#this is like light and near but unjustified

[hauntingblue]

Justice for jolyne wdym emporio defeated pucci

[contact-guy]

I was seized with a fervor and could not rest until I illustrated one of my favorite scenes from Sherlock Holmes: the Adventure of the Devil's Foot. While Holmes and Watson take a holiday in the Cornish countryside for Holmes's health, multiple people in the nearby village are found driven mad or dead from horror. Holmes deduces a substance that was burned in their presence is to blame. With a bit of the mysterious powder and a gas lamp in hand, he proposes an experiment to Watson...

content warning for drug use!

I'm not sure if it's supported by the canon but in my mind this is the first time Holmes ever apologies to Watson and he is so overcome with emotion that he immediately makes it weird

Text under the cut:

"It is not for me, my dear Watson, to stand in the way of the official police force. I leave them all the evidence which I found. The poison still remained upon the talc had they the wit to find it. Now, Watson, we will light our lamp; we will, however, take the precaution to open our window to avoid the premature decease of two deserving members of society, and you will seat yourself near that open window in an armchair unless, like a sensible man, you determine to have nothing to do with the affair. Oh, you will see it out, will you? I thought I knew my Watson. This chair I will place opposite yours, so that we may be the same distance from the poison and face to face. The door we will leave ajar. Each is now in a position to watch the other and to bring the experiment to an end should the symptoms seem alarming. Is that all clear? Well, then, I take our powder--or what remains of it--from the envelope, and I lay it above the burning lamp. So! Now, Watson, let us sit down and await developments."

They were not long in coming. I had hardly settled in my chair before I was conscious of a thick, musky odour, subtle and nauseous. At the very first whiff of it my brain and my imagination were beyond all control. A thick, black cloud swirled before my eyes, and my mind told me that in this cloud, unseen as yet, but about to spring out upon my appalled senses, lurked all that was vaguely horrible, all that was monstrous and inconceivably wicked in the universe. Vague shapes swirled and swam amid the dark cloud-bank, each a menace and a warning of something coming, the advent of some unspeakable dweller upon the threshold, whose very shadow would blast my soul. A freezing horror took possession of me. I felt that my hair was rising, that my eyes were protruding, that my mouth was opened, and my tongue like leather. The turmoil within my brain was such that something must surely snap. I tried to scream and was vaguely aware of some hoarse croak which was my own voice, but distant and detached from myself. At the same moment, in some effort of escape, I broke through that cloud of despair and had a glimpse of Holmes's face, white, rigid, and drawn with horror--the very look which I had seen upon the features of the dead. It was that vision which gave me an instant of sanity and of strength. I dashed from my chair, threw my arms round Holmes, and together we lurched through the door, and an instant afterwards had thrown ourselves down upon the grass plot and were lying side by side, conscious only of the glorious sunshine which was bursting its way through the hellish cloud of terror which had girt us in. Slowly it rose from our souls like the mists from a landscape until peace and reason had returned, and we were sitting upon the grass, wiping our clammy foreheads, and looking with apprehension at each other to mark the last traces of that terrific experience which we had undergone.

"Upon my word, Watson!" said Holmes at last with an unsteady voice, "I owe you both my thanks and an apology. It was an unjustifiable experiment even for one's self, and doubly so for a friend. I am really very sorry."

"You know," I answered with some emotion, for I have never seen so much of Holmes's heart before, "that it is my greatest joy and privilege to help you."

He relapsed at once into the half-humorous, half-cynical vein which was his habitual attitude to those about him. "It would be superfluous to drive us mad, my dear Watson," said he. "A candid observer would certainly declare that we were so already before we embarked upon so wild an experiment. I confess that I never imagined that the effect could be so sudden and so severe." He dashed into the cottage, and, reappearing with the burning lamp held at full arm's length, he threw it among a bank of brambles. "We must give the room a little time to clear. I take it, Watson, that you have no longer a shadow of a doubt as to how these tragedies were produced?"

[flowerandblood]

The Crime and Punishment (7)

[ modern! lawyer • Aemond x female ]

[ warnings: sex content, age gap, smut, domination kink, sexual tension, fluff ]

[ description: Aemond becomes a co-owner of one of the largest law firms in the area. He is invited to cooperate by one of the best lawyers he knows. While working in the evenings on further matters at his house, he meets his daughter, much younger than him, whose behavior gives him sleepless nights. Anon Request: Age gap, domination, lots of sexual tension and guilt. ]

* English is not my first language. Please, do not repost. Enjoy! *

Previous and next chapters: Masterlist

_____

Ever since her father caught them almost in the act they decided they had to be more careful. They texted each other and saw each other in the office, but decided to wait with any intimate contact until the business trip that awaited them.

Hannah finished her apprenticeship and she took her place. Surprisingly, now that she was the one handling his files, tidying up his archives, and completing his paperwork, he was completely calm and had no complaints about her work. Everything was going like clockwork.

It was hard for her not to walk over to him and touch him. When he was standing next to her she took his big hand and lead her inside his panties, letting him feel how wet she was because of him.

Sometimes they would stand by his bookcase, kissing like teenagers afraid of being caught by their parents. Both of them were overwhelmed with tension and frustration, but on the other hand they loved this secret relationship.

They had a business trip ahead of them which they both kept thinking about. A very big case was going on in the city a few hours away, and Aemond was the lead defense attorney on the defendant's case. The situation was about millions, bribes and no compensation payments to employees. Aemond believed that the failure to pay proper compensation was fair, but the bribery allegations were made up.

“They have nothing on him, apart from the testimony of one of the employees who allegedly saw such a transaction. No suspicious bank transfers, no sudden large withdrawals, nothing. The young prosecutor deals with this case and wants to shine which is why he is pushing for the strictest sentence. A fucking brat.” He grunted as he sat behind the wheel, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye as she looked through his documents.

They were on their way to the hotel near the courthouse where everything was to take place. There were a lot of witnesses on both sides of the case, there was also quite a lot of media coverage, so they prepared to stay there for a few days. Not that they mind.

She suspected that he wanted nothing more than to fuck her in his hotel room. They had booked two separate apartments for appearances, but she knew she would sleep in his bed. She sighed at his words.

“He will show off and will not give up. I also believe that the accusation of bribery is unjustified. They just want to destroy him. You've got to put that Thomas Moor under pressure, to get him bogged down in his testimony. I don't think he saw anything, just taking revenge on the old boss." She said, reading the file again in the last few days. She felt like she knew them by heart, but she didn't want to disappoint him.

"I know." He murmured low.

She flinched as she felt his free hand on her knee, stroking up and down her thigh, she's been wet since she got in the car. She wanted to ask him to stop somewhere in the woods, undo his fly, and start riding him, fucking him hard. She decided not to show him how desperate she was.

By the time they arrived they had two hours left before the trial. They knew they couldn't be distracted, so each of them went to a different room.

She began to dress, deciding that the light dress she was wearing was not suitable for the courtroom. She put on a black, tight turtleneck and bright, elegant pants fastened with a belt high at the waist. Some of her long hair was tied up in a bun at the back.

She looked at herself in the mirror and decided that she looked nice, elegant and serious, but not old at the same time. She decided not to wear any jacket, leaving herself a little slack. She took the folders with the documents she had to take and left the room, waiting for him in the corridor.

She smiled to herself as he left, his shirt and trousers impeccably arranged and ironed as usual. She wondered if she would be taking those clothes off him today. She saw him look her up and down, feigning indifference. She knew he liked the way she looked and that he was thinking the same thing as her.

"Let's go." He said calmly and they left the hotel, heading across the street to the courthouse.

Aemond didn't change into his attorney's robe until he entered the courtroom. She had seen him in it many times before, but she had never sat next to him.

She brought them both coffee and tea. People began to come inside, the prosecutor appeared on the opposite side. He smiled at them and nodded, but only she smiled back.

After a while the judge came in and everyone got up. A middle-aged man with visible, gray hair opened the trial, briefly stating what they would do and what witnesses would testify.

The prosecutor had priority in asking questions. Their client, seated behind them fidgeted uneasily, pale and tired. It was obvious he hadn't slept through the night.

The prosecutor was very well prepared. He was acutely aware of their client's slightest lapses, his private conflicts with his associates which he theorized, would force him to bribe a few people to keep him in the chair.

He used words like "surely," "as everyone knows," "well known to be," and so on. She thought it was pathetic that he was trying to create an image of their client by mere manipulation, instead of relying on evidence she and Aemond both knew, he didn't have.

She jotted down on small sticky notes any slip-ups she thought were worth noting. Then she taped them to Aemond's briefcase in front of him. He read them, then listened to the prosecutor again, his face set as stone.

Cross-examination of witnesses followed, and Aemond was able to relate to what the prosecutor had said. She heard with satisfaction as, in addition to his own conclusions, he also used her phrases and sayings which she had noted for him.

She watched with a kind of pride as Aemond clarified the situation, explaining slowly that everything that had been said was based on mere conjecture without any physical evidence.

After a few hours, the first day of the trial was closed. Aemond said he'd stay with the client, but if she wanted to she could go eat at the restaurant downstairs. She agreed, because she hadn't eaten anything since the morning due to stress and was dying of hunger.

She stood at the counter, staring at a large refrigerator full of all sorts of sandwiches. Someone stopped next to her, and she thought the man was choosing the products as well, but he turned to her suddenly, causing her surprise.

"Your boss is quite a beast." Said the man she recognized as the prosecutor.

Up close she found him handsome. He had slightly curly, short black hair, dark, large eyes, and something about his smile that would make you uneasy. She thought he was a few years younger than Aemond. She turned her head, looking at him curiously, wondering what he wanted.

"I know." She answered softly and lingeringly, smiling with an inscrutable expression on her face.

They stood side by side, just staring at each other, she could feel the tension between them. She thought that he wanted to spin her a little, maybe take her to the room for a one-time fuck and get a few words out of her about Aemond, so he'd know how to attack him or just to annoy him.

"Are you his assistant?" He asked suddenly, taking a sip of coffee from the disposable cup in his hand. She smiled even wider at his words.

"Not completely." She spoke truthfully.

The prosecutor raised his eyebrows at her words in amusement, tilting his head. He pursed his lips and opened them with a soft, wet click. She could see that he was analyzing something in his head now.

"Interesting." He grunted low, narrowing his eyes.

She thought he was quite a player. That if it weren't for Aemond she might have been tempted. But the only person she wanted to spend the night with was him. She opened her mouth to say something, but his low, cool voice sounded behind her.

"Any problem?" He asked, looking at prosecutor as if he wanted to tear him apart for daring to speak to her. The prosecutor smiled warmly at him, unfazed by his tone of voice.

"No. We were just talking. You have a wonderful assistant." He said, looking her up and down. She knew he was doing it on purpose and somehow it amused her.

“My craving for sandwiches is gone.” She said, walking past him, not paying attention to what Aemond would do.

She walked over to the cupcake stand and saw Aemond say something quickly to prosecutor out of the corner of her eye. He skirted him and headed for the stairs without even waiting for her. She sighed softly as she handed the bill to the clerk, knowing he was furious.

She knocked on his room, eating the rest of the cupcake she had just bought. No one answered and she sighed softly as she sat down on the floor, leaning against his door.

"I'll stay here until you open." She said loudly as she continued eating. She heard someone move in the room, then a key turned in the lock and the door flew open. He looked down at her with an indifferent expression, his gaze cold.

"Do you always have to make such a show of yourself?" He asked impatiently. She frowned as she stood up, swallowing the last bite of her quick meal.

"What have I done to deserve such words?" She asked with slight resentment.

He stared at her enraged, his lips pressed into a line. She moved closer to him, their bodies almost touching. His face remained stone. She was touched by how easily he became jealous of her.

"You know what." He spoke short and low, menacing. She put her hand on his shirt and felt him flinch. She ran her fingers over his chest, looking him straight in the face.

"I don't know. Haven't I been good for you, sir?" She asked softly, her bottom lip slightly parted.

She needed it, she needed him to fuck her, to feel his desperation and desire, to feel him deep inside her. She heard him swallow hard.

He suddenly closed the door behind her and pressed her against it, his tongue forcing its way into her mouth, licking and sucking her, not allowing her to catch her breath.

She began to quickly unbutton his shirt, continuing to kiss him, his hands quickly pulling her turtleneck over her head. Especially for him she put on her lovely cream lace lingerie, sweet and alluring at the same time. He took a deep breath as he saw her bra through which her pink nipples showed slightly.

He lifted her by the hips and carried her deeper into the room, her hands intertwined in his hair, her legs clasped around his waist. He threw himself on the bed with her, massaging her lips with his with a loud, wet click, their kisses one, big mess.

They both unzipped their pants quickly, Aemond moaning low as she immediately removed his boxers. He lay down on top of her, panting heavily with her, both of them on the verge of a nervous breakdown from the frustrations and tension that they were building up between them.

In one swift motion he took off her panties, spreading her thighs in front of him. His thumb brushed over her entry, causing her to arch back with a sweet moan, her juices dripping onto the sheets beneath her.

"He's got you so wet?" He asked low, dangerously, excitingly. She felt her insides tighten at the tone of his voice, commanding and uncompromising. She shook her head, breathing fast, her thighs quivering with thirst.

"N-no, of course not, sir" She mumbled, looking pleadingly at him, her hands clenched helplessly on the pillow beneath her head.

Her body quivered all over, her mouth parting more as he ran his fingers over her quivering, hot womanhood, teasing her clit casually, making her squeal softly beneath him each time. He smiled at the sight, but it was a disturbing smile to say the least.

"You like to play with men, don't you? You like it when they want you." He hissed, his thumb circling once in a while around her clit, giving her a hard, one-time sensation, pausing each time her thighs pushed out toward him for more. She looked at him innocently, her breasts rising and falling restlessly, her whole body trembling.

"I only want you, Aemond, please" She whispered, for some reason, shocked, she felt tears well up in her eyelids.

Frustration, thirst, and helplessness made her want to cry. Seeing this, he stopped suddenly, hesitation on his face. Her lower lip trembled of its own accord, a single tear slid from the corner of her eye onto the pillow.

She saw his gaze soften slowly, his fury receding like clouds dispersing after a storm. His fingers began to massage her more intensively, bolder, finally allowing her to feel the pleasure. She moaned sweetly, her cheeks all red. His mouth dropped open at the sight.

"It's okay. You know I'll take care of you. Do you have to drive me crazy every time?" He asked with irony and frustration, his finger slid inside her suddenly, causing her to lean back with a loud moan of surprise. He rubbed her in a wonderful spot that sent heat through her body, her hips involuntarily responding to his every move.

"I won't anymore, I promise, I promise I'll make you feel so good" She sobbed with pleasure and desire.

She clamped one hand on his shoulder, looking pleadingly at him, his fingers rubbing her cruelly slowly and thoroughly, his head tilted as if in curiosity as he looked at her.

"Please, put him in me already" She mumbled, all red with embarrassment and the heat that was rushing through her body.

His eye lit up dangerously in satisfaction at her words. He hummed appreciatively, pressing his lips together, running his tongue over them.

"I'm not sure you've learned your lesson right yet. I think I need to show you what awaits you if you flirt with other men again." He grunted lowly, taking her thighs in his hands, lifting them slightly.

He leaned over her, his tongue running from her entrance all the way to her clit, making her sob with desire. Her pussy throbbed all over his face, aching with thirst. She felt him smile under his breath, his tongue slowly and carefully licking her moisture that flowed from her with the tip of his tongue.

"Please, sir, please" She moaned helplessly, her fingers tangling hard in his hair, pulling him closer, wanting to feel him more.

"Take what I give you." He growled, his tongue sliding in and out of her, teasing her, driving her crazy.

His hands gripped her thighs painfully tight, not allowing her to move. He licked her with the wet, sticky click of her juices, building more and more tension in her. She felt that even if he only touched her like this, she would come.

"So desperate already?" He asked, panting with desire himself, seeing how he affected her, what a mess she was. She moaned softly at his words, trembling all over.

"Yes, please, I need you so much" She sputtered helplessly, writhing under him, her hips pressing against his face, unable to stop herself. She felt a shiver run through him at her words.

He rose suddenly, turning her over onto her stomach in one firm motion, lifting her hips high, pulling them close to him. She moaned loudly, her hands clenching the sheet as he suddenly slid his cock deep into her, filling her to the very end.

He immediately began to move inside her, fast and hard, panting and moaning with her, defeated. He didn't have the strength to pretend that he didn't need it himself, that he hadn't just dreamed about it for weeks.

"I'm gonna fuck you all night long. Do you understand? I'll cum in you as many times as I want." He hissed, his hands clenched painfully tight on his buttocks, his thighs slapping lewdly against hers with a wet slap, sweat pouring down their bodies with the effort.

His words made her shiver. She tensed up so that he was rubbing her where she most enjoyed it. Her hips responded greedily to his thrusts, wanting to feel him as deeply as possible. She felt her impending fulfillment, heat melting in her lower belly.

"Y-yes, please, please, fuck me!" She sobbed sweetly, helplessly, his thrusts getting more brutal and faster, both of them gasping loudly, as if they were running in a sprint.

She suddenly felt her whole body tense, her voice stuck in her throat. She parted her lips, and after a moment, a broken, loud moan of fulfillment escaped them, her insides tightening painfully on him, making him throw his head back in pleasure.

"Fuck!" He panted with a loud groan as he cum hard, his warm seed gushing inside her, filling her all over, his cock throbbing greedily inside her. "Here you go, babygirl. All my semen, just for you"

"Oh, God, yes" She moaned blissfully, her thighs moving with him a moment longer, wanting to prolong their pleasure.

After a moment he rolled her onto his side and hugged her from behind, burying his face in her hair, his slowly softening cock still deep inside her. Both of them were breathing heavily, unable to calm down, trembling all over.

"Rest for a while." He whispered, brushing the tip of his nose over her ear, her soft purr answering him. "It's going to be a rough night for you."

_____

Aemond Taglist:

(bold means I couldn't tag you)

@its-actually-minicika @notnormalthings-blog @nikstrange @zenka69 @bellaisasleep @k-y-r-a-1 @g-cf2020 @melsunshine @opheliaas-stuff @chainsawsangel @iiamthehybrid @tinykryptonitewerewolf @namoreno @malfoytargaryen @qyburnsghost @aemondsdelight @persephonerinyes @fan-goddess @sweethoneyblossom1 @watercolorskyy @astral-blossoms @randomdragonfires @amirawritespoorly @apollonshootafar @padfooteyes @darylandbethfanforever9

Others: @fangirlninja67 @the-common-cowgirl @glame @xcinnamonmalfoyx @toodlesxcuddles @virtualsweetsqueen @nina2697

[mistressoftherant-blog]

The 2012 Boys and Mikey

I have seen so many posts and fics claiming that most of the '12 boys are abusive towards Mikey, as well as saying that 12 Mikey would be treated so much better by the Rise boys, and I just wanted to take a minute to explain why I don't really agree with this take, why I think it is painting the other 12 boys in a particularly unfair light, and why I can't really see the Rise Donnie treating 12 Mikey in a different way than 12 Donnie.

Firstly, and an argument that probably everyone has heard before, is that whenever Mikey is slapped or is made fun of, this is a normal things for siblings. And I 100% agree with this. I myself only have an older sister, so I can't quite say that I know what having brothers is like, but from my own experiences (and what I've seen/heard from family members and friends), most siblings, especially brothers, will be at each ohers throats both physically and verbally one minute, and the next will be laughing and joking together. Because you know your sibling doesn't really mean it, and most of the time you're giving as good as you get. Which brings me on to my next point, which is that Mikey absolutely gives back as much crap as he gets.

Throughout the series, Mikey is consistently shown to be a stereotypical, annoying little brother. He will constantly poke and prod at his brothers, despite being well aware of their tempers and how they will respond to his taunting (he does this to both Raph and Donnie's tempers, and also messes with them when they are stressed out/scared). He is also very willing to insult his brothers, as they do to him. He's not some innocent baby getting assaulted whenever the mood strikes his siblings, he instigates all the time.

Another thing that irks me is when fanfics portray 12 Donnie as being a worse brother than Rise Donnie for not wanting his Mikey in his lab. This is completely unjustified seeing as both Mikey's are pretty different characters who react to things differently, which in turn influences how their Donnie's treat them. Rise Mikey seems to come across as more mature in many ways than his counterpart. Sure, he still likes to fool around, and he can still be clumsy, but for the most part he seems to be (for lack of a better word) a bit more respectful towards his brothers' boundaries. 12 Mikey, on the other hand, is often shown to be messing around in Donnie's lab/with dangerous things, causing a bunch of accidents and endangering others numerous times. Of course 12 Donnie wouldn't want him anywhere near his lab, Mikey could get hurt, could get someone else hurt, or could destroy a bunch of research/equipment which would mean wasting a bunch of Donnie's time/effort, as well as a need to replace items which are already hard to come by when you are a mutant living in a literal sewer.

I also believe that Rise Donnie would refuse to let 12 Mikey anywhere near his lab after seeing the carnage he regularly causes. No little brother from an alternative dimension privilege would stop Rise Donnie's homicidal tendencies one his lab gets blown up for the nth time after 12 Mikey touches something he was warned to stay away from. His own brothers barely get a pass. Also, the Rise brothers are also shown to hit each other when someone is being too annoying etc (of the top of my head, I know Raph smacks Donnie with a sandal during The clothes don't make the turtle)

This is in no way me bashing 12 Mikey, he doesn't set out to hurt anyone most of the time (again, he does set out to rile his brothers up a lot though), but I'm rather frustrated with people acting like he gets treated absolutely awfully in the show, when half the time he doesn't even get held accountable for his own actions (his negligence mutated ice cream kitty, he gets a cool pet out of it. His actions almost get Donnie's mind destroyed, he somehow manages to create the cure and faces basically no punishment for it. Other characters are punished in similar scenarios, for example, Raph loses Spike due to his mistake with the mutagen, and also almost gets himself and his brothers killed, even when Slash becomes good, it still isn't the same.) It's also unfair to act as if Raph and Donnie are abusive. Sure, they aren't always perfect, and they could probably stand to shout at him and slap him less, bit I think their reactions are mostly justified, and again, fairly standard when it comes to siblings.

12 Splinter also seems to get on Raph and Donnie's cases more for teasing/taunting their brothers, whereas I can't really recall Mikey being told of for doing the same thing (please let me know if I am wrong on that), though that is a whole different kettle of fish, looking at how Splinter definitely favours Leo, and to an extent Mikey, over Donnie and Raph.

[mariacallous]

It was around 5 pm on March 15, and the light was fading fast, when Constantin and Tatiana were attacked by the bear. The young couple, aged 29 and 31 and identified in local media reports only by their first names, were Belarusians living in Poland. But Constantin had been working for the winter as a ski instructor in Jasná, a popular resort in neighboring Slovakia. The winter season was coming to an end, and on a day off he’d decided to go hiking with his girlfriend beneath the 4,718 foot-high peak of Na Jame, in the Slovak national park surrounding the resort. What happened next is not exactly clear, but newspaper reports suggest that when the couple encountered the bear—a young male weighing about 265 pounds—they ran in different directions. Finding himself alone, Constantin tried calling Tatiana. When he failed to get a response, he called mountain rescue. It was dark when they eventually found Tatiana’s body, with the help of a search dog. She’d apparently fallen down a ravine, sustaining fatal injuries to her head.

As with previous bear-related fatalities, both in Slovakia and across Europe, the incident has sparked accusations that conservationists are protecting bears at the expense of people’s safety. In 2021, a 57-year-old man was killed by a bear in the same national park, stoking community tensions about their presence and leading to calls for a cull. As it stands, however, hunting the animals is banned under both Slovakian and European law, and experts argue vociferously that a lack of education—rather than a focus on conservation—is the primary cause of the problem.

“It’s really kicked off here, with the press and politicians I think making some unjustified statements,” says British-born zoologist Robin Rigg. A specialist in large carnivores, Rigg is the chair of the Slovak Wildlife Society, which he set up in 1998, two years after moving to the country. Initial reports suggested that Tatiana might have been killed by the bear itself rather than by her fall, Rigg explains. “And it’s been said in public—actually by someone from the Ministry of the Environment—that it was a predatory attack. But I don’t see the evidence for that.”

Although the animal was near the body when rescuers found Tatiana, “that doesn’t mean the bear was intending to kill and consume her,” Rigg says. He stresses that he hasn’t seen all the evidence, so any conclusions are provisional. But he has seen some of the grisly photos that were leaked to the media, “and none of them show signs of consumption.” Puncture marks found in the young woman’s leg, he says, “look like claw marks—they’re not signs of feeding.” “It's extremely rare in Europe to have predatory attacks, and it’s not a common thing anywhere in the world,” Riggs says. This incident occurred in an area where bears are known to hibernate, at a time of year when they are just waking up. “And what can sometimes happen is that the bear reacts aggressively in defending itself, which is what I think is most likely to have happened in this case—that it was startled by these two people appearing,” Rigg says. Unfortunately, this kind of nuance doesn’t often feature in coverage of bear attacks. “You’re actually more likely, statistically, to get hit by lightning or have an allergic reaction to a bee sting,” Rigg says, “but people don’t worry as much about that as they do about a big animal with sharp teeth and claws. It goes back to an instinctive fear that’s been with us since prehistoric times.” The argument that Slovakia’s bears are nothing to be afraid of was further undermined when footage emerged of an animal galloping down a main street in Liptovský Mikuláš just two days after Tatiana’s death. The animal was filmed lunging aggressively at pedestrians, who jumped over fences to escape. No one was seriously hurt, but the video went viral. “And now,” Rigg says, “we’ve had these two incidents within 48 hours of each other, within a few kilometers of each other. So the tendency is to look at them together and ask, ‘What should we do about bears?’” It’s a question that’s become increasingly pressing in recent years—not just in Slovakia but throughout Europe. Having been hunted to the point of extinction in many countries, brown bears had their “strictly protected” status enshrined in EU law in 1992. In most areas where they’re present, bear populations are increasing, and there are now an estimated 17,000 brown bears living in rural areas across the continent. The recovery of this keystone species has been celebrated as a huge win by biologists and biodiversity experts—but it’s not been without its problems.

In the Pyrenees, the mountains that straddle the border between France and Spain, French and Spanish farmers’ unions, sick of dealing with damage to crops, beehives, and livestock, have called for bear numbers to be cut. In the northern Italian province of Trentino, where bears were reintroduced as part of an EU-funded rewilding project, the tragic death of trail runner Andrea Papi in April 2023 brought simmering resentments bubbling up to the surface. To the horror of local scientists, Trentino’s right-wing populist president, Maurizio Fugatti, proposed killing half of the carefully nurtured population of around 120 bears overnight.

Yet, experts say, culling bears is far from the best way to prevent future tragedies. In the wake of Andrea Papi’s death, the local natural history museum invited Tom Smith, a bear management specialist from Utah’s Brigham Young University, to give a talk about how such issues are dealt with in North America. In a sign of how high community tensions were running, the museum took the unusual step of posting an armed guard at the entrance. In his talk, Smith suggested that the solutions were relatively simple: “What you have here isn’t necessarily a bear problem, it’s a people problem,” he said. Unlike in North America, where people in bear areas have grown up with the animals, Europeans living near recently recovered populations don’t necessarily know how to behave. But with some basic bear-awareness training—of the kind that’s taught “in kindergarten” in some Canadian provinces—the number of dangerous or fatal encounters could be vastly reduced. Smith runs the North American Human-Bear Conflict Database, which contains detailed information on 2,175 historic attacks, with “a quarter-million data points.” “What I’ve learned by studying these events,” he told the crowd, “is that 60 percent of them were totally unnecessary—and could have been avoided if people had behaved differently.” In an interview a few days later, Smith talked specifically about Papi’s death, telling WIRED, “I can go through the details and say, ‘You should never do that, or that, or that,’ and it’s not victim blaming, it’s trying to say, look, this was fully preventable.” Tragically, this also appears to have been the case in Slovakia. “Unfortunately, the route that they chose was a very risky one,” Rigg says. “It’s not a recognized hiking route, and it’s a part of the park that’s strictly protected, so they shouldn’t have been there. Added to that, it’s a limestone area, and that’s an area I’d expect there would be denning bears.” The encounter happened around dusk, when crepuscular creatures like brown bears tend to be more active.

And by running away from the animal—particularly by running away in different directions—the couple inadvertently made the situation a whole lot worse. “It would have been better if they’d stayed together and tried to stay calm if possible,” Rigg says, because bears almost never attack people in groups. In the entire North American Human-Bear Conflict Database, Tom Smith said, there’s not “a single case where two people stood their ground and the bear attacked.”

While the human tragedy of Constantin and Tatiana made headlines, the incident may prove damaging to bears too, affecting conservation efforts across Europe. Slovakia’s government (which, like Trentino’s, is right-wing populist) has called for the EU to strip bears of their “strictly protected” status. Adalbert Jahnz, a European Commission environment spokesperson, said he couldn’t comment on these specific calls.

But the decision in December to downgrade wolves from “strictly protected” to “protected,” a status that would allow hunting, has biologists and biodiversity experts worried. “It’s partly political posturing,” says Rigg of the Slovak government’s recent statements, “but I think they really want to try to make that happen—and they probably feel that there’s a bit of an open door now because of what happened with the wolf recently.”

[iced-sympathy]

14, 16 and 20 please

The one thing I see in fics all the time is - well, let me just write you the most generic version of a Death Note fanfic I can think of: Even though L and Light want to kill one another and win the game, they find that spending time together is fun actually because they're experiencing a real challenge for the first time. Uh-oh - things are getting complicated because now that they've found the one person that they can consider a peer, they don't want the game to end! The homerotic tension is sweltering. They have the kinkiest, most dubiously consensual sex ever and they definitely don't get distracted from their goals or catch feelings. They're here to win, after all. Oh no, they've caught feelings! I guess they'll have to decide between kidnapping, murder, coercion, or persuading the other to their side. If only this pesky Kira case didn't exist, they could be together and walk towards the sunset holding hands. Like any good couple, they compromise without murder and make some kind of cursed deal with an unjustifiable tradeoff, or give up their power for the other. And they live happily ever after arguing and solving cases together!

I can't understand why so many people like mundane tropes for Death Note (e.g. coffee shop au, no supernatural elements au, etc…). On some level I get that it's a relief from all doom and gloom - but I can't get excited about a fic if everything that makes the original story dramatic is taken out (unless you add something else dramatic back in). Basically, I need Lawlight to be foaming at the mouth trying to murder each other in order to get horny.

Part 2 kind of dragged on, so I found parts of it tedious. I was uninterested in Light seducing Takada or Misa and Takada fighting. There are some dramatic moments, but it's less personal because Near, Mello and Light are not generally all up in each other's business like L and Light were. It's all cold mind games from a distance. At least we got some passion from Mello because of his strong feelings about Near.

[the-starry-seas]

yeah i'm watching the borderlands movie, liveblogging-style commentary below

spoiler-free tldr: dedication to aesthetics and easter eggs. a handful of funny lines. about half of them didn't land at all. the lack of blood is rather unforgivable. would've been a 6.5/10 if that exact script was for different brand-new characters. as it is, 3/10 due to the character assassination

no reason for tiny tina to not be blowing the shit out of random things what is this girl doing ??????????????? character assassination

roland kinda gives me bl1 vibes but i'm still not even vaguely sold on hart's casting

probably the only psycho to not be screaming about meat bicycles 0/10 also that jumpsuit just looks... cheap. love the mask though.

wym knox

is that supposed to be a skag?

MARCUS WOOOOOO honestly this guy nailed it good job. though the ponytail... i'm confused. did i just never notice marcus had long hair? (one google later: yeah i'm unobservant as shit)

i don't recall anywhere but the literal actual dump in bl1 looking anything like this. krom is an interesting namedrop though

oh fuck yeah i love seeing robot POV- oh shit they're canonising lilith's last name being cashlin?

oh shit i know that bunty board mission look!!!! nice tbh

this voiceover is. not working for me however.

okay i love everything about claptrap, this is the obnoxious twerp that i know and... tolerate. yeah, let's go with tolerate. "even completely unjustified ones like yours" HAH

yeah lilith i feel that violence/expression combo

i cannot at all understand how the echonot is... a bot-only thing? but then again there's no other reason to have him tag along

OH SHIT I KNOW THOSE CROSSHAIRS

ah those fucking rakk

bunny! i know that bunny! got a booty like POW

LMAO good going tina finally she bears some resemblance to canon

zero reason for lilith to not teleport here but i guess they're saving the siren reveal? for some reason?

"LIKEABITCH" "MY BIG BRUDDAAAA" i kinda like it tbh. she was never going to be tina in a pg-13 movie but this is near-ish enough that i'm not upset

where's krieg during all of this exactly? ah there we go

wilhelm scream!

cgi on teh creature is looking a little shaky

claptrap's dedication to annoyingly singing everything, yeah, it tracks

okay so characterisation is... y'all've heard everyone bitching since the first trailer, right? but tina and krieg BFFs are growing on me and i'd read the fanfic

i'm not over krieg having hair sorry i even googled to make sure he didn't in bl2

SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLE

could they not have worn normal masks instead of whatever these glowy cyberpunk things are?

"kriegy give me a ride!" oh they're cute

w. what is moxxi's accent? also why does lilith have mommy issues suddenly

temu tannis. honestly i think the casting for her isn't horrible, and the characterisation isn't as bad as some other characters, but it's still not what i'd expect

i'm not buying eridian clone. do we not remember what eridians look like.

this is supposed to be sanctuary???? geez they had so many other visual things nailed, i don't. get that. arguably one of the most iconic places in the series, idk how it's That

oh shit, caustic caverns?

yeah tina and krieg are everything to me

"hope blooms in the strangest places" coming from tina is the worst, it's a perfectly fine line but from TINA? would've been fine from lilith

i am not buying that knife-throwing action, would it have been so hard to find a stunt guy who knew how to do that already?

an ambush by dozens of enemies sure would be a nice time for some siren powers but tbf that is some pretty smooth gunwork

krieg dragging claptrap up the staircae and hitting every stair along the way LMAO

would it have killed them to have ANY lighting in that hallway

no way on earth did tina just snap a guy's neck

IT'S TIME TO BLEEEED HAHAHA yeah i'll give em that one, nice

at this point i'm wondering if lilith is human. with the characterisation in this movie it would not surprise me if tina was a siren instead. and siren tina could be cool! but c'mon. ah so tina teleported them. yep.

firehawk is what? i mean i don't mind it. but. canon, y'all. then again tina is phasewalking so

oh no way did roland survive that

that certainly is a scene that happened

was this one of the workers' villages that got abandoned when the corporations pulled out? bandits attacked and she got orphaned, sent offworld, and fell in with a violent crowd? that's actually a decent backstory tbh, it's just. not lilith's backstory.

i swear this hole place looks familiar i just can't place which map it's from

oh that miniboss-looking dude has a baller design

OH IT'S THE SYRINGE NOISE WOO

that was dumb as hell, killing knox like that

OH FINALLY SIREN POWERS and looks like rewriting the elevator bit yeah it was phasewalking after all

"you have my word" oh yeah that's valuable

"i have to open it" you could just. teleport them out. like you teleported in. could you not. or just kill atlas.

okay the vault arch building does look pretty neat

FIREHAWK WINGS YES

whatever cgi they're doing with floating lilith... i don't like that.

Do Not Hurt The Tina

Do Not Hurt The Krieg

okay the firehawk shield effects are pretty cool

NOBODY KILLS ME BUT ME YEAH

i will always support kids being able to beat up their abusive parents

ooh hentai

ELLIE AND SCOOTER ELLIE AND SCOOTER ELLIE AND SCOOTER ELLIE AND SCOOTER

i still don't get these shantytown vibes for sanctuary but i do love me some fireworks

glorious meat fiesta

"come onnn do the thing" i love when characters say that and the other character is all naaah but then gives in almost immediately cause they love the person asking

FIREHAWK IN THE SKY ALERT DEEPLY FUCKING COOL

[tiny-minecraft-rabbit]

Day 1: Protection

Using my own prompt list: here. You can also read this and every prompt as they come on AO3.

Summary:

Martyn stands guard at the doors of his King's home, believing him to be in danger. Ren just wants his Hand back inside.

Martyn paced outside the wide entrance of Ren's home, hand on the hilt of his sword. Ren had told him it wasn't necessary, that he could take very well care of himself, but he wasn't the one that had heard what the townsfolk had said.

They were calling for his head, like Ren had done anything worthy of such a thing.

Now, the hunting party coming after Ren was hardly the first. The great Red King of the Red Mountain Peaks had faced many foe over the years. Martyn being one of them. There was a bounty worth his weight in gold on Ren, one that Martyn had sought after at one point and learned to regret his attempt. A bounty which was completely unjustified. People just didn't like having something bigger than them nearby, too scared of what he could do to care that he hadn't done anything at all.

Martyn could feel every step of Ren coming to the door, despite the king's attempt to tread lightly. He didn't look up at him, pointedly scanning the horizon, even as Ren spoke, "Martyn, come inside. Everything is alright, man."

His hand tightened on the sword, "They're bringing a wizard. They're bringing an army. I will not stand idly while they threaten my king."

Ren huffed, and Martyn can hear him kneeling. No other king would even consider lowering themselves, especially to someone so small and insignificant as Martyn. It was something so unique to Ren, even if the other claimed it was nothing special. "I think you will find that I couldn't bear it if my hand was hurt for my own sake."

"I will not stand idly-"

"Neither will I," Ren cut him off. "Come here my hand, let me see you."

Martyn hesitated to look away from the woods. They had the high ground, and you could spot someone from a few miles away, but that was only if the trees gave way. With the new leaves and flowers of spring now in full bloom, you could barely make out the paths.

He turned and looked up at his King. The giant, the monster, the great dog of the peaks. He was enormous, his hand alone would have been able to smash apart his old cottage in a single sweep. Martyn had only ever seen those hands be used for a gentleness they didn't look made for. Now one of those hands was flat on the floor, fingers slightly curled in. Martyn climbed in it without a second thought.

Ren waited until he was steady to lift him up to his nose. The one flaw of his king, he was near blind, his light blue eyes took in too much light, leaving his vision spotty at best. "There we are. Dear Martyn, my precious little hand, so dashing," Ren purred, his other hand brushing against his back and a finger curling to rub his head gently. "Will you allow me to bring you back inside now? Night is approaching, there will be no crusade against me today. Everything is alright, dude."

He couldn't help but let the smile slip into place as he leaned into his king's touch, appreciating the words. Only his king.

"If I go in now, we won't see their torches," He insisted, glancing once more over the woods. He could just barely make out the little village at the base.

"We can watch from the windows," Ren compromised.

They wouldn't. The moment they reentered the Dogwarts Ren would find a million things to distract him with. He'd have to spend the whole morning trekking through the woods looking for signs of the hunting party coming to kill his king, just like he had every day since he had come back from his trip to town. He may again find nothing, or he may find something worse. He held his breath for the day he spotted the wizard the townsfolk had acquired.

"Alright. As you wish, my king," Martyn conceded, bowing his head.

Ren grinned, his mouth filled with sharp canines that Martyn could not find in him to fear. For how could he ever fear his king. Ren stood slowly, and Martyn's whole world swayed as he was brought far above the ground until he was securely held against Ren's chest. They stepped inside, the stone doors closing behind them.

[knifeforarequiem]

Light Yagami Memories

Copied and pasted from my memories page.

It is curious I was assigned to become God in two lifetimes. Anyways, I am proud of my life as Kira. I do not believe that my actions were unjustified at all and this is my favorite lifetime. I am still passionate about my ideal of ridding the world of criminals, although unfortunately I do not have the death note anymore. Every single person I got rid of deserved it and if you disagree I’m blocking you immediately. It’s suspicious that you think criminals deserve to live.

I am not fond of Misa because she was actually very abusive and clingy, so please don’t interact if you’re Misa. She ignored my boundaries a lot. As a result I really dislike goth girls. I didn’t return Misa’s feelings but I was in love with L. He didn’t return my feelings though which sent me into an intense mental breakdown - maybe what I did afterwards was wrong but I felt like I had no choice but to get rid of him too. If you’re L please contact so I can apologize. I HATE NEAR. DO NOT INTERACT IF YOU LIKE OR ARE HIM OR INTERACT WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE HIM.

One more thing. I heavily dislike those who portray Light as some mentally ill freak or crazy evil mastermind. It’s incredibly insulting and disrespectful. I do not trust you or your politics if you don’t support my actions and I will be looking through your blog because you are probably a TERF or racist.

Another fond memory I have is my short relationship with Teru Mikami after mourning the death of L. We briefly went through a phase of killing individuals within BDSM relationships due to a moral clash, as sick individuals like this wouldn't make for productive workers in our society. We also killed had a particular focus on violent crime and drug crime. Now, the only stance I disagree with is killing individuals who practiced BDSM. Other than this, I'd say that my lifetime as Light Yagami was completely justified.

If any of these memories are familiar to you(L) please reach out. DO NOT INTERACT IF YOU ALSO CLAIM TO BE ME(LIGHT YAGAMI) OR N*AR. YOU WILL BE BLOCKED IMMEDIATELY.

[prettyboykatsuki]

I really hope this doesn’t sound awful and if it does I truly apologize, but maybe you could write the fic for yourself? Like, if it’s a story that’s near and dear to your heart, and you don’t want people to react in a (unjustifiably) negative way because of the specifics of the reader, I totally think you could write it as a story for you first and foremost and kind of keep it as your passion project of sorts? Does that make sense? I really don’t mean to sound dismissive of it or act like you absolutely shouldn’t publish it, but I do think that that’s a valid option and you could do whatever you want that way without worrying about having to worry about catering to an audience, if that makes sense.

Again, I really hope this doesn’t sound like I don’t think you should publish the fic at all, because I promise that wasn’t my intention! I just think that it’s totally valid if you want to write the story your way, stress-free, and just not end up sharing it publicly. I really hope that makes sense!!! /pos

no no actually this is a really great point!! it doesn't sound dismissive to me and u are right. i do think i write most things for me but its also a lot harder for me to justify writing things completely for myself because the writing process is very difficult and im like (?) unreliable. idk how to explain but i always feel like. SO weirdly guilty writing self-indulgent things

prince todoroki would be a HUGE passion project and there was a point in writing it where i really did completely intend to keep it to myself but then i took a long hiatus from writing it. now that ive steeled myself (kinda) to write it all the way and give it the love it deserves - i do want to share it with people but because of how much i poured into it. BUT any negative feedback i think will kill me dead. im way more okay with it on other fics but not this one for some reason

i do think i will take this advice and at least pretend that this fic will never see the light of day. this was a really good reminder for me actually and i genuinely from the bottom of my heart really appreciate it. and everyones patience with this public breakdown i have semi-anually about this fic in particular KJFDHKJS. i know it can get annoying but this is my Writing Blog where i talk about Writing so i hope ppl can put up w it. i promise a quality fic in return and thanks for not jumping ship on me when i inevitably change my mind on things.

I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!

[bopinion]

2023 / 26

Aperçu of the week:

"Ah - does one check what one wishes for?"

(Voltaire)

Bad News of the Week:

It has been one week since the far-right AfD (Alternative für Deutschland / Alternative for Germany) held political office for the first time with the regional administrator in the Sonneberg district of Thuringia. Since then, shock waves have been running through the country. This, is the word, is a breach of the dam and a bad omen for the upcoming state elections in the eastern states, where the AfD is in some cases ahead in the forecasts. There is talk of firewalls that must now be erected against the right, and it is the task of the democratic parties to prevent the AfD from gaining power.

Yet this development was actually seen coming. Many East Germans still feel that they are being treated as second-class citizens, which is not true. And the tendency toward populism and extreme views, especially toward minorities such as migrants or Muslims, is almost traditionally high in the east. Apparently, many are simply no longer reached by the "mainstream parties" that like to be lumped together ("Those up there in Berlin are all the same..."). There is a lesson to be learned from this. Or at least it should.

The conservative CDU and CSU have apparently learned nothing from this. They cannot understand why a fundamental, albeit hardly justified, dissatisfaction with the traffic light coalition of Social Democrats, Greens and Liberals governing at the federal level is not paying into their account. And what is party and parliamentary group chairman Friedrich Merz doing? He is also veering toward populism.

On the leading news portal spiegel.de stood last Monday - as pretty much first reactions - two messages more memorable one above the other. Above, a journalist writes in the commentary "Those who stayed at home are the problem" about the fact that a voter turnout of 60% (in the district council election in Sonneberg) means that 40% apparently did/do not care whether an extreme right-wing party rules their district. And below that you can read "Reaction to AfD triumph: Merz announces tougher course against Greens". Excuse me?

So the conservatives really want to seek your salvation in not fighting against the AfD, but instead even swinging to its course, positioning themselves against a supposed left? Even though the CDU currently governs together with the Greens in six (!) German states? By the way, there are only three other governing constellations, so the Greens are currently their primary political partner. And they are now to be attacked primarily in order to sharpen the own profile. And that should then convince a conservative clientele not to vote for the AfD (anymore).

I'm curious to see what course the respective CDU state associations will take in the next election. So far, we've heard mostly good things about the joint work with the Greens at the state level. This questionable approach already proves one thing to me: Friedrich Merz, who was not politically active at all during the long years of the Merkel government, has not yet arrived in the current reality. Please explain this to him by someone from his party. Otherwise, the far-right will continue to grow stronger.

PS: Yesterday the first AfD mayor in Germany was elected in Raguhn-Jeßnitz / Saxony-Anhalt. Pandora's box seems to be opened...

Good News of the Week:

France is on fire. The 17-year-old Nahel M. with a migrant background is unjustifiably shot by a policeman on Tuesday morning during a traffic control in Nanterre near Paris, the video evidence is clear. Since then, there have been serious riots all over France: hundreds of cars are set on fire, stores are looted, town halls are stormed. 45,000 police officers are on the streets every night, public transport is at a standstill, there are isolated curfews, and dozens of rioters - often frighteningly young - are taken into custody every day.

So far, so bad. But it's the things you don't see in the media for days that are remarkable - remarkably good. A state force that automatically stands protectively in front of one of its police officers? No, a press conference by the prosecutor Pascal Prache of Nanterre says "The legal conditions for the use of the weapon are not met." The policeman remains in custody, under investigation for second-degree murder. And Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne acknowledged already one day after the incident that the police operation "clearly did not comply with the rules of engagement for police."

A grieving family condemning a systemically racist police force and showing solidarity with the protests? No, the mother Mounia M. says "I don't blame the police, I blame one person." And grandmother Nadia M. calls for an end to the violence: "We don't want the rioters to destroy stores, buses and schools. They are using Nahel as an excuse. We want the situation to calm down. I want this to stop." She said people should stop the nonsense, adding that the judiciary will do its job.

A president who uncompromisingly takes a hard line against the riots? No, Emmanuel Macron calls the riots "inexcusable," but the death of Nahel M. "unforgivable" - and so far refuses to declare the state of emergency demanded by many. Participation in the EU summit, a government trip to Germany, countless appointments: canceled, the captain remains on the bridge, his statements are serious but moderate.

Representatives of minorities showing understanding for the outbreak of violence as a logical consequence of oppression and two-class society? No, for example, soccer superstar Kylian Mbappé also wrote on behalf of the national team that they were "shocked by the brutal death of the young Nahel." But just also: "Since this tragic event, we have witnessed the expression of popular anger, the content of which we understand, but the form of which we cannot approve." Violence, he commented, should give way to "other peaceful and constructive expressions."

All of this is good. Because only a differentiated, balanced approach by all French people can fill in the rifts in society. Which have existed not only since the tragic death of this teenager. And bring peace back to the country - including Nahel M.'s family.

Personal happy moment of the week:

We started the new table tennis season. And have already played a few hours in the first week. Especially because my son has recently discovered this hobby for himself at school. Fortunately, I can rely on my muscle memory: I haven't lost a game yet.

I couldn't care less...

...about the US Supreme Court and its landmark decisions. The partisan political influence is so obvious that one is reminded of banana republics.

As I write this...

...I am thinking about Putin. Because a colleague told me about an interesting theory about the short uprising of the Wagner mercenary troops in Russia last weekend: the whole thing was a fake staged by the Kremlin or even Vladimir Putin himself. With three goals. First, to test whether and how the elites stand by him and his position of power. Second, to test whether and how the population stands by his "special military operation" and his leadership. And third, to prepare the ground for declaring a general mobilization after all - since the need for a more broadly based military force has finally become apparent. Seems absurd? Haven't cracks in the system and crumbling control shown instead? Well, who knows? Maybe the history books will one day.

Post Scriptum

My symbolic thinker Aristotle is wearing a green awareness ribbon in the second half of 2023. As a sign of the planet earth threatened by our actions. The protection of which mankind still does not consistently tackle, although it has actually arbitrary reasons for it. After all, nothing less than survival is at stake. In his hand he holds a fictitious issue of Time magazine with the cover "The return of history", in which the graphic artist Patrick Mulder has given a Putin portrait a Hitler beard. As his policies increasingly bear fascist traits and threaten to drag all of Europe into an abyss.

[sunstranded]

Letter of Appreciation: To the INFPs, INTJ

Much like INTPs I someway somehow attract INFPs. I do not know how. So in my actually diverse set of friends, I have more INFPs. Shocker. How could these folks even want to be near me would be a question I dare not ask.

Dear INFPs,

You are the type that I would not need much effort to tell. I just feel compelled to be protective of those INFPs that can actually deal with me. I have an anecdote for this very letter.

An INFP approached me, knowing I was gay just vis a vis my appearance. We hung out not out of obligation but some need for camaraderie. It led to interest and before anyone would think it developed romantically, no dear god. It was more of me dragging that INFP out of the sad glass closet. They apparently liked me for my real but warm presence whatever that means. But simultaneously they always say I'm this "final boss" and honestly I don't even want to unpack what that is supposed to mean.

I appreciate INFPs... true-to-self, soft with the blaring lights of "protect this" way of carrying themselves. It was sad to have met one that had experienced something I frequently do for being unapologetically myself and succumbed to just masking to appease whoever is in front of them. I am glad to have met them and helped them be more of who they really are. I acknowledge we all have our own masquerades but it can be tiring to keep up a mask, all I could really offer is be uncaring of whether one would prefer to keep that mask or not with me.

But I do appreciate how INFPs are the type I can talk to without feeling like I'm talking about myself for too much because they always reply something about themselves back and I prefer that. I like listening to persons as much as I like taking to persons. By persons I mean individuals, and each individual has a story to tell but not always do they find an enthused listener.

However what I appreciate the most is when you witness an INFP being real when someone or something that is being or is outright bad and unjustifiable. They have a down to earth ethic/moral code/principle and by jove is that a beaut. I do not like people enforcing some higher than the world ethic and moral code on people. Though that is a conversation for a different post. I just really appreciate and feel like the world would be a better place if people stop enforcing a higher supernatural code to ethics as if it were black and white but instead continuously work their way into acceptance, understanding, and compromise in difference. I often find that in INFPs I have met and that is something worth appreciating.

Regards,

INTJ

[usagirotten]

Movie Review: Joker: Folie à Deux is a hollow, unnecessary, mean-spirited sequel and a huge disappointment

It's no longer news that major film studios are going through a severe economic and creative crisis, and some of their biggest productions have failed during 2024. Specifically, after 100 years, Warner Bros is not at its best. They have risked a lot and generated so little, that it seems they have abandoned the quality entertainment that was once appreciated by both insiders and outsiders, who turned the studio’s productions into cult classics. In 2019, filmmaker Todd Phillips reinvented one of the most iconic villains of comics, live-action series, animated series, and cinema. Joker went from being just an origin story to becoming an instant classic. Its story and cinematography were never seen before, elevating and enriching the character at a time when the multiverse was all the rage. In 2024, a sequel was released, **Joker: Folie à Deux**, which was completely unnecessary. Since its announcement, it has been surrounded by many issues, resulting in extreme controversy and division. It's a film you either love or hate, with massive exposure that polarizes every opinion.

What is Joker: Folie à Deux about?

Two years after the events of the first film, Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is confined to Arkham State Hospital, awaiting trial for his crimes. As he struggles with his dual identity, he meets what he believes to be his true love, the mysterious Harleen "Lee" Quinzel (Lady Gaga). While enduring abuse, he realizes his world of madness is on the verge of collapse.

Talking about a sequel to a film that was complete in itself feels overly ambitious, stretching these characters further when their story had already been told. This story serves as an unnecessary epilogue to what we already saw, with some very interesting plot twists. For starters, much of the film is a musical, something that displeased most viewers and placed it in the eye of a storm of controversy, perhaps unjustified. The first Joker movie was surprising and highly original in its portrayal of a villain in a different light. Despite initial doubts, it became a brilliantly crafted character study, yet disturbing at the same time. It uniquely respected the original material while adding new creative elements. It had one of the best endings, which was fitting for the story being told, a flawless work that didn’t need a sequel. This sequel arrives five years later, apparently out of nowhere when it was first announced. Fans and critics alike were willing to give it a chance, but as production details emerged, our expectations shifted. The fact that the plot became a musical complicates the idea that we are watching the supposed continuation of the story of a murderer and criminal who sparked a significant social movement in Gotham City. **Joker: Folie à Deux** boasts of being an ambitious sequel, which perhaps had more to gain than lose. Some elements could have matched its predecessor, but instead, this feels like a near-total waste of resources and talent. Along the way, they could have explored incredible ideas and significant creative changes to enrich the story further. Unfortunately, the result has not met expectations, thanks to terrible narrative decisions, making this sequel entirely unnecessary. Many of us expected to see this character consolidate his development as the villain that the film itself needed, with subtle yet precise comic book references to make this part of a new universe where Batman could at least be mentioned as the nighttime vigilante trying to rid the city of crime. What started as an origin story could have added depth to the character, giving him new motivations to be even better—or worse—at what he does, in a city on the brink of decay. The film opens with a fantastic animation of Joker fighting with his shadow and singing in a fictional show where he's the protagonist. Afterward, the police break in and violently subdue him, a recurring element in the story to absurdly reflects how violence rules in prison. Then we see Arthur in live-action form, being verbally and physically abused by the guards. Being a murderer, he's treated as such. When meeting with his lawyer, he's charged with five crimes to be evaluated by a psychiatrist, to determine his mental competence for trial. If deemed competent, he will face trial and be placed in an appropriate hospital with trained doctors. His madness is justified by his traumatic childhood, which created a split in his personality—another person living within him called Joker, who committed the murders and caused a popular uprising. The script, written by Scott Silver and Phillips, contains plotlines that this film tries to explore but ultimately go nowhere. It's incredibly disappointing that this falls into complacency, considering how excellently the plot and subplots were explored in the first film. Here, there's very little ambiguity to make us question the protagonist's final fate, cementing more of his madness. The film’s main story focuses on the trial, paralleled with a romance that, at times, feels endless. It could have been entertaining if not for the excessive cuts and re-edits. In the end, the story remains shallow. As for what happens outside of that fantasy world, there's nothing new, original, or surprising to offer. Combined with its unbearable musical numbers, this is one of the most boring superhero films made to date. The musical scenes and dances add much-needed touches of color, along with a change in pace and setting. But calling this a musical is an overstatement. The musical sequences are dull and serve no purpose in advancing the story. Each song tries to have a deeper meaning to justify the actions and madness of Lee and Arthur. The scene from the trailer where they dance on the iconic stairs from the first film isn’t even in the movie, just like the courthouse steps. After establishing its own rules, this sequel betrays them. The main characters have very little development, and there’s no real chemistry between them. There’s no sense of true love or a solid future for both, as each looks out for their interests. A poorly written script, rewritten countless times, prevents these two supposed villains from coexisting in such a chaotic world. The biggest failure of this film is that it’s entirely unnecessary, and it knows it. On the other hand, there are speculations about what the studios did with all of this. The first film wasn't technically produced by Warner Bros. Studios but made with a more modest budget. Warner distributed it because they held the character's rights. Rumor has it that executives pressured Phillips to make a sequel with a higher budget, and after his multiple refusals, they threatened to cancel his future projects. Faced with this, Phillips reunited with Scott Silver to plan a sequel imposed by the studio, hoping it would achieve equal or better results than its predecessor. Many ideas were proposed and rejected by executives, leading Phillips to decide on a musical format, hoping the songs would help tie the scenes together and smooth out the cuts. Unfortunately, this didn’t happen. Whole sequences end abruptly, and the narrative moves in a linear fashion, making **Joker: Folie à Deux** feel like two different films in one: a courtroom drama and interspersed music videos.

Lady Gaga was not initially considered for the cast. Phillips and Phoenix decided on her to create a record inspired by the film and tied to the story—a complementary album called **Harlequin**. Gaga accepted but was disappointed that her character wasn’t the Harley Quinn everyone expected. In the end, she plays a woman obsessed not with Arthur but with the Joker. She’s drawn to his madness to the point of having a sexual relationship and becoming pregnant. In the end, we find out that she’s not even a doctor and isn’t as crazy as she led us to believe. She’s the daughter of a Gotham millionaire with existential traumas who saw in this man the perfect excuse to channel her supposed madness. Phillips planned more than one ending for the film. Among the rumored conclusions, the first had Arthur serving time in Arkham. The second saw him escape trial and begin a crime spree in Gotham City. Finally, the ending we all know: Arthur’s death at the hands of an inmate in the penitentiary. This has caused further dissatisfaction with the audience. As such, there’s little chance of a third installment, which is probably for the best. We hope Warner moves on from projects like this and gives James Gunn a free hand to create a new multiverse. Everything the first film presented is indeed contradicted here, making it seem like none of it happened. The Waynes aren’t mentioned at all, and Arthur’s transformation is reversed. Now he’s a regretful man who no longer wants to be the Joker and is willing to face the consequences of his actions from the first film. All of this is framed in a beautifully shot film that leaves us feeling pity for him. Its message and moral are misplaced, as are everything else. Criminals are treated as such and deserve to be beaten, raped, and humiliated at every turn. The consequences we face must be subject to others' judgment, and finally, if life is going terribly, just sing—life is better when you're singing. Everything here, except for a few redeemable aspects, makes no sense. There’s no shared or symbiotic madness. The hatred and disdain from the audience have played a huge role in its failure. The mistake was comparing it to its predecessor. As a musical, it leaves much to be desired, and as a suspense film, it fails as well. It doesn’t achieve balance, nor does it care to. It’s a strange and highly incomprehensible film. The film’s strengths lie in its technical aspects, which are unfortunately marred by poorly executed narrative and bad directorial choices. The atmosphere, texture, costume design, makeup, and performances are outstanding, far surpassing the story itself. The references are minimal, including Harvey Dent's (Harry Lawtey) appearance as district attorney and his transformation into the villain Two-Face in one scene, as well as the return of two important characters from the first film during the trial. This film exists merely to fulfill the ambitions of a studio on the brink of collapse. Of the $190-200 million it cost, it has grossed just over $20 million worldwide in its first week of release. While this figure might progress over time, several executives will likely lose their jobs. This isn’t about voting off the weakest link, but about building something worthwhile while leaving certain things as they are. **Joker** was a self-contained story in its first installment, and attempting a sequel was both ambitious and foolish. Here we have a clear example of unnecessary projects that add nothing of value, showcasing the studio's lack of originality and capacity to handle characters. Worse yet, it betrays its established foundations. **Joker** was an unexpected experiment that no one anticipated would succeed, but it triumphed with a raw and clear social message. And that’s what we hold onto. The cast includes Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Zazie Beetz, Steve Coogan, Harry Lawtey, and Leigh Gill, all of whom bring undeniable acting talent, doing their best with very little material. The music is once again composed by Hildur Guðnadóttir, with pieces that remind us of the first film, offering nostalgic and deep cuts that underscore the film’s crude and brazen scenes. On the other hand, there’s **Harlequin**, Lady Gaga's album featuring 13 insufferable tracks that could easily have been left out without impacting the film. In conclusion, **Joker: Folie à Deux** is a hollow, unnecessary, and mean-spirited sequel. It presents a trial without tension or emotion, with musical interludes that don’t work despite the talent involved. This is an opportunity that had no direction and was forced into being a complete failure in every sense. Let’s hope the studio's other productions can somehow recoup the investment because, as an audience, we’ve only lost our excitement, time, and money. **Joker: Folie à Deux** is now showing in cinemas nationwide, but we do not recommend it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OKAwz2MsJs Read the full article

[yorkshirereaper]

1. Which areas of Skyrim do they find most beautiful and most dangerous?:

Gianna thinks the snowy mountains are the most beautiful so she adores the throat of the world, but tbh she like the view OF the mountains rather than from. A snowy shady cliff side is her favorite in the light of the moons. She finds the area near markarth most dangerous due to the abundance of forsworn, although individually they don’t pose much of a threat to her.

Sirène loves the coastline. She could sit and sing out over the sea of ghosts for hours. She dislikes travelling through the heavily wooded areas as she tries to avoid bears, dragons, and assassins as much as possible.

Gueniviir is partial to the fall forest around Riften as it reminds her of valenwood, plus as a nightingale she is safe from thievery. She won’t go anywhere near Windhelm for obvious reasons, and she is not a fan of the swampy areas.

2. Which cities do they prefer to stay in and why? Which cities to they avoid at all costs?-

Gianna will stay in any city. She is partial to small villages with fewer guards so she can hunt easier, and she is nervous about solitude because of the whole killing the emperor ordeal, but she stops by from time to time anyway.

Sirène dislikes markarth, windhelm, and Riften. She’s not a big fan of the cold enclosed walls of windhelm or the puzzling layout of markarth, and she’s sick of getting robbed in Riften. When she goes it’s usually to visit the temple of Mara and she stays away from any suspicious characters. She’s not a huge fan of Cold but as the arch mage of the college of winterhold she spends most of her time there, hiding indoors until she can make her way back to solstheim. She likes raven rock and loves Tel Mithryn.

Gueniviir again stays mainly in Riften helping run the thieves guild, but she enjoys staying in whiterun for the cozy atmosphere and she often visits Raven Rock for the company of a particular mercenary

3. What are their religious affiliations, and how does their worship (or lack thereof) affect their day-to-day life?:

Gianna was a follower of talos in her youth, but fell away when she saw how the storm cloaks treated him as a god and used him as an excuse to do despicable deeds to some of her elven friends. Although her vampirism derived from molag bal, she despises what he stands for and refuses any affiliation. She had no affiliation to any aedra or daedra between then and hearing the Night Mother speak, when she asked Cicero to guide her through the DB tenets and tell her about Sithis.

Sirène follows Mara, and sometimes claims dibella as well, though truthfully she is uneducated on dibella worship and just wants to partake in certain debaucheries. However since becoming a student of Master Neloth, she has found herself sucked into the service of Hermaus Mora. Neloth is keeping a rather detached eye on her progression to make sure she doesn’t go mad while in his tower, but Talvas is extremely concerned and has asked Tolfdir personally to observe her while she stays at the college.

Gueniviir was a staunch follower of hircine, but as a nightingale serves only Nocturnal. She finds comfort in serving a higher power since being kicked out of valenwood had taken away a huge part of her identity as a Bosmer.

4. Do they believe the College of Winterhold caused the Great Collapse? If no, what is their theory?

Gianna doesn’t know and doesn’t care. She grew up in falkreath and didn’t have anything to do with the college until after she discovered she was Dragonborn.

Sirène does not believe the college was at fault. She has always been fascinated with the ocean and is sure that a storm caused great waves to overcome the structures of winterhold. She despises the Nords aversion to magic and finds their hatred of the college completely unjustified.

Gueniviir has considered the theory that the mages did it, but assumes it was an accident. She doesn’t particularly care either.

5. Would they be able to live off the land if they were lost in the wilds of Skyrim? How skilled are they at foraging and hunting?:

Gianna would feed off of travelers and animals for blood. Her vampirism would easily protect her from the cold, but finding shelter during the day may prove difficult.

Sirène would suffer greatly from the cold. She could magically keep warm for a bit and summon Atronachs for protection, but she knows far more about alchemical ingredients than edible plants and dislikes killing small animals. However, on the coastline she would be a skilled fisher.

Gueniviir would have no issue. She is an exceptional huntress. The real issue would be keeping her from burning the forest down when she gets cold.

6. What is their opinion on Skyrim's "bandit problem"?

Gianna dislikes bandits. She sees them as cowards crowded together in smelly hovels because they refuse to improve themselves, killing whoever they like just for a few coin. She could easily wipe them all out if properly motivated.

Sirène feels for them. The unforgiving nature of the Nordic culture leads many to abandon their restricted lives and find others who feel the same and abandon civilized society. She doesn’t support them, but wished better for them.

Gueniviir has been friends with many bandits, but still thinks it’s odd that they would choose to live in caves. Still, if threatened she won’t hesitate to tear through a bandit camp with her blades.

7. Do they regret journeying to Skyrim? Or, if they were born in Skyrim, do they wish they could leave?

Gianna wouldn’t leave for good. She was born in skyrim and has left to explore other regions, but finds that other lands are far too warm for her comfort and she always misses the snowy mountains and traditions of her kinfolk.

Sirène regrets coming to skyrim, but she never felt she belonged in cyrodiil either. She wonders if she would feel more comfortable in whatever land her biological father was from, though she doesn’t know where that is or why she is so drawn to the sea.

Gueniviir wishes she could return to valenwood or at least travel to the warm sands of elseweyr, but she is no longer welcome in valenwood and has a duty to the thieves guild. She hopes she can take a trip to elseweyr with Teldryn Sero one day.

8. What is their favorite kind of food that can only be found in Skyrim?

Gianna loves a good Nord mead, as well as the taste of blood of someone drunk off of Nord mead.

Sirène does not enjoy Nord food. However she did get some ideas for preparing seafood from the local fishermen. She doesn’t prepare it exactly the same but uses some of the same spices and herbs.

Gueniviir thinks the deer meat from skyrim is the tastiest she’s ever had. Not as lean and dry as the deer in valenwood and just a little fattier than the deer in cyrodiil.

9. Do they believe in snow/sky whales?:

Gianna has never heard of them

Sirène believes they may be spirits of the ancestors of living whales or perhaps a metaphor for a higher power

Gueniviir believes they are a skooma-induced hallucination. Incidentally, she believes she has seen one while using skooma.

10. Are they a part of any factions, guilds, or organizations?

Gianna is the Listener of the dark brotherhood and had previously been in the dawnguard.

Sirène is the arch mage of the college of winterhold and an “honorary” member of house Telvanni.

Gueniviir is a nightingale and a member of the thieves guild

11. If they are a magic user, what is their favorite school of magic? Do they have a natural talent for magic, or does it require diligence and study?

Gianna uses magic, but doesn’t study and doesn’t have a natural talent for it. She has a handful of very powerful spells she’s perfected, and doesn’t tend to search out more unless it’s convenient for her. Her vampirism did give her a boost to her destruction and conjuration spells.

Sirène is an avid magic user. It comes naturally to her AND she studies hard to improve her abilities. Her preferred schools of study are restoration and alteration.

Gueniviir also uses some basic healing spells and destruction to start fires. She will also use conjuration from time to time if she needs a corpse to fight for her

12. What are their prejudices? What groups have they come to think of as 'other'? Mages? Nords? Elves? Lollygaggers?:

Gianna has worked hard to overcome her learned prejudices against mer, kahjiit, and argonians. She still despises Altmer because she has mostly only met thalmor. Also a couple offensive names may come out if she is fighting an enemy of a different race (she has called a dunmer bandit a knife eared grey skinned bastard or a kahjiit a skooma swilling housecat on more than one occasion. She’s never say that to a friend or ally.)

Sirène is unsure of her paternal lineage and has learned much about most races to try to pinpoint where he may be from, and has no prejudice against any possibility. She’s not immune to believing in stereotypes but generally doesn’t judge anyones intentions or worth before meeting them.

Gueniviir dislikes many nords, altmer, orsimer, and argonians, but she acknowledges that they don’t deserve discrimination. Much of her immediate opinions on them she will thoughtfully shuts down and will try to get to know the person. Years and years of taught prejudice are difficult to overcome, but she works on it.

13. Do they believe the old nordic tales about the Dragonborn? If they are Dragonborn how has their experience differed?

Gianna didn’t believe in the legend until she found out she was Dragonborn. She assumed learning Dovah was just easy and no one else actually tried except the greybeards. Her experience has been less “magical” than the legend claimed, and the power of the voice seems almost underwhelming coming from her own mouth. Still, she does enjoy using it.

Sirène believed that was bullshit until Neloth asked her to bring him the Dragonborn to answer some questions and run some tests. When he showed her a portrait of Gianna, she became furious that she was Dragonborn because sirène knows and hates Gianna. Neloth seemed convinced that she was Dragonborn though, so she obliged.

Gueniviir witnessed Gianna’s power firsthand one day while they both fought a dragon outside of riften, but didn’t realize she was actually Dragonborn. She just thought she knew how to shout like the greybeards.

14. Who is their mentor? Who do they go to most for lessons?

Gianna learned a lot from her father about Nord tradition and self defense. her parents disappeared when she was 19. From then on she had no true mentor, but learned a bit from many people she met, forming her identity independently of expectations. However, after joining the brotherhood, she learned a lot from her dark brothers and sisters, but mostly Cicero (especially after Astrid’s betrayal and death). Occasionally, she will summon her spectral assassin, Lucien Lachance, for moral quandaries and more coherent information about the brotherhood than cicero can provide.

Sirènes mentor is Neloth (though he doesn’t seem too pleased about it) although as of late she has been falling into the grasp of Hermaus Mora

Gueniviir saw Mercer as a mentor until he betrayed her. Her greatest mentor before then was her mother, who still resides in valenwood.

15. How do they feel about consorting with daedra? Do they collect their artifacts? Are there some they would never interact with vs. some they would consider calling upon?

Gianna was highly against consorting with daedra as she doesn’t want another being having power over her. She would only call upon sithis via the night mother.

Sirène tried many allegiances; Mara, dibella, arkay, kyne, even mephala, but truthfully she hadn’t found any comfort or guidance from any of them, besides engaging in carnal delights via dibellas blessing. Now she collects the black books so she can discover all knowledge held in apocrypha.

Gueniviir will call upon hircine to offer her power against the dangers of the wilds and nocturnal for all other issues.

16. What are their opinions on the civil war? Do they support a side or leave them to their own devices

Gianna does not care for petty wars. She dislikes ulfric stormcloaks but also dislikes the imperial legion coming in to tell Nords how to live their lives. And she HATES the thalmor for instigating. She wishes to kill both ulfric and the leader of the imperial army, and every thalmor in existence. She hopes someone will take out a hit on each of them.

Sirène doesn’t give a shit. She wants to stay at tel mithryn to be as far away as she can.

Gueniviir hopes the imperial officers die but also dislikes ulfric stormcloak.

17. Do they have family? Who doe they consider to be family?

Gianna considers the brotherhood to be her family, and Cicero to be her soulmate. Her true family vanished years ago.

Sirène considers her mother and sisters to be family, but hopes to find a link to her bio father to find her extended family.

Gueniviir has a different opinion of what constitutes family. She considers all bosmer to be her kin, and the thieves guild as a kind of adopted family. Anyone she likes and wishes to protect is her family.

18. What is their stance on taking a life? Do they kill without a second thought, in the name of a god or daedra, or do they adhere to pacifism?

Gianna doesn’t give it a thought. They go to sithis or to sovngarde depending on why she kills them, but it doesn’t matter which to her. she will not murder children though.

Sirène doesn’t like to kill unless it’s absolutely necessary. She wishes them peace in their next realm no matter what.

Gueniviir is very selective about killing. She will, but from childhood still harbors the urge to use all of the body and devour all flesh, and she doesn’t like to. It’s too much work and often tastes rancid. She prefers to sneak around enemies.

19. How are they with money? Do they hoard, or do they spend until their pockets are empty and they have to find work again? Have they saved for any houses?

Gianna has loads of coin. Being an assassin pays very well, and she’s not above thievery either. She spends it freely because she is not concerned about having enough. She owns 3 homes already

Sirène tends to over spend on spells, inns, bath houses, and magical items. She will then let Neloth do weird experiments on her or run errands for the college for more coin.

Gueniviir makes a through the thieves guild, but only holds on to what she needs and gives the rest to the homeless and the guild. She donates a lot to the orphanage as well.

20. Can they read?

Gianna’s mother made sure she could read with daily lessons as a child.

Sirène attended a prestigious school in cyrodiil and can read in multiple languages.

Gueniviir reads at the skyrim equivalent of a 2nd grade level. She prefers to draw than write if she wants to get her point across. She reads very slowly as she had no need to until he was about 70 (she is currently 75)

SKYRIM OC ASKS

I wanted to make a more in-depth and lore-building set of questions for people's Skyrim-specific OCs! This can be used as an ask game, or if you just want to answer them all without waiting for people to ask, have at it!

(Thanks to my good fandom buddies for all the suggestions!)

Which areas of Skyrim do they find most beautiful and most dangerous?

Which cities do they prefer to stay in and why? Which cities to they avoid at all costs?

What are their religious affiliations, and how does their worship (or lack thereof) affect their day-to-day life?

Do they believe the College of Winterhold caused the Great Collapse? If no, what is their theory?

Would they be able to live off the land if they were lost in the wilds of Skyrim? How skilled are they at foraging and hunting?

What is their opinion on Skyrim's "bandit problem"?

Do they regret journeying to Skyrim? Or, if they were born in Skyrim, do they wish they could leave?

What is their favorite kind of food that can only be found in Skyrim?

Do they believe in snow/sky whales?

Are they a part of any factions, guilds, or organizations?

If they are a magic user, what is their favorite school of magic? Do they have a natural talent for magic, or does it require diligence and study?

What are their prejudices? What groups have they come to think of as 'other'? Mages? Nords? Elves? Lollygaggers?

Do they believe the old nordic tales about the Dragonborn? If they are Dragonborn how has their experience differed?

Who is their mentor? Who do they go to most for lessons?

How do they feel about consorting with daedra? Do they collect their artifacts? Are there some they would never interact with vs. some they would consider calling upon?

What are their opinions on the civil war? Do they support a side or leave them to their own devices?

Do they have family? Who doe they consider to be family?

What is their stance on taking a life? Do they kill without a second thought, in the name of a god or daedra, or do they adhere to pacifism?

How are they with money? Do they hoard, or do they spend until their pockets are empty and they have to find work again? Have they saved for any houses?

Can they read?

[myprofessormadememakethis]

Pocahontas

The ”peaceful” Pilgrims massacred the Pequots and destroyed their fort near Stonington, Connecticut, in 1637. A 19th-century wood engraving (above) depicts the slaughter. The Granger Collection, NYC

Pocahontas provides insight into the mechanisms that go about justifying the United States’s existence. While the colonizers are villainous, not all of them are criticized. For instance, John Smith is solely there to prove he’s one of the good ones so that the people of the Powhatan (Pocahanta’s tribe) appear to have an unjustified disdain for white people. It sets the tone for a Romeo and Juliet love story between Pocahantas and John Smith that is completely ahistorical and rewrites the violent history. Through the power of love, this couple brokers peace between the colonists and the Powhatans and all is well.

This narrative is somewhere along the lines of the stories white people pass around the turkey at Thanksgiving where they insist they’re not celebrating indigenous genocide but actually their alliance with the people they displaced to occupy their land. Turning a tragedy into a celebration and rape into a love story is beyond disgusting, but the existence of this horrific movie and many Americans’ casual enjoyment harkens back to a question we asked in class. Do Americans have a duty to care about politics? I would say yes. People often say that politics are inconsequential, but politics is built into the walls of your house , on the land you stand, into the movies that defined your childhood. If you never question what is wrong with things like Pocahantas, you let the settler-colonial state win. You let indigenous people be erased.

It’s high time people educate themselves and bring a Native context into their general knowledge of America’s history. I found Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz’s book, “An Indigenous People’s History of the United States,” useful for this very reason. It does not solely focus on Jamestown, but it does provide a comprehensive history of the United States from the perspective of the colonized.

-Ysabella Porche

[paigerro]

Chapter 18 Reflection

This course has been really enjoyable, enlightening, and empowering and I am sad to see it end! It’s been a very interesting time to study economics and I look forward to at least one more course in microeconomics, hopefully this Fall. Would that be the study of market behavior? It’s hard to pick out one concept or theory that was most useful. Overall, I would say that Chapter 11, which covered the Federal Reserve- it’s history, goals, and tools- really answered a lot of questions for me. It was previously a vague entity in my mind, but understanding now what exactly the Fed can and can’t do has made me, at the very least, feel like a more informed citizen. Figure 4 in Chapter 12 on page 243 showed some fascinating graphs of what hyperinflation can look like and I really enjoyed gaping at the four Eastern European economies depicted there. Chapter 8’s Figure 5 which depicts US government debt from 1791-2011 was really interesting, also. In fact, most of the charts and figures offered were incredibly helpful and I would love to see the updated versions of all of them in the next edition of this textbook. There are so many delightful little cliffhangers since this book was published before the Covid-19 pandemic. It was be a treat to see what Mankiw has to say on all of these topics in light of the recent economic turmoil that we’ve been through. This last chapter, as well, that covered the pros and cons of six major macroeconomic debates was very informative. I wish I didn’t have to return this textbook next week because I would like to be able to refer back to this chapter in particular when reading about future economic policies in the news. My thinking was changed throughout the entirety of the course! Most recently my thinking has been challenged on tax reform. I still think that taxing the pants off the ultra wealthy could solve a lot of our economic inequality, but it seems much easier said than done. Especially after our professor’s insight into the intricacies and difficulties with taxing wealthier and after reading this last chapter. The two debates that I thought most important and interesting were the debate over balancing the government’s budget and the debate over tax reform to encourage saving. It seems that, throughout my lifetime in which interest rates have been on the decline or just kept incredibly low, that there’s never been any incentive for my generation to save money. Coupled with a double boom in the housing market and the cost of living, it has seemed just damn near impossible to save for most people around my age. It feels like maybe the two go hand in hand- incentivize saving and balance out our massive government debt. The issue of government debt has seemed to just been treated like a can kicked down the road for some future generation to deal with. As I mentioned in the Chapter 17 Reflection, there are so many issues at hand that have come from this short termist approach to everything in out country. I’m not sure if I’m articulating myself very well, but the kick-the-can approach that policy makers have used over the last 60+ years is starting to feel like there’s not much road left to kick the can down. Even the textbook’s argument against balancing the government’s budget sounded pretty weak and unjustifiable to me. I’m not sure what the answer is to any of these looming economic, environmental, educational, public health and safety, social justice and equality issues is. After taking this course, though, it feels like increasing access to this information, educating the public to be more conscious participants instead of blind reactionaries, would be a good first step.