#to be clear I don't think legality is the core of the issue here

[normal-thoughts-official]

Interesting interview with Francesca Albanese, UN special rappirteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, for those who want to understand the legal standing of Israel and Hamas:

“The right to self-defense that Israel has invoked under Article 51 of the UN Charter is quite clear. It entitles a state to repel an attack that comes from another state. So, the action necessary to repel the attack must be based on its intensity and scope. And it must be proportional.”

[...] “There is jurisprudence of the International Court of Justice that says that self-defense cannot apply in a context of military occupation when, in this case, Israel is occupying another state, another people.”

[...] “In 24, 30 hours, Israel had regained control of its territory. So, as of then, the right of self-defense in its own territory — if self-defense is to be applied — was exhausted.”

[...]

“What Hamas did on Oct. 7 goes beyond what legitimate resistance is, because the massacre of civilians is never justified, cannot be justified. Hamas is to blame for the brutal killing of civilians, because in a context of hostilities, while military targets are legitimate, and killing a soldier is a tragedy, killing a civilian is a war crime. Killing civilians is absolutely prohibited.”

[The link has videos of the interview, all with CC, as well as a written summary of its contents]

[yelenasdiary]

Hey what about Professor Wanda and student R and her punishing R for purposely not doing well in her class and she makes her recite an entire poem while she fucks R👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀

Word for Word

Pairing: Professor! Wanda Maximoff x Student! Reader 

Summary: After not paying attention in class, your professor asks you to stay behind for a little chat. 

Smut | Abuse of Power | Legal Age Gap | Language Warning | Strap on Use (Reader receiving) | Fingering (Reader receiving) | Top! Wanda | Bottom! Reader | Slight Degradation | Mention of Safe Words | 2.3K | 18 + Minors DN!! |

AC: I actually don’t know any poems if I am being honest, I actually used a couple of the poems for this! I hope you enjoy x

"Y/n, can I see you after class please? We need to have a little chat" your professor looked sternly at you as the rest of your classmates rose from their seats and began to make their way out of the room. You sighed and rolled your eyes at the woman who stood tall with confidence at the front of the room. Your plan was working, you finally got the teacher to snap. For weeks, you've been showing little to no interest or attention to the new unit in your literature class. 

It's not that you don't take your studies seriously but when you noticed the way you couldn't stop thinking about your professor in a very, very inappropriate way, you couldn't stop yourself from seeing how far you could get before getting some alone time with the woman. 

"What's the issue now?" you asked in a huff once everybody had left the room. Wanda tilted her head at you as she walked over to your desk, "the issue is your failing my class" she replied in a stern voice. "So? maybe if you taught something interesting, I'd be interested enough to want to learn something" you snapped with a light smirk on your lips. Wanda ignored your smart-arse reply and wandered over towards the classroom door, locking it before you had a chance to say another word. 

"You're not leaving this room until you've recited every poem, we've spoken about in the two weeks" your professor broke the silence as she walked back to her desk at the front of the room. 

"What makes you think I'm going to do that?" you chuckled as you stood up, throwing your back bag over your shoulder. 

"Because you'll do anything I saw when I'm done with you" her words caught your attention as you looked at her, she reached down to her lower draw and pulled out a dark red dildo already attached to a black harness. You stood in shock, not thinking your plan would actually work but you enjoyed messing with her. "What? You think I haven't seen the way you act around me? The short skirts you've been wearing, letting me see the piece of thread you wear as panties?" she added with a raised brow. 

Your eyes looked to the toy that now sat a little too proudly on her desk and you could already tell from the size of it that it was bigger than anything you've used before. "I've tried many different ways to get you to pay attention in my classes, but it seems that your mind is full of dirty thoughts, I shouldn't expect better from a whore. Maybe you'll learn a thing or two with your mouth full" Wanda stepped in front of her desk, tilting her head at you once more. "Come here" she spoke. You didn't hesitate to throw your bag to the floor and walk towards your professor. You looked at her with need, but she only shook her head at you, "so you do listen to instructions, good. Strip" she spoke sternly once again. 

The tone in her voice only sent a throb to your core as you began to undress yourself for the professor, she watched you, taking in every single inch of your bare skin as her eyes fed on your naked body. "On my desk with your legs spread. We don't have much time; you have a test for tomorrow's lesson, and you have a lot to learn!" Wanda spoke and you could've sworn you saw a faint smirk tugging at her lips before you sat yourself up on her desk, spreading your legs to give her a clear view of your already wet and needy pussy. 

"What would you like me to start reciting?" you asked as you watched Wanda walk towards you. Her eyes never left yours as she came in contact with you, running her hands gently up and down your thighs just to watch your cunt clench with need as her hands came closer to where you've been so desperate for her. "What's your safe word?" she asked, ignoring your question. You looked at her while he hands inched closer and closer to your pussy, "M-mango" you replied in a stutter when the woman ran her fingers over your slit. 

"Adorable" she smiled softly, "recite The Sick Rose, without mistakes" Wanda added as she ran her fingers between your folds. Her touch was enough to make you close your eyes with pleasure, wanting to moan whenever she brushed over your clit. Wanda teased you until she was satisfied you were ready to take her fingers. 

"Go on baby, this is what you wanted, isn't it?" she looked up at you as she slid two fingers into your pussy, using your own slick for an easy entrance. 

"O R-rose thou a-art sick" you spoke, letting a moan or two slip as your professor buried her fingers deep inside you, "Keep going, ignore me. I'm just going to play with you for a while" she smirked knowing she had you melting in her hands.

"The invisible worm" you went on, letting your eyes close as Wanda began thrusting her fingers in and out of you. "That flies in th- more!" you broke, throwing your head back and pushing yourself more onto her fingers. Wanda stopped instantly, "I told you no mistakes! Start again" she looked at you, "the longer you play around baby, the longer you'll be waiting" she added as she looked over to the red dildo sitting beside you. 

You nodded, "s-sorry miss" you moaned when she returned to thrusting her fingers deep inside you. "O Rose t-thou art sick. That flies in the night, In the h-howling storm:" with every word, Wanda sped up. Her free hand kept your hips still from thrusting yourself more on her fingers as you chased your building orgasm. "Has f-found out thy bed, of crimson j-joy:" your moans were beginning to make their own decisions causing you to take a few short seconds to get yourself together, trying your best not to stuff up the poem for a second time as Wanda curled her fingers inside you. 

"I didn't say stop, did I?" Wanda looked up at you as she thrusted her fingers as deep as they could possibly go. "And his d-dark secret l-love, does thy life d-destroy!" you completed the poem with a loud moan, throwing your head back once more when you felt your professor slide a third finger inside you. "M-miss! Please!" You begged, knowing your orgasm was balancing on the edge. 

Wanda smirked, "do you want to cum baby?" she asked. You nodded instantly with need, with want. "Please! P-please can I cum?!" You moaned once more. 

"Who's the poem by baby? Tell me who wrote it and when and I'll let you cum" 

The last thing your mind was thinking about was who wrote the poem, let alone when it was published but the need for release was growing stronger with every thrust from the professor. "W-William Blake!" you moaned in an almost scream, "1794!" you added. 

"So you do listen, go on darling, cum!" Wanda instructed, finally something you didn't have to rack your brain to think about. You came hard around her fingers; she slowed her pace down to allow you to ride out your first orgasm. A proud smile tugged at the woman's lips when she slowly pulled her fingers out of your wet pussy, bringing them to her lips and sucking them clean while never breaking the eye contact she shared with you. 

"So sweet" she hummed at your sweetness on her tongue before she reached for the strap on and harness. While you gathered yourself and recovered from your high, Wanda striped herself of her clothing and attached the harness to her waist, "now let's see how well you can listen" her eyes hinted for you to get on your knees. 

Wanda ran her fingers through your hair as you looked up at her, the red toy in your face just waiting to meet the back of your throat. "You're too pretty to be playing these stupid little games darling" she spoke, "if you wanted me to ruin you, all you had to was ask nicely" she added before running the tip of the toy over your lips, "open up baby, it's time for your second lesson" she smirked as you opened your mouth, welcoming the toy as she guided it into your mouth. 

You treated the toy as if it was real, doing everything you'd seen in videos, gagging and making a mess of the toy with your salvia while Wanda read multiple poems along with the author and published dates. Poems from Emily Dickinson, John Keats and Lord Byron where not bedded into your brain while Wanda used your mouth to prepare the toy for you ever growing wet pussy. 

Wanda stopped you and removed the toy from your mouth and a soft and proud smile, "it's a shame I can't have your mouth looking this pretty in class, maybe you'd learn a lot more" she guided you back to your feet before crashing her lips onto yours, smiling against them knowing she now had her own perfect toy to use whenever she wanted, however she wanted. 

"Next you'll recite Wild Nights by Emily Dickinson. No mistakes and no pauses and no moaning or you'll start everything that we've learnt so far" Wanda gently placed you back on her desk on your back, kindly spreading your legs for her to run the tip of her toy through your slick folds. "Word for word" she added as she guided the toy into your already clenching pussy. 

You gripped the edge of your professor's desk to keep yourself from moaning her name at the way she stretched you out, bottoming out as her thumb drew light circles around your clit just to add to your pleasure. "Wild Nights! Wild Nights!" You started, hoping you weren't too loud but nodding at the same time, letting Wanda know it was okay for her to start moving. "Were I with thee, w-wild nights should be" you went on, fighting every need of yourself to moan while your knuckles turned white.

 "Wild Nights should be, 

Our luxury!

Futile the winds

To a heart in port—"

With every word, Wanda thrusted deeper into you, the room full with a mix of your words and the sound of her thighs slapping against your skin. Your head thrown back on the hard desk as your professor had her way with you, pounding into you, giving you more than you thought she could ever give. For weeks of teasing her and trying to get her to snap, this is exactly how you wanted her to take you, if not, even better than you thought. 

"Done with the compass, done with the chart!" You went on. 

"You're taking me so well baby, keep going, I know you're close" Wanda couldn't help herself as she lent down and planted kisses on your neck, careful not to leave a mark. One hand on your left hip while her other hand worked your clit with tight circles, driving you crazy. 

"Rowing in Eden!

Ah! the sea!

Might I but moor

To-night in thee!" You finished with great struggle but when you looked at Wanda she smiled softly, "good job baby, now just lay there and look pretty while I play with you" she placed a hand over one of your hands that gripped her desk with all your might before she kissed your neck once more, "let it out darling, tell me how good I make you feel" she whispered. You moaned, finally! Feeling the way Wanda slid in and out of you with such ease and now being able to vocal show her just how good she truly was making you feel pushed you to the edge. 

"Gonna cum!!" you moaned, wrapping your legs around Wanda's waist to keep her in place as she continued to pound into you. "Yeah? Do you think you deserve it? Are you going to start listening and paying attention in my classes more?" She looked at you with a raised brow, thrusting into you harder if that were even possible. 

"Y-yes! I promise! God, p-please!" You begged in a loud moan. 

"Yes, Miss Maximoff!" Wanda looked you directly in your eyes, secretly she loved when you called her in such a formal matter. 

"Y-yes M-miss Maximoff!" you moaned once more, gripping your professor's arms unaware of how harshly you were digging your nails into her skin. "Cum for my baby, I've got you" Wanda instructed, finally letting you break as you moaned her name once more as you came all over her toy. Wanda lent down, wrapped her arms around you before pulling up into her chest, gently stroking your naked back as your orgasm took you to a place you never thought was possible. 

"You did so good, baby, I've got you" she whispered as you began to come down form your high, clinging to her from your fucked out state. Wanda gently removed herself from inside of you, reaching for the box of tissues that sat on her desk and using them to gently clean you up. 

Moments passed before you began to start dressing yourself, as did Wanda. "If you pass tomorrows test, we'll have another chat" Wanda spoke as she turned to face you. A soft smile tugged at your lips, "and what if I do?" you asked. 

"Don't play games sweetheart, not ones you will lose at anyways" Your professor replied, handing you a practice quiz sheet, "go home and study" she added. 

You left the room that day already thinking of other ways to earn yourself a little after class chat from your literature professor.

Taglist: @red1culous | @sayah13 | @charl-lally | @when-wolves-howl | @bentleywolf29 | @fxckmiup | @lissaaaa145 | @high--power | @parkerdaramitzzzz  | @mmmmokdok | @wackymcstupid | @kiwiana145 | @observeowl | @nattyolw | @ripofflizzie | @goofy-goonie | @makegoodchoices | @wandsmxmff | @apollo2907 | @wandaroman0ff | @dumb-fawkin-bitch | @lovelyy-moonlight | @santana1437 | @fluffyblanketgecko | @puta1 | @inluvwithfictionalwomen | @tintedrose12 | @jaymieflorissssssss | @tita001 | @lizzieslcver | @youralphawolf72 | @donnietarantino | @natashamaximoff69 | @hehehehannahthings | @pandaemonium111 | @secrettoallofyou | @romantic-slaps-on-the-asss | @marvel-fan-2021 | @mmmmokdok | @riveramorylunar | @ripofflizzie | @marvel-madnessx | @scarsw1fe | @toldthatdevil | @itsmv3 | @natashaswife4125 | @katiemay-025 | @aphrcdtes | @romanoffs-widow | @maria-403 | 

If you wanted to be removed from the taglist for smut related fics, please let me know x

[jingerpi]

While I do often reblog posts about privilege experienced by those in the imperial core, even marginalized workers, I do think there is something to be said for colonial subjects within places like the US. While it's certainly important to recognize the benefits of imperialism as well as the fact that there are apartheid systems in the global south largely because of US influence, it's also important to recognize that the US is still a colonialist project and there are people here who live under a pseudo-apartheid. Many already recognize this, but I do want to emphasize it. it's very possible to acknowledge and discuss both of these simultaneously.

Though there are few laws explicitly about race, the ways Black and Indigenous people are treated by this government and legal system are markedly different from how white people are treated by those same institutions. The statistics on incarceration alone paint an extremely clear picture of this. We can conclude the purpose of a system is what it does and say this is intentional, or we can even look at the professed motivations of members of these systems, either way it's very clear that the systems of this country treat Black and Brown people very differently from white people, and even differently from each other in many ways. Black and indigenous communities have their own histories and complexities which are often completely overwritten because of their shared victimization by the USA, as do Latine folks and many other demographics.

More to the original point, while there are some privileges functionally everyone in the US receives, like easy access to the English language as well as the default currency of the USD, many people in these demographics primarily face disadvantages due to their presence in the USA, rather than benefits. While these oppressions aren't necessarily on the same axis', it's important to recognize the Imprisoned Black man utilized for slave labor is not better off for having his ancestors trafficked to the US, as if he weren't in the US he likely wouldn't be forced into slave labor in the first place, due to the racial subjugation that takes place under these systems. That being said!!! there are still people in these conditions in other countries! While being enslaved in the US is worse than being a free man, it is disingenuous to suggest it is the worst oppression Black people face, or that there are no countries which utilize slave labor in this way and have no access to English or the global trade enabled by USD.

To summarize this: while many who face oppression in the US do not face oppression across all the axis' a person in a similar position in an imperialized country would face, this doesn't necessarily mean that being in the US is on the whole a privilege, as many people in these positions would not be experiencing the same conditions of oppression in the first place were they not colonized and enslaved both historically and continually into the present by the USA.

I think it is quite possible to acknowledge and discuss both of these truths, without claiming that indigenous communities somehow benefit from being colonized, or that colonized people in America somehow have it worse than colonized people in other parts of the globe. (seriously please stop saying minorities here have it worse, we do not)

Finally I want to add that while this issue is close to my heart for a number of reasons, I am white and in the imperial core and will necessarily be lacking in experience or understanding. If you're in a similar position please don't stop this discussion here with me and other white people, seek out and read works by people who experience some of the things I've discussed. and if you are one of those (many, many) people colonized, imperialized, or both, by the USA, please don't hesitate for a moment to critique me. This discussion requires more voices than mine, I only want to amplify with my voice, not center the discussion on myself.

[rweoutofthewoods]

Hi! I don't know if it's inappropriate to ask, but what makes an age gap relationship acceptable?

I'm not asking in an judgmental way, it's just that I've always preferred people older than me but I can't see myself liking someone younger than me

I'm just wondering about the morality of it, because sometimes I find it unethical when it's other people, but when it's me, I don't see the problem (like the power imbalance)

Hi! So I’ve decided to say my piece. But also this is my personal opinion I’ve settled on. But I’ve obviously considered these things a lot, so here’s what I think:

An age gap be very unethical and unhealthy just like it can be very healthy and happy. The determinator of this to me is really a few important things:

1. All parties are OF AGE. Big thing, if you’re a minor with someone who’s an adult much older than you… even if you’re eighteen or nineteen… be careful, I’m not encouraging or condoning that. like i remember how absolutely fucking naive and stupid I was at that age, your brain is still growing and developing so much and I implore caution. That’s why that’s a big theme in Tennessee Baby, showing that while it’s legal, reg is still a kid and very naive and teenagerish and that brings a lot of problems.

2. Following the first point, it’s not predatory. and also the power imbalance thing goes with this, if there’s a power imbalance in your relationship that can lead to dangerous territory. There needs to be equal respect, understanding and communication. You need to feel there’s trust to bring up anything and that you’re your own person. YOU NEED TO BE EQUALS!! Biggest point, main point I can’t stress enough.

3. If the main thing that is being fixated on in your relationship is the age gap, then that’s a red flag in my opinion. Like if the main dynamic IS that there’s an age gap… and that’s the core of your relationship or what you both like about it at the top of the list? Maybe not a great sign.

Like speaking personally, it’s something that comes up as a joke sometimes, but it’s not what drew me in, it’s not what I like about my relationship, it’s not something I think much about most of the time. In mine, we were friends first for a good chunk of time and knew each other very well and had a really strong connection. Also I’d like to point out I’m an independent full grown adult, even though I’m younger, I’m still fully grown, have a job and a bachelors degree and everything. And those kinds of things are important to consider, where you are in your lives and if that difference might affect a relationship.

A power imbalance IS a problem but an age gap doesn’t always automatically mean there is one.

So really, the thing is it isn’t black and white and there’s a lot of variables that go into making it healthy vs. unhealthy. But those are some of the things I think are important. Like after not thinking first before joking the other day, I just feel the need to be super clear. It’s not something to aspire to, idolize or romanticize. I personally just happened to fall in love with someone older and I thought it was silly to joke about that it was something you could probably see hidden in my works, just like a lot of parts of me end up in my writing. But also, you can see I have always examined the issues and morality of it too and where it can go wrong and right. So I wouldn’t want anyone to interpret me outing my own relationship as something it isn’t.

[carriesthewind]

thank you for the breakdown. omg you'd almost think the AI bros *want* their little toy banned if this is what they're doing with it.

This isn't in defense of the AI bros, but I don't think this particular case is attributable to that broad category of people. Most of the people advocating for chatgpt as tool for legal filings are either as a supplemental drafting tool or as a tool for pro-se litigants.

Just to be clear: I think that first suggested use-case is pointless (there are already existing tools for helping drafting that are much better) and the second is evil (see, generally, "the unauthorized practice of law," but make it tech scammers).

Although I think the chatbot angle to this case is interesting - because it really highlights the limitations of the chatbot behind the marketing hype - at it's core, the problem that happened here isn't the use of the chatbot. It's the conduct of the attorneys in drafting and researching and, most importantly, filing, without checking anything, and then doubling down on the lie. The issue before the court would be the same if, say, the attorneys had used a random person on the street as the source of their drafting, instead of a chatbot.

[haleigh-sloth]

Maybe I'm being repetitive here but do you have any idea why certain people are *so* against redemption for Tomura when it perfectly aligns with the core of the story + it's themes and has been set up for god knows how long? Not to mention that villain redemption isn't like... an insane thing? It's pretty common. I'm genuinely confused here and I don't really have anyone to ask so I'm curious on your thoughts

Agh there's no real answer to this

Personal taste, selective reading, misreading, all of the above.

I think most of it is personal taste and that therefore leads to selective reading and misreading. Because as someone who immediately wanted a redemption arc for Tomura the second I laid eyes on him, I looked for the signs of it and I saw them. If someone had no desire to see that or hated the idea of it right off the bat because it's not their personal taste, they probably won't see the signs of it (no matter how obvious they are) or they'll ignore them because they're in denial or something.

I see a lot of "what happened to just evil villains for the sake of being evil", and there's nothing wrong with wanting that. But imo that's a them problem and not a bnha problem. If it's so upsetting to them they should go read something else, but oh well.

You're right it's not uncommon to happen in manga, it's certainly not new. I do think that BNHA being SO BIG has resulted in a large fan base with a lot of people where this is their first manga. I feel this way for more reasons than one--outside of this redemption arc hating debacle. But that's one reason I see there being such a negative reaction to it.

I think this series has a unique issue also where people confuse "hero" with "infallible good guy whose perspective shouldn't be questioned". "Hero" and "villain" are legal titles within the world building of the story. "Hero" is not always good, in this story. Endeavor and Hawks are pretty clear examples of this. "Villains" are not always villains at their heart, or they are not always destined to remain villains, in this story. This story has those TITLES and ROLES simultaneously and I think people just...forget that. So then you have people screaming about how Hawks is a perfect angel despite the story literally screaming at you otherwise, same thing with Endeavor. Why this subversion of the hero and villain title is so upsetting to some people though, is really beyond me. I think it works really really well for a story like BNHA where the writing is anything but subtle, things are both literal and metaphorical at the same time, things are both "bad" but also "not" at the same time, things are both "good" but also "not" at the same time. But I think people started the manga and thought that "hero" and "villain" were going to be taken in the most literal direction and never veer from it until the end. And the story doesn't do that.

Also idk, the villains really are a driving force behind the themes of the story. Without them, the story wouldn't be what it is, there'd be absolutely no way to deliver the message the manga is delivering if not for them. They are quite a central point of the story, but they weren't always like that for the first good 2/3 of the manga. So I'd say maybe that shift in tone upset some people as well because I see a lot of upset about the side character 1akids being shafted ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

There're too many reasons, but the most general ones I come across are listed above.

[bopinion]

2024 / 02

Aperçu of the Week:

"Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn."

(Orson Welles, multi-mastermind)

Bad News of the Week:

The AfD (Alternative für Deutschland / Alternative for Germany) is a far-right party. Surprise! Voting for this association of right-wing populists without any well thought-out political program or even considering it should be out of the question for anyone who thinks about it for even five seconds. Because who would actually vote for Nazis? That's the problem: many people who are dissatisfied with current politics tend to vote for what they see as a protest against those in power. This is acceptable with Die Linke (The Left), for example, which is currently being thrown out of all parliaments. At least they firmly anchored on democratic ground.

The AfD is not. According to the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, it is "definitely right-wing extremist" in several state associations, especially in the east of the Federal Republic of Germany, where several state elections are due in 2024. And yet it leads the election forecasts - by a wide margin. What's going on? Do many voters really think no further than cheap election campaign slogans such as "Germany first"? (Does this sound familiar to some US-Americans?). As if we really have no bigger problems than the widespread lack of understanding that transsexuals also deserve civil rights?

A few days ago, investigative journalists found out that there was a far-right meeting in Potsdam near Berlin. On the agenda was the topic of "remigration". The core concern: People who are not "bio-German" through and through should have their lives in Germany made so miserable that they (have to) leave the country voluntarily or, if necessary, by force. You could also call it expulsion. In addition to the usual suspects, it was noticeable that several politicians from the AfD, who also hold leadership positions, took part. Surprise!

This adds fuel to the fire of the party ban issue. This has been under discussion for some time. In theory, the Federal Constitutional Court can ban a party that poses a threat to democracy due to its positions and scope. In my gut, this is a clear-cut case, but not in my head. On the one hand, the hurdles are high and can be overcome with legal subtleties - for example, anyone who wins a seat in a democratic parliament in a democratic election and formally complies with the democratic statutes there must be a democrat. And secondly, failure would reinforce the victim myth of being disadvantaged or even excluded by the establishment.

In addition - as difficult as it is for me to say - there is also a fundamental question here. Namely that of legitimacy. Can we (according to current surveys) deny 22% of the population who want to be politically represented by the AfD the right to be represented by it in parliament? Vox populi vox bovi (the voice of the people is the voice of oxen), as the Latin says. I always say that the basic problem with democracy is that it does not demand any qualifications from the sovereign (i.e. the people who vote). This is precisely why the recipe of convincing voters programmatically is doomed to failure. After all, this would also require potential AfD voters to engage objectively with the topic of politics. Which they obviously don't do. Otherwise they would not vote for the AfD. Except for those who really want to consciously vote for who despise democracy, divide society and marginalize people. In short: Nazis. But that's certainly not 22%.

Good News of the Week:

Taiwan has voted - or the "Republic of China", as the de facto state (Wikipedia can't be wrong) is called. And it's democracy. And its independence. The incumbent Vice President Lai Ching-te - better known as William Lai - of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has won the election as the successor to President Tsai Ing-wen, who is no longer running in accordance with the constitution. With the clearly defined goal of preserving the autonomy of the island republic as irreversibly as possible.

This is remarkable in that the People's Republic of China on the other side of the Taiwan Strait has not been sparing with intimidation recently. Not only with a strict one-China diction, but also militarily. Hardly a day goes by without a Chinese fighter plane or warship entering Taiwanese territory. Similarly, Hou You-yi from the China-friendly Kuomintang (KMT) party literally stood for election as the programmatic opposite. And was unable to prevail.

The democratic world congratulates the winner. And Beijing is fuming with rage that this would send the "wrong signals to the separatist movement" in Taiwan. Movement? No, this is a democratically legitimized executive that is now entering its third term in office. The clearest criticism is of course directed at the USA, although the latter cautiously stated in its statement that it was looking forward to further development of cooperation in line with the "one-China policy". Beijing even speaks of the "first red line", which must not be crossed under any circumstances.

It is good to see that these foreseeable reactions from the red giant have neither deterred the people of Taiwan from voting according to their wishes nor the democratic nations of the world from recognizing this positively. The Chinese regime would be well advised to see this as more than just a symbolic gesture.

I couldn't care less...

...that at the Ukraine summit in Davos, the Swiss foreign minister defined his goal as getting Russia "to the negotiating table". The traditional neutrality of the Swiss people is honored. But on the one hand, Vladimir Putin has no interest in negotiations - especially when he thinks he is on the road to victory. And on the other hand, there are cases in which you cannot actually remain neutral, but should take a clear position for one side. The war in Ukraine is undoubtedly one of these cases.

It's fine with me...

...that the so-called "Citizens' Council" in Germany has presented its results for the first time. Randomly selected citizens met several times to try out a form of direct political co-determination. The resolutions are not binding and the topics were about something as uncritical as nutrition (e.g. free lunches at schools and better explanatory labeling of ingredients), but I think the basic idea is a good one. Go on please.

As I write this...

...Germany mourns the death of Franz Beckenbauer. Emperor, shining light, the man who gave soccer a new elegance. The first sportsman who was also a pop star - "No one can separate good friends". And a businessman. World champion as a player (1974) and as team manager (1990). President of FC Bayern and FIFA official - including corruption. Along with Pelé and Diego Maradona, one of the big three in 20th century soccer. A Munich native through and through, even if Salzburg and New York City were also his home. The whole country bows down to a legend.

Post Scriptum

"The duel of the old men" is the title of Der Spiegel's analysis of the upcoming election campaign for the US presidency between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. The intro already states that most Americans would like Joe Biden, 81, and Donald Trump, 77, to retire. And the question is asked why the most powerful democracy in the world is not able to produce other candidates? Unfortunately, there is no conclusive answer. The status quo remains: a shaky but capable political professional whose performance is significantly better than his low approval ratings reflect. And a notorious liar who manages to give himself an aura of the little man, fighting as a messiah against an evil system. And makes no secret of the fact that he would demolish democracy. It should actually be clear which of the two old men is the lesser of two evils. In fact.

[thebibliosphere]

So I'm currently unemployed because I got fired for taking too much sick leave (it was legally sketchy blah blah blah but in the end I just can't work and take care of myself and investigate my mystery health problems at the same time). So I've been spending more time writing!

I really admire your writing and loved Hunger Pangs. I'm looking forward to the poly elements developing and I'm wondering if you have any advice for writing about poly. I've made one of my projects a snarky take on "write what you know" ... Apparently what I know is southern gothic meets Pacific northwest gothic, chronic illness pandemic surrealism, and falling back-asswards into threesomes.

I know this is a very open-ended question and I don't expect an answer, I'm just curious about it if you have the energy. As a writer, trying to write honestly / realistically about polyamory/enm, I'm curious if you have any thoughts on what's different about portraying monogamy or nonmonogamy in books, romance or erotica or otherwise.

I'm trying to read examples but it's hard to find examples that fit the niche I'm looking at. Excuse me if this question is nonsense, it's the cluster headaches.

I'm sorry to hear you've been dealing with all that and solidarity on the cluster headaches. But I'm glad you're finding an outlet through writing! And I hope you're happy with an open-ended ramble in response because oh boy, there's a lot I could talk about and I could probably do a better job of answering this sort of thing with more specific questions, but let's see where we end up.

There's definitely a big difference between writing polyamory/ENM (ethical non-monogamy) and what people often expect from monogamous love stories.

Just even from a purely sales and marketing standpoint, the moment you write anything polyamorous (or even just straight up LGBTQIA+ without the ENM) you're going to get considered closer to being erotica/obscene than hetero romances. It's an unfair bias, but it's one that exists in our society. But also the Amazon algorithm and their shitty, shitty human censors. Especially the ones that work the weekends. (Talking to you, Carlos 🖕.)

So not only do you start out hyper-aware that you're writing something that is highly stigmatized or fetishized (at least I'm hyper-aware) but that you are also writing for a niche market that is starving for positive content because the content that exists is either limited, not what they want, or is problematic in some fashion i.e. highly stigmatized or fetishy. And even then, the wants, desires, and expectations of the community you're writing for are complex and wildly varied and hard to fit into an easy formula.

When writing monogamous love stories, there is a set expectation that’s really hard to fuck up once you know it. X person meets Y. Attraction happens, followed by some sort of minor conflict/resolution. Other plot may happen. A greater catalyst involving personal growth for both parties (hopefully) happens. Follow the equation to its ultimate resolution and achieve Happily Ever After. 

But writing ENM is... a lot more difficult, if only because of the pure scope of possibilities. You could try to follow the same equation and shove three (or more) people into it, but it rarely works well. Usually because if you’re doing it right, you won’t have enough room in a single character arc to allow for enough growth, and if ENM requires anything in abundance, it’s room to grow.

And this post is huge so I’m going to put the rest under a cut :)

There's also a common refrain in certain online polyam/ENM circles that triads and throuples are overrepresented in media and they may be right to some extent. Personally, I believe the issue isn't that triads and throuples are overrepresented, but that there is such minuscule positive rep of ethical non-monogamy in general, that the few tiny instances we have of triads in media make it seem like it's "everywhere" when in actuality, it's still quite rare and the media we do have often veers into Unicorn Hunter fetish porn. Which is its own problematic thing. And just to be clear, I’m not including this part to dissuade you from writing "falling back-asswards into threesomes." If anything, I need more of it and would hook it directly into my brain if I could. I'm just throwing it out there into the void in the hope that someone will take the thought and run with it, lol.

I’d love to see more polyfidelitous rep in fiction, just as much as I’d like to see more relationship anarchy too. More diversity in fiction is always good.

Another thing that differs in writing ENM romance vs conventional monogamy is the feeling like you need to justify yourself. There's a lot of pressure to be as healthy and non-problematic as possible because you are being held to a higher standard of criticism. Both from people from without the ENM communities, and from the people within. Granted, some people don't give a shit and just want to read some fantastic porn (valid) but there are those who will cheerfully read Fifty Shades of Bullshit and call it "spicy" and "romantic," then turn around and call the most tooth-rottingly-sweet-fluff about a queer platonic polycule heresy. That's just the way the world works.

(Pro-tip for author life in general: never read your own reviews; that way madness lies. I glimpsed one the other day that tagged Hunger Pangs as “ethical cheating” and just about had an aneurism.)

And while that feeling of needing to justify yourself comes from a valid place of being excluded from the table of socially accepted norms, it can also be to the detriment of both the story and the subject matter at hand. I've seen some authors bend so far over backward to avoid being problematic in their portrayal of ENM, they end up being problematic for entirely different reasons. Usually because they give such a skewed, rose-tinted perspective of how things work, it ends up coming off as well... a bit culty and obnoxious tbh.

“Look how enlightened we are, freed from the trappings of monogamy and jealousy! We’re all so honest and perfect and happy!”

Yeah, uhu, sure Jan. Except here’s the thing, not all jealousy is bad. How you act on it can be, but jealousy itself is an important tool in the junk drawer that is the range of human emotion. It can clue us in to when we’re feeling sad or neglected, which in turn means we should figure out why we’re feeling those things. Sometimes it’s because brains are just like that and anxiety is a thing. Other times it’s because our needs are actually being neglected and we are in an unhealthy situation we need to remedy. You gotta put the work in to figure it out. Which is the same as any style of relationship, whether it’s mono, polyam or whatever flavor of ENM you subscribe to* And sometimes you just gotta be messy, because that’s how humans are. Being afraid to show that mess makes it a dishonest portrayal, and it also robs you of some great cannon fodder for character development.

Which brings me in a roundabout way to my current pet peeve in how certain writers take monogamous ideals and apply them to ENM, sometimes without even realizing it. The “Find the Right Person and Settle Down” trope.

Often, in this case, ENM or polyamory is treated as a phase. Something you mature out of with age or until you meet “The One(tm).” This is, of course, an attempt to follow the mono style formula expected in most romances. And while it might appeal to many readers, it’s uh, actually quite insulting. 

To give an example, I am currently seeing this a lot in the Witcher fandom. 

Fanon Netflix!Jaskier is everyone's favorite ethical slut until he meets Geralt then woops, wouldn’t you know, he just needed to find The One(tm). Suddenly, all his other sexual and romantic exploits or attractions mean nothing to him. Let's watch as he throws away a core aspect of his personality in favor of a man. 

Yeah... that sure showed those societal norms... 

If I were being generous, I’d say it’s a poor attempt at showing New Relationship Euphoria and how wrapped up people can become in new relationships. But honestly, it’s monogamous bias eking its way in to validate how special and unique the relationship is. Because sometimes people really can’t think of any other way to show how important and valid a relationship is without defining it in terms of exclusivity. Which is a fundamental misunderstanding of how ENM works for a lot of people and invalidates a lot of loving, serious and long-term relationships.

This is not to say that some polyam/poly-leaning people can't be happy in monogamous relationships! I am! (I consider myself ambiamorous. I'm happy with either monogamy or polyamory, it really just depends on the relationship(s) I’m in.) But I also don't regard my relationship with a mono partner as "settling down" or "growing up." It's just a choice I made to be with a person I love, and it's a valid one. Just like choosing to never close yourself off to multiple relationships is valid. And I wish more people realized that, or rather, I wish the people writing these things knew that :P

Anyway, I think I’ve rambled enough. I hope this collection of incoherent thoughts actually makes some sense and might be useful. 

----

*A good resource book that doesn't pull any punches in this regard is Polysecure by Jessica Fern. It's a wonderfully insightful read that explores the messier side of consensual non-monogamy, especially with how it can be affected by trauma or inter-relationship conflicts. But it also shows how to take better steps toward healthy, ethical non-monogamy (a far better job than More Than Two**) and conflict resolution, making it a valuable resource both for someone who is a part of this relationship style***, but also for writers on the outside looking in who might have a very simple or misguided idea of what conflict within polyam/ENM relationships might look like, vs traditional monogamous ones.

** The author of More Than Two has been accused of multiple accounts of abuse within the polyamorous community, with many of his coauthors having spoken out about the gaslighting and emotional and psychological damage they experienced while in a relationship with him. A lot of their stories are documented here: https://www.itrippedonthepolystair.com/ (warning: it is not light material and deals with issues of abuse, gaslighting, and a whole other plethora of Yikes.) While some people still find More Than Two helpful reading, there are now, thankfully, much, much better resources out there.

*** Some people consider polyam/ENM to be part of their identity or orientation, while others view it as a relationship style.It largely depends on the individual. 

[desidarling123]

FACT CHECK: Did JKR sue people for writing Wolfstar fanfiction? [FALSE] [with sources]

So, if you're at all active in the HP fandom, and ESPECIALLY if you're on TikTok, you've likely come across a post or video claiming the following:

JKR LITERALLY SUED PEOPLE OVER WOLFSTAR FANFICTION! AND THAT'S ALSO WHY SHE MADE REMADORA CANON -- TO SPITE THE SHIPPERS!

I'm not sure who first started this claim or how its various permutations grew, but it spread at the speed of light across social media. This widely-circulated meme summarizes it:

For the LONGEST time, I didn't know what to make of it. The claims were vague enough that they seemed like they could be true -- after all, JKR is a megacunt and a renowned TERF. You don't need to fact-check either of those things.

But then -- for the first time ever -- I came across a video on TikTok claiming that what was being said was NOT true, and that it was being used SPECIFICALLY to stir up drama. Which was... crazy, to say least.

And that led me, well, to do my own research & fact-check. I've taken the original video's structure and added some exposition as well.

So here's the truth:

That 2003 case the above meme refers to? Not even REMOTELY what the situation was about. Hell, not even CLOSE.

In 2003, JKR sent a cease-and-desist letter to an explicit adult HP fan fiction website, called "Restricted Section". Here's the letter:

As the above letter states, the site was sent a notice because of overarching concerns that minors would accidentally stumble onto the sexually explicit content the site hosted after searching up 'Harry Potter'.

The hand-wringing over minor safety probably seems dated now, but it was, in fact, standard practice in the early 2000s - sexually explicit fan content was being removed across the internet for those exact concerns. In fact, just the year before, in 2002, fanfiction.net was purged of NC-17 content (which would happen one more time, in 2012).

I feel ridiculous stating it, but just to be clear -- in the above letter and all my subsequent research, there's NO evidence she went after Wolfstar -- or any ship, for that matter -- directly.

In fact, the letter goes an extra mile to declare that "our clients (JKR) make no complaint about innocent fan fiction written by genuine Harry Potter fans", but that, "there is plainly a very real risk that impressionable children... will be directed... to your sexually explicit website".

But that leads in nicely to the next point -- the website DIDN'T shut down, as per the letter's request. Instead, they added password protection to ensure only members older than 17 were accessing it.

OK, but why did JKR and Warner Bros go after this site in the first place? Most believe it was because of a widely-publicized article in THE SCOTSMAN that talked about the website. But, once again, this article doesn't go after Wolfstar in particular -- it only goes after Harry x Draco and Harry x Snape. The inclusion of latter was arguably what generated the biggest controversy -- the pairing of Harry, a fictional minor, with an adult character, in slash stories largely written by adult heterosexual women, was not one that could be cast in a good light to the general public. It's hardly a surprise JKR's lawyers sought to do something before the controversy got out of hand and worried parents started to make calls.

What I said before still goes, though. The legal core of the issue was ALWAYS to do NOT with the ships, but the EXPLICIT NATURE of the work -- and the (very real) concerns that the series' then-mostly-under-18 readership could find said works with very little as far as guardrails were concerned. (I know, because I was one of those kids)

TLDR; JKR did NOT sue people over Wolfstar fanfiction, she sent a cease-and-desist notice to a website that was not taking adequate precautions to prevent minors from accessing the explicit adult content on the site.

To be clear -- this is not meant to be a statement on what to ENJOY in your fandom ships. You can ship Wolfstar, Remadora, both, neither -- it really doesn't matter. I think the fandom is critical enough of the author to have reclaimed her work on our own terms, and people should be allowed to just, idk enjoy things.

But propagating straight-up falsehoods is dangerous, especially when it comes at the expense of 1) a safe fandom environment (see: the current fandom ship wars between Remadora and Wolfstar, which are difficult to watch) and 2) serves as a distraction from the ACTUAL garbage JKR engages in (of which there is plenty -- no need to make it up lol).

Also, truth be told -- inter-fandom ship wars don't generally add anything productive to the necessary conversations that need to be had about her works. The thought that dashing fan ships was a key motivator in her writing rather than, I don't know, plot concerns, is ludicrous on face, and gives fans a level of control over the original writer that just... doesn't exist IRL? And certainly didn't back then?

And again -- the books would have been VERY different series, plot-wise, if Sirius Black HAD lived. Him being in a relationship with Remus, confirmed or implied, has no relation to that decision.

If we have talk Harry Potter, I'd rather talk about just about anything else -- the racism, the misogyny, the lack of any sort of organic queer rep and JKR's inability to just own up to the problems in her works. But the minutiae of ship wars -- and the inevitable stream of disinformation that comes with it, sans any kind of concrete evidence -- is one I'd prefer to pass on.

SOURCES:

Cease-and-Desist Letter Copy: http://archive.is/HTLsq

THE SCOTSMAN Article: http://archive.is/VdEaY

Restricted Section Updates Page:

https://web.archive.org/web/20030815233612/http://www.restrictedsection.org/news.php

BONUS: The original TikTok video I came across whose structure and sources I shamelessly stole to read and build out my argument. I copied a lot of their wording because it explained it better than I could, you just get some bonus snarky commentary from yours truly

[the-breath-in-air]

Fixing "Boy Erased" (2018)

I recently decided to watch Boy Erased (2018) again, now that we're a couple years out from its initial release (and hype). And I came away with some thoughts.

First, something I think worked. You know that scene near the end, when Jared (Lucas Hedges) is trying to leave the conversion camp and he's racing through corridors and whatnot. That whole sequence works, but there's one moment that really stands out.

Jared attempts to get his phone and Michael (one of the 'camp counselors') tries to physically wrestle it away from him. There's a bit of a fight but eventually Jared makes his way to the bathroom and he calls his mom to come take him away. He then emerges from the bathroom and says to Victor Sykes (who runs the camp), "If you, or anyone else puts their hands on me, I have witnesses." Victor puts up his hands and says, "Nobody's gonna put their hands on you. Why would anybody do that? Come and sit. We're gonna wait for your mom, okay?" Then there's a hard cut to this:

Victor Sykes and Brandon literally laying their hands on Jared and praying. And I love that juxtaposition because it brings to light the violence inherent in this situation. They're restraining him through enforced religious acts. There's violence in this prayer.

And on top of that, it serves as a pretty good metaphor for the whole film. Jared's parents (especially his mother) believe they're helping but really they're hurting. They can't see the violence of their actions in sending him to the camp.

If only the rest of the film was working on this level.

Problem the first: Audience as observer. The film is really about observing its subject, Jared, as he experiences these events. But it isn't about giving us any insight into his perspective or interiority as he does so. The camera is looking at Jared more often that it is revealing to us what he's seeing. Perhaps the most obvious example of this issue is with the perfume ad scene. Jared is on a run and he comes across a perfume ad on the side of a bus stop with a bare chested buff guy. The camera shows us the ad, and then the rest of the scene has the camera (and thus, the audience) placed some distance away as we see Jared first touch the ad, then throw a rock at the ad, and then scream "fuck you" at it repeatedly. The ad itself isn't salacious enough to illicit that kind of response in the average audience-goer, and the camera is so disconnected from Jared's experience that we aren't really gaining insight into why this ad is affecting him in such a strong way. It ends up making it so that scene really does not work.

This isn't to critique Lucas Hedges's performance in that scene. It's more to say that all the other elements of that scene make it feel ridiculous - because the audience has not been guided toward viewing that ad in the same way that Jared does in that moment.

The second problem: Casting. To be absolutely clear, this is not a knock against any of the actors performances. On the contrary, I think everyone was pretty dang exceptional. Rather, it's more a conversation about casting choices. Two of those choices really stand out as somewhat misguided: Xavier Dolan as Jon and Emily Hinkler as Lee.

Turns out Emily Hinkler is a nonbinary actress. Lee (the character) is a cis guy who is conspicuously unmasculine. (If you've seen the movie - he's the one who gets hit in the head with a baseball). Casting a nonbinary actress as a cis boy at a conversion camp feels a bit off on it's own in that a conversion camp would be forcing people to adhere to assigned genders at birth. But I could get behind it as a sort of statement, like, a casting decision as direct opposition to the enforced gender binary of a conversion camp. i.e. Why should the movie adhere to the oppressive gender binary that the camp would? However, by casting a nonbinary actress as the least conventionally masculine character - it actually feels like it ends up reinforcing the binary. Lee's defining trait is that he's small and unmanly and, afaik, he's the only one of the male characters who is not portrayed by a cis man.

My issue with Xavier Dolan's casting is much simpler: Jon feels like he was written as a teenager and Xavier Dolan was approaching 30 when this was filmed. Maybe it wouldn't have bugged me so much if I didn't already know who Xavier Dolan was when watching the movie? Like, maybe if you watch it without knowing the actor's age, it works better? But also, the character feels like a teen but isn't explicitly stated to be a teen. So whenever he was on screen I kept wondering if actually part of Jon's situation is meant to be that he is 30 but stuck in a sort-of adolescence due to his relationship with his abusive father. Or did they just cast Xavier Dolan to portray a teenager?

This brings me to the third problem: Not enough of the ensemble. Jared, and thus the audience, spends proportionally, little screen time with the other people at the camp. They are rarely shown talking to each other - especially outside the restrictive observation of the camp's 'counselors.' This could be part of the point - i.e. that the camp is so isolating - but that isolation wasn't really highlighted by the camera/scenes/dialogue...so it really feels more like it's just an oversight. The movie focuses on Jared and his individual story and so the rest just fell by the wayside.

This is really unfortunate because there are some (potentially) great characters in there, especially Jon and Gary. Jon went through the program once before and is now back for a second time. We don't know what happened to make him come back. He appears to be 30-ish but he's staying at a hotel with his abusive father. He is completely invested in the program and treats his sexuality like an addiction. He has even taken it upon himself to forego all physical contact with other men (not even a handshake). His self-loathing is at once horrifying and heartbreaking.

In contrast, Gary (Troye Sivan) knows the entire program is bullshit, but he's playing along for his own survival. He's over 18; he lived with his boyfriend for a year prior to coming to the camp. So that begs the question of how his family convinced him to enter to the program. Also, Gary's so invested in his own survival, that he stays silent and is complacent in the abuse and violence he witnesses against others in the camp. He is both a victim and a bystander (at times).

I think this film would've really benefited from spending more time with these characters (as well as Sarah, portrayed by Jesse LaTourette, and Cameron, portrayed by Britton Sear) in the camp and seeing how they all interacted with each other. Give us a sense of their different contexts and perspectives - and give us a better sense of the ways that conversion camps disempower the people sent there (even people like Gary, who knows it's bullshit). It's the thing that makes all the other movies about conversion camps work so well.

Which brings us to the fourth problem: the ending. If we spend more time with the ensemble, we'd either end up with a really long movie or we'd have to cut out something else. Well, folks, we can cut about 10 minutes off the end. Everything after the dinner Jared has with his mother post-escape can go. The climax of the film is when Jared finally decides to leave the camp. The resolution comes when his mother places herself in opposition to Jared's father (which she had never done before) and decides that she's going to take Jared home. And the emotional resolution comes when she admits to Jared that they made a mistake and that they harmed him by sending him to the camp.

Everything after that is extraneous. We don't really need to see Jared living in a city with a boyfriend, or see him begin to reconcile with his father. His relationship with his father was never the emotional core for the film. Boy Erased is, in some ways, a movie about self-actualization and that's the sort of movie that's best to end with something a bit open-ended. Y'know...a sort of end-that's-just-the-beginning kind of thing. Because the story of Jared falling in love and dating and moving out and gaining the self-confidence to confront his father - well that's a whole other movie. And here it gets shoved into the epilogue, which does the whole thing a real disservice.

Then there are the informational cards at the end. Two stick out as being particularly frustrating. One, "The real Victor Sykes left L.I.A. in 2008. He now lives in Texas, with his husband," feels irrelevant and unnecessary. The audience cares about what happened to Gerrard Conley (who wrote the story and whom Jared is based off of). But why do we care about what happened to the real guy who ran the camp? We don't...except for the jab about him now being married to a man - which feels like it's a more significant point for the cis straight people in the audience than for anyone queer. Turns-out-ex-gay-pastor-was-actually-just-gay-the-whole-time is not revelatory, I gotta say.

Then there's also this:

The emphasis about conversion therapy "practiced on minors," feels a bit disconnected from the film we just watched - which emphasized how abusive and traumatizing it is, even for adults. And in the U.S., all states currently legally allow conversion therapy for anyone 18+. Only Washington D.C. has banned it. And that, to me, is equally egregious, yet it isn't mentioned. The film itself challenges the notion that it's somehow okay for this to be practiced on adults because it's ostensibly their "choice," and then the info cards at the end shy away from that stance by focusing on kids.

I think the thing I find most frustrating about this movie, is the wasted potential. As I said at the beginning of this, there are some moments that really stand out in how they use the medium to convey meaning. There are some choices in how the film uses light and brightness (or lack thereof), that are pretty dang good, too. But ultimately, it's a film I feel so detached from and I think some of what I explained above is part of why.

[asynck002fa7]

How to avoid the spread of project scope

Why does scope spread happen so often?

What should be done to manage the scope?

Have you ever worked on a project with expanded borders? Yinheedu.com

Or more importantly, have you ever worked on a project that has not expanded in scope?

Scope sprawl is usually defined as: the expansion of the project beyond the plan.

How can we avoid it? Is it possible to efficiently and effectively control and manage our business process improvement projects?

The answer is, absolutely!

PMP 2021 study guide

Almost everyone who has participated in project work has encountered the problem of project scope spread. This is like a compressed sponge. When it is dropped into water, it will expand and become 10-20 times its original size. This is because its boundary (plastic capsule) is dissolved. Similarly, the disappearance of the project boundary will also lead to the spread of the project scope. In order to prevent the scope from spreading, it is necessary for us to correctly define the root cause of the problem.

If we analyze the root cause of scope spread, we can find the following main problems:

Wrongly defined processes and failing to realize that all processes are interconnected.

The wrong person is defining the scope.

The terms related to the project are not defined.

No high-level interface between processes is defined.

Ignore the "physical examination" of these interfaces.

I didn't realize the problem: certain aspects of the project would make the scale of the project too large to manage.

1. Wrongly defined processes and failed to realize that all processes are interconnected.

These problems are not related to the work we have done, but to the things we haven't done. All questions begin with how the organization defines business processes. When asked how a business process is defined, I often get answers like this: It is a set of business activities that make inputs into production results. Two characteristics of processes are rarely mentioned: First, almost all processes are cross-functional. Second, almost all processes are interconnected.

If a "process" in your project only includes one functional department, it is very likely that your original project scope only includes a part of the process, and in the end, the project scope will include the entire process.

For example, a company wants to improve the "process" of accounts payable, can this be done? Accounts payable is indeed a set of business activities that turn inputs into production results. However, we must ask: Why is an input required? When the monthly credit card bill came in, I had to ask the same question. I have a bill because I purchased an item. Therefore, in a company, if we want to improve accounts payable, we must check what happens in the procurement process. Then, if we buy an item, what happens next?

For the time being, we can assume that the screening process takes place in the marketing department. We can list more situations, but here is just a simple example. How much has the scope of the project changed? Starting from accounts payable in a functional department, it expands to procurement, receiving, inventory control, legal affairs, and marketing. Now, our project is 5 times larger than it was at the beginning.

On the other hand, we can only improve accounts payable. After all, the inclusion of other categories will make the project more complicated, which means that someone has to coordinate the resources required for cross-functionality.

In this case, we need to redesign the accounts payable "process" in order to produce more efficient billing. However, we never took full advantage of discounts. We purchased office supplies from ten suppliers, paid for items we never received, or paid for items we received but leaked to inappropriate organizational departments. Some people may ask: Why are there no commercial benefits from the accounts payable improvement project?

2. The wrong person is in the definition. Yinheedu.com

The second reason for the spread of process improvement project scope is that we don't often have the right members to define the process. Members must be senior managers of relevant functional departments, who have a very comprehensive understanding of the business and existing problems. It is the responsibility of these members to define the boundaries of the process.

For example, determine where the process starts and ends. These team members must also have the right to mobilize resources. In case the project boundary is defined, but the resources required by the project cannot be found.

Let's take another look at the order management process improvement project. Does this process start with the phone ringing? Or start by signing an order? Or does it start when the credit is recognized and the validity of the product is confirmed? When does this process end?Does it end in "shipped"? Or does it end with product delivery or product acceptance?

The way we define project boundaries affects the project itself time and time again. This will affect who we get input from, who our core team should include, what we want to measure, how we set up our vision, and when we redesign or improve the process, what scope changes should be listed enter.When the scope is defined by the right team, this team can also guarantee the availability of resources. Don't let anyone else do your work, this will give the scope a chance to spread.

3. The terms related to the project are not defined.

We must discuss the terminology related to the project so that all project participants and process parties can reach a consensus on the meaning of the term. Most of the time, we "assume" that everyone has the same understanding of the process. This is one of the many "assumptions" in the process of a process project. These assumptions are usually inaccurate.

Although we assume that everyone has a clear understanding of the process and the terms used in the process, unfortunately, these assumptions are just assumptions, not facts. Only when we go deep into the project and begin to question and reflect, can we accurately define these terms.Usually, the definition of terms also changes the definition of the project.

For example, when we mention American pizza, a very clear picture will be formed in our minds.However, if you order a pizza in Italy, Hungary, or other countries, the pizza delivered is probably a very novel rectangular pizza, some with fried eggs and corn on it. This shows that we cannot assume that everyone understands the terminology used in the project.

For example, for accountants, Fasby should be FASB (American Financial Accounting Standards Board), but if you are not an accountant, you will not understand this pun, and you might think that this is just the name of a dog.

PMP 2021 study guide

4. No high-level interface between processes is defined.

The high-level interface between the processes must be defined. For this reason, it is necessary to know what the process is considered in the project, and what is the interface between this process and other processes. In other words, what processes have affected the process, or are affected by the process, what creates the interface, or what flows between the process and other stakeholders.

We define these interfaces as IGOEs (input, control, output, enable). Usually, it is difficult for an organization to define these interfaces because they have not even clearly defined the process itself. Therefore, if an organization does not define its processes, how can the scope of the project be determined?

The typical situation is that there are many organizational function modules involved in the project, which shows that we are aware from the beginning that the scope will spread (lack of accurate process definition). Therefore, we need to define some high-level process interfaces.

5. Ignore the "physical examination" of these interfaces.

We need to analyze all the interfaces to determine that each interface is intact. The purpose of this is to focus our energy on what is really important, and to know what can affect what is not.

For this we must ask some questions: Which ones work well and which ones are bad? What is impossible to change? Which ones will consume a lot of our time within a given resource and time limit?

The result of this new understanding is scope changes. This means that everything contained in the boundary may change in some way. This is the definition of our project scope.

6. I didn't realize the problem: some aspects of the project would make the project too large to be managed.

We must take the reality into consideration in the scope of the project.For example, if the scope of the project is the payment process of a large financial institution, we need to consider whether to check all payment categories or only a few major payment categories (which have the greatest impact on the organization's risks and expected rewards).Yinheedu.com

In short, can the project scope be better managed? sure! The frustration of process improvement projects is usually caused by not knowing how to deal with project scope issues. You now have the knowledge and ability to control your project efficiently and effectively!