation scenarios | Nature Energy

Degrowth and critical agrarian studies | Julien-François Gerber

Decoupling debunked – Evidence and arguments against green growth as a sole strategy for sustainability | European Environmental Bureau

Incrementum ad Absurdum: Global Growth, Inequality and Poverty Eradication in a Carbon-Constrained World | David Woodward

Degrowth can work — here’s how science can help | Nature

A New Political Economy for a Healthy Planet | Jason Hickel

Planning beyond growth. The case for economic democracy within limits

Millionaire spending incompatible with 1.5 °C ambitions | Cleaner Production Letters

Is green growth happening? An empirical analysis of achieved versus Paris-compliant CO2–GDP decoupling in high-income countries | The Lancet

Books

Exploring Degrowth: A Critical Guide | Pluto Press

A People's Green New Deal | Max Ajl

Less is More: How Degrowth Will Save the World | Jason Hickel

Breaking Things at Work: The Luddites Are Right About Why You Hate Your Job | Verso Books

The Future is Degrowth: A Guide to a World Beyond Capitalism | Verso Books

The Imperial Mode of Living: Everyday Life and the Ecological Crisis of Capitalism | Verso Books

Marx in the Anthropocene: Towards the Idea of Degrowth Communism | Kohei Saito

Degrowth & Strategy: how to bring about social-ecological transformation

27 Essays and Thoughts on Degrowth | Giorgos Kallis

Videos

Yes To Limits To Growth! | The Other School

How Degrowth Can Save the World | Andrewism

How We End Consumerism | Our Changing Climate

Demystifying Degrowth | Rosa Luxemburg NYC

Degrowth is not Austerity | John the Duncan

Degrowth and Ecosocialism | Planet: Critical

Degrowth in 7 minutes: Fighting for climate by living better | Think That Through

The Future is Degrowth (w/ Aaron Vansintjan) || SRSLY WRONG

"Degrowth means power to the working class!"with Jason Hickel | GND Media

Others

degrowth.info

Degrowth Journal

Doughnut Economics

[ixupi94]

OMG TRIGGERED THIS IS DUTCH LMAO

Conclusion at the bottom:

Because of its high difficulty, CB4IAT is not suitable for every platform enthusiast, but everyone who enjoyed the original games is hereby obliged to play CB4. The NST was great, but C4 is even better in all possible ways.

[mariacallous]

“There are only so many books on Ukraine we can review each month,” an editor from a major British newspaper tells me at one of the country’s largest literary festivals. He looks a bit uncomfortable, almost apologetic. He wants me to understand that if it were up to him, he’d review a book on Ukraine every day, but that’s just not how the industry works.

Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, I’ve had a glimpse into how several industries work: Publishing, journalism, and the broader world of culture, including galleries and museums. Even before the big war, I knew more than I wanted to about how academia works (or rather doesn’t) when it comes to Ukraine. A common thread among all these fields is the limited attention they allocate to countries that do not occupy a place among the traditional big players of imperial politics.

Cultural imperialism lives on, even if its carriers often proclaim anti-colonial slogans. It thrives in gate-keeping, with editors and academics mistrusting voices that don’t sound like those higher up the ladder, while platforming those who have habitually been accepted as authoritative. “We’ve done Ukraine already” is a frequent response whenever you pitch an idea, text, or public event centering the country.

The editor who can’t keep publishing reviews of Ukraine-related books walks away, and I pick up a copy of one of the UK’s most prominent literary magazines to see their book recommendations. Out of a handful of reviews, three are on recent books about Russia. It seems like the space afforded to Russia remains unlimited. I close the publication to keep my blood pressure down.

Keeping my blood pressure down, however, is challenging. When my social media feeds aren’t advertising another production of Uncle Vanya, they’re urging me to splash out on opera tickets for Eugene Onegin. What happened to the dreaded “cancelling” of Russian culture? The Russia section in most bookshops I visit in the UK is growing daily with everything from yet another translation of Dostoevsky to accounts of opposition figures killed or imprisoned by the Kremlin.

The international media focus on the August 2024 release of Russian political prisoners was yet another example of how the more things change, the more they stay the same. While these released prisoners were provided with a global media platform to call for an end to “unfair” sanctions on “ordinary Russians,” there was no mention of the thousands of Ukrainian civilians who continue to languish in Russian jails.

The ongoing international emphasis on all things Russian goes hand in hand with a reluctance to transform growing interest in Ukraine into meaningful structural changes in how the country is perceived, reported on, and understood. Although there has been some improvement in knowledge about Ukraine since 2022, the move is essentially from having no understanding to having a superficial grasp.

Each time I read a piece on Ukraine by someone not well-versed in the country’s history and politics, my heart sinks. The chances are it will recycle historical cliches, repeat Kremlin propaganda about Russophone Ukrainians, or generalize about regional differences. And to add insult to injury, such articles also often misspell at least one family or place name, using outdated Russian transliterations. A quick Google search or a message to an actual Ukrainian could prevent these errors and save the author from looking foolish. Yet aiding this kind of colonial complacency seems to bother neither the authors nor the editors involved.

I often wonder what would happen if I wrote a piece on British or US politics and misspelt the names of historical figures, towns, and cities. How likely would I be to get it published? And yet the same standards do not apply when it comes to writing about countries that have not been granted priority status in our mental hierarchies of the world. We can misspell them all we like; no one will notice anyway. Apart from the people from those countries, of course. And when an exasperated Ukrainian writes to complain, I can almost see the editors rolling their eyes and thinking, “What does this perpetually frustrated nation want now? We’ve done Ukraine. Why are they never satisfied?”

It is not enough to simply “do Ukraine” by reviewing one book on the war, especially if it’s by a Western journalist rather than a Ukraine-based author. It’s not enough to host one exhibition, particularly if it is by an artist or photographer who only spent a few weeks in the country. Quickly putting together a panel on Russia’s war in response to a major development at the front and adding a sole Ukrainian voice at the last minute doesn’t cut it either. This box-ticking approach is unhelpful and insulting.

It is important to acknowledge that some Western media outlets have significantly enhanced their coverage of Ukraine over the past two and a half years. They have typically done so by dedicating time and resources to having in-house experts who have either reported from Ukraine for many years, or who are committed to deepening their knowledge enough to produce high-quality analysis. However, many of these outlets still seem compelled to provide platforms for individuals entirely unqualified to analyse the region. Surely this isn’t what balance means?

Since February 2022, more than 100 Ukrainian cultural figures have been killed in the war. According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture, by May 2024, over 2,000 cultural institutions had been damaged or destroyed. This includes 711 libraries, 116 museums and galleries, and 37 theatres, cinemas, and concert halls. In May 2024, Russia bombed Factor Druk, the country’s biggest printing house.

When I attended this year’s Kyiv Book Arsenal, Ukraine’s largest literary festival, each panel began with a minute of silence to honor the memory of colleagues killed in the war. All this is in addition to mounting military losses, many of whom are yesterday’s civilians, including journalists and creatives who have either volunteered or been drafted into the army. This is the current state of the Ukrainian creative industry.

To save time for Western editors, publishers, and curators, let me clarify what all of us perpetually frustrated Ukrainians want. We would appreciate it if they turned to actual Ukraine specialists when working on Ukraine-related themes. Not those who suddenly pivoted from specializing in Russia, or who feel entitled to speak authoritatively because they discovered a distant Ukrainian ancestor, or those who have only recently shown interest in Ukraine due to business opportunities in the country’s reconstruction. We would be grateful if they took the time to seek out experts who have been studying Ukraine long before it became fashionable, who understand the country in all its complexity, and who care enough to offer Ukrainians the basic dignity of having their names spelt correctly.

I like to fantasise about a time when editors of top Western periodicals will choose to review books on Ukraine not simply because the country is at war and they feel obliged to cover it now and again, but because these books offer vital insights into democracy, the fight for freedom, or the importance of maintaining unity and a sense of humor in times of crisis. I hope for a day when galleries will host exhibitions of Ukrainian art, not just because it was rescued from a war zone, but because the artists involved provide fresh perspectives on the world.

I also dream that we, the perpetually frustrated Ukraine specialists, will eventually be able to focus on our own scholarship and creativity rather than correcting the mistakes and misleading takes of others. This will happen when cultural institutions, publishing houses, universities, and newspapers acquire in-house experts whose knowledge of Ukraine and the wider region extends beyond Russia.

Dr Olesya Khromeychuk is a historian and writer. She is the author of The Death of a Soldier Told by His Sister (2022). Khromeychuk has written for The New York Times, The New York Review of Books, The Guardian, Der Spiegel, Prospect, and The New Statesman, and has delivered a TED talk on What the World Can Learn From Ukraine’s Fight for Democracy. She has taught the history of East-Central Europe at several British universities and is currently the Director of the Ukrainian Institute London.

[slutifer]

First Date

pairing: Mammon x gn!mc content: fluff!! wc: 667 a/n: i had fun writing this one, also ik this was an anon request but this goes out to one of my favorite mammon themed blogs on here,, u know who u are lucifer / mammon (you are here) / levi / satan / asmo / beel / belphi / solomon

“Oi, human!” A voice called out from behind you, as you walked down a long stretch of hall towards your room. You didn’t even have to turn around to know it was your first man and favorite nuisance (affectionate). You turn on your heels, met instantly with a mess of white hair and golden skin as he shoves something in your hands. Your eyebrows furrow as you stare at the piece of paper. 

“What’s this?” 

“It’s a coupon for one free date with your favorite demon.” Mammon states matter-of-factly, looking quite pleased with himself. Your eyes narrow slightly, a smile creeping its way onto your lips. “Oh, my favorite demon?” You ask innocently.

“Yup! The one and only Ma-”

“Diavolo?”

“-mmon. Wait, what?” His smile drops so quickly, you couldn’t help the barrage of giggles that escaped you. 

“Mammon, if you wanted to take me on a date, you could’ve just asked.” You nudge him lightly with your shoulder. His cheeks flush almost instantly, his hand reached to rub the back of his neck the way he usually does when he’s flustered. 

“I- I don’t know what you mean,” He averts his eyes, stumbling over his words, “I’m doin’ you a favor, human.” He folds his arms over his chest, attempting to appear confident in his words.

“But uh,” Mammon clears his throat, opening his mouth and quickly shutting it again, still avoiding your gaze. You wait patiently for Mammon to gather his thoughts, smoothing out the creases in the coupon (which wasn’t really a coupon, but a page from a magazine with the words ‘congratulations, you’ve won a free date!’ scribbled over a shot of Mammon).

“Would you?” He asks hesitantly, finally setting his eyes on you. “Would you go on a date with me?” 

~

The wind blew through your hair softly as you strolled barefoot through the sand. Mammon’s hand grazed yours lightly before he took it in his, intertwining your fingers and peering at you over his sunglasses. His cheeks were flushed, his skin almost glittering in the light of the setting sun. 

“I’m so glad Diavolo let us use his private beach, how did you even swing that anyway?” You hook your free hand over Mammon’s forearm, feeling the veins under his skin. 

“Don’t worry about that. We’re here - aren’t we, treasure?” He smirks, squeezing your hand lightly. 

You laugh, pulling his arm closer, pushing aside thoughts of Mammon’s usual mischief.

“We are, and it’s so beautiful.” You sigh dreamily.

“Yeah, you are.” Mammon says, nudging you softly, a self satisfied grin on his face.

“You are so corny.” You laugh loudly, despite your heartbeat picking up its pace at his words. 

Mammon scoffs, that being your cue to book it down the beach. If teasing Mammon were an Olympic sport, you’d have unlimited gold medals. You ran as fast as you could, your smile nearly as bright as the sun. 

“Hey!” He laughed, watching you go, the fabric of your clothing flowing freely around you as you looked back at him. It was perfect, you were perfect. His perfect human.

Mammon raced after you, letting you think you were winning for a while before scooping you into his arms, lifting you in his embrace. Your laugh and his overlapped as he spun you around, your arms wrapped around his neck, steadying yourself.

“Mammon, I’m gonna get dizzy!” You squeal. He slows his spinning, plopping down onto the sand and pulling you onto his lap. 

“You really are beautiful, you know.” He says as his breathing slows to normal. You feel more heat flooding your cheeks as he sets his hands on your waist. His eyes studied your face as though he was committing every single one of your features to memory. 

“Mammon?” You trail your fingers over his cheekbone lightly. He leaned into you, eyelids fluttering at the sparks lingering under your touch.

“Yeah, baby?” He cups your hand in his, laying a sweet kiss to your palm.

“You are my favorite.”

[beas-mind]

Anna Diop for Grumpy Magazine🫠🫶🏾

[alyana-luvs-u]

teddy

bruce banner x avenger!reader

🤎🧸🍂♡

Summary: Bruce is just a big teddy bear with anger issues

word count: 2047

song: love story - taylor swift

🤎🧸🍂♡

The quinjet buzzes with quiet murmurs as you walk tentatively around, eyes glued to your phone. You grunt suddenly as you bump into something, looking up immediately apologetically.

“oh I’m sorry!” a gentle-looking stranger stares at you curiously, before giving you a small, shy smile.

“oh, no it’s all good.” He clears his throat, before sticking his hand out as you pocket your phone, taking in the small details of his thick, black unruly curls which were slightly greying, and the small freckles dotted among his face like stars among the night sky. “Bruce Banner.” You grasp his hand, his large, calloused one enveloping yours like a warm blanket.

“Y/N Y/L/N,” You grin awkwardly, as you stand like that for a few moments, before Bruce glances down and realises he’s still holding your hand. He quickly withdraws it, red flushing from the nape of his neck.

“I, uh,” His nerves are cutely amusing, as you touch his arm, soothing him subtly.

“I’m a big fan of your work Dr Banner.” He grimaces, likely remembering about his green alter ego.

“People say you’re a genius.” Ducking his head, he seems to fold into himself.

“That’s all that people say?” He mumbles, as you reach out an arm, tilting his chin up. Tingles seemed to erupt from where your fingers were placed on his skin, as he stares mesmerised into your eyes.

“That’s all that matters to me.” Your voice is soft and encouraging as you reach out an arm to your new colleague.

“So why did Fury drag you here?” He questions as you begin to walk towards the meeting room, and you chuckle softly, shaking your head.

“I’m enhanced. I have y/p (your powers), and he thinks that’s beneficial, apparently to find the Tesseract.” Bruce smiles down at you, the corner of his eyes crinkling affectionately.

“I think you’ll be a great asset to the team. Have you met the others?” As you turn back, you’re met with the looming shadow of the glass meeting doors. Conversations drift through the door as you swallow nervously.

“I’ve met Tony and Nat before.” The door is pulled open before them and there stands Tony in all his smug glory.

“come in. the meeting is just starting.” He says smirking, eyeing your interlocked arms with mild interest. Flashing the billionare an uncomfortable smile, you step into the room, conversation dying away all eyes turn towards the monitor. You sit at the head of the table, staring down at it as Fury stands menacingly at Loki, who looks nothing less then intruiged as the camera glares into his eyes. Bruce is leaning in, observing intently as Loki begins to speak again, a sneer curling at his lips.

“The mindless beast, makes play he's still a man. How desperate are you, that you call upon such lost creatures to defend you?” Your eyes slowly drift to Bruce.

“How desperate am I? You threaten my world with war. You steal a force you can't hope to control.” Fury spits, walking slowly towards the glass container holding Loki captive.

“You talk about peace and you kill ’cause it's fun. You have made me very desperate. You might not be glad that you did.”

“Ooh. It burns you to come so close. To have the Tesseract, to have power, unlimited power. And for what?” A smirk spreads across his face slowly.

 “A warm light for all mankind to share, and then to be reminded what real power is.” His eyes are cold and calculating, surveying Fury with a superior air.

“Well, you let me know if Real Power wants a magazine or something.” The SHIELD Director says with a scoff, before walking out of the frame. You lean forward, trying to glimpse where he had gone, eyes narrowed as you focus on Loki’s clenched jaw and determined gaze. The screen zips to black as you lean back in your chair as Steve lets out an airy chuckle.

“He really grows on you, doesn’t he?” You remark, turning a sympathetic eye towards Bruce.

“Loki's gonna drag this out. So, Thor, what's his play?” You turn towards the muscly Norse god, eyeing as he simply stands there in stunned silence.

“He has an army called the Chitauri. They're not of Asgard or any world known. He means to lead them against your people. They will win him the earth. In return, I suspect, for the Tesseract.” His booming voice declares, as you shift uncomfortably in your seat.

“An army from outer space?” Steve says incredulously.

“So he’s building another portal. That’s what he needs Eric Selvig for.” Bruce speaks up, removing his glasses. You rub your head, trying to nurse the ache that was building up.

“Okay, I’m too tired for this. Goodbye.” You stand from your chair, flashing Bruce a smile before walking out the door. The breeze is cooler and inviting, as you begin to make your way to the room you were to stay in. As you flop onto the bed, the comforter seems to pull you into the white plush. Kicking off your shoes lazily, you close your eyes, letting sleep pull you under.

“Mummy!” You squeal, chasing her upon your little legs. She turns, her eyes worried as she gasps.

“Darling! Why aren’t you with Daddy! It isn’t safe, you must go now!” Her voice is soft and urgent as she ushers you along. You cross your arms as she picks you up, and begin to cry and kick.

“I don’t want Daddy! I want mummy!” You pout, sniffing miserably as she groans, letting you go. You begin to sob as you hit the ground hard. A thick arm wraps around you as she walks away briskly, not turning her head.

“whose that Lisa?” A sinister voice remarks as you stand still, puffing out your chest.

“I-I’m Y/N Y/L/N.” The man is around thirty, and he gives you an insincere smile, showcasing the rotting teeth that lay in the gums. He turns to your mother, walking towards her menacingly as she seems to cower into herself, pivoting around to face him.

“Well, why didn’t you say you had a daughter? She could be beneficial for the cause!” He says, tilting her chin up as tears begin to stream down her cheeks. You frown. Suddenly, this guy didn’t seem so nice. He seemed mean and scary. He bends down, his hot breath sour in your face.

“P-Please don’t do this! She i-is only 5!” You mother screams as the man picks you up, walking away.

“Don’t worry Lisa, we’ll take great care of her.” Tears dribble into your mouth as you screech as your mother hurries after you. Her heels click against the marbled floors as she runs after the retreating, burly figure.

“Y/N! Y/N!” She yells, sobs caressing her body.

“My baby! Don’t take my baby!” A loud band echoes around the hall before the voice falls silent. Her eyes are widened in shock as she rocks slightly from side to side, before crumpling to the floor, red staining her abdomen. She does not move.

“Mama!” You screech, kicking around upon his shoulder, reaching desperately for your mother.

“shut up you little brat!” the man roars, shaking you as you break down upon his shoulder.

“Mama! Mama!” You wail miserably, as the man rolls his eyes irritably. You make no notice as he shifts you, reaching into his pocket, and pulling out a syringe. It is filled with thick, yellow liquid, the needle point and sharp as he injects it into your neck. Your eyes lull into the back of your head, as you shudder, before sucumbing to the unconciousness.

“hail hydra.” He whispers in your ear.

“rest well little one. You’ll need it.”

You wake up in a sweat, the distant, distraught cries of your mother still echoing in your head. You sit there for a moment, replaying her trembling screams and desperate, frantic grasps for you. You were the reason your mother was dead. Rubbing your eyes, you sat up and slipped out of bed, opening the door and shutting it quietly. Murmurs erupted from the lab as you padded towards it, squinting your eyes, attempting to adjust your eyes to the bright light. All eyes turn to you, as Steve pauses in his step, running a hand down his face. “just…find the cube.” He sighs, giving you a polite nod as he passes. Bruce furrows his eyebrows at you and your drowsy state.

“You should be sleeping.” He says in a concerned tone, absent-mindedly taking a step towards you. You yawn in response, croaking out an answer.

“So should you.” Your voice is raspy and deeper, and Bruce just loves it. He wants to wake up to it every morning, and to hear your sweet little-

“I’ll leave you lovebirds to it.” Tony interrupts Bruce’s spiralling fantasies, who flushes red even though he knows nobody can hear his thoughts. Tony flashes you a lazy smirk, winking.

“Use protection kids.” You groan at the implication as he slips out of the room, whistling merrily in his step and turn to the beet-red doctor in front of you.

“Tony is a pain in the ass.” His throat feels dry, as he merely nods in response.

“so whatcha been up to?” You watch intently as he immedietaly switches into nerd mode, rambling about gamma radiation and physics. Honestly, you don’t understand a word he says, too focused on the way his eyes shine adorably, and his brow crinkles ever so slightly, the way he uses his hands to animate the scenarios.

“And when the light rays come into contact with-” He pauses as you simply stare at him, spaced out, as he panics internally.

“Sorry am I boring you, oh its just nobody asks me about it, and when I’m nervous I start to just talk and I can’t stop-” He blurts, running a hand through his hair frantically. You laugh at his demeanour, smiling at him softly.

“No, it's just, you’re adorable.” He blushes, ducking his head as curls flop onto his forehead.

“You know Bruce, I think Loki’s wrong.” Buce sighs, rubbing his eyes as you tilt your head, taking a step towards him. The tension seemed to crackle in the air, causing anticipating silence to erupt around the empty room.

“How? He was completely right. I am a mindless monster. I’m nothing but dangerous here.” Your brow furrowed as you shook your head slowly. “How can you say that? Bruce,” You stepped forward once, more, so you were face to face with the doctor, touching his cheek tenderly.

“If anything,” You let out a fond chuckle.

“You’re just a big softie,” You grin tenderly, poking his brawny flesh. Bruce scrunches his nose as a little girl would.

“Softie? Me?” He puffs out his chest playfully, crossing his arms. You roll your eyes, smiling.

“Yeah!” You poke out your tongue.

“Like-like,” You pause for a moment, thinking dramatically as you tap a finger to your head.

“A big, soft, plush, teddy bear!” You squeal as he picks you up, his fingers securing onto your waist, levitating you off the ground. Your faces were mere inches apart, your breath fogging up his glasses as time slows, his lashes fluttering slightly. Your cheeks has flushed to a deep red at the close proximity as you fought the edge to squeak.

“still a teddy bear?” His gruff voice rumbles, the vibrations from his chest sending shockwaves throughout your body. You hum, your mouth to dry to form coherent words. Without a word, you lean forward, fingers grasping his chin and tilting his chin up.

“can I kiss you?” He whispers, chocolate eyes boring into yours. His gaze betrays flickers of nervousness and excitement, as you nod slowly. Bringing your lips closer to his, he pauses for a moment, as if double-checking for your confirmation. You groan, before pulling him in, lips connecting and molding together in one, joyous, electrifying kiss. He smiles against your lips, lowering you slowly onto his work table, pushing screwdrivers and papers out of the way, still attatched to you. As you reluctantly break away, gulping in fresh air, you beam at the man in front of you, his eyes still closed in escatasy.

“You’re my favourite teddy bear.”

[alycemichelleee]

50+ Mods for Aesthetic Gameplay

Lighting Mods

Balance Gshade

Sunblind

Better In-Game Lighting Mod 

No Blur in the Distance

CAS Mods

Simfluencer CAS Background

Stand Still In CAS Mod

More Columns In CAS

Zodiac Signs Mod

Instant CAS Story

Chingyuu Traits

Aesthetic Traits

Minimalist CC Wrench Icon

Unlimited Likes and Dislikes

Tidy CAS

Hair Overlay

More Traits In CAS Mod

World Traveler Aspiration

Preference Plus Mod

Overrides

The Appliance Collection

San Myshuno Billboard Overrides

Bauney Pods Max Headphones

Cocogames Phone Wallpaper

Black Art Painting Mod

Functional Magazines

Ultimate Movie Mods

Cutting Board Override

HD Feet

The Pet Collection

Digital Sketchpad Recolor

Ebonix PC Game Overrides

Brasi's TV Override

Interaction Mods

Go For a Jog Together

Storytelling Socials

Precious Moments

Drama Mod

Expanded Storytelling Relationship Bits

https://www.katie-mods.com/

Greetings Mod

First Impressions Mod

Gameplay Mods

Sim With Shan Traditions

Relationship Pregnancy Overhaul

Immersive Social Bunny

Longer Parties and More Guests

MC Command Center

Ding & Ditch Doorbell

21 Day Season Instead of 28 Days

KiaraSims Events

Basemental Drugs

Wicked Whims

Control Any SIms

Social Network Crossover

Home Regions