#unless you're the u.s. i guess

[shrike-dyke]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/eliasferrerbreda/2023/10/23/can-machados-primaries-victory-upend-washington-caracas-agreements/

In a chronicle of a vote foretold, opposition frontrunner Maria Corina Machado won by a landslide in Venezuela’s primaries on Sunday. The key question was not, however, whether she was going to win. Without credible competitors, Machado’s objective was to flex electoral muscles against the government, as she is barred from public office.

The day of the vote was marked by pictures of long queues waiting to vote in various cities across Venezuela, and by the few resources employed. There have been varying claims of turnout numbers, without independent observers. As of Monday morning, official results have not been released beyond a preliminary tally: Machado takes 93% of the total.

The public office ban was imposed by the comptroller general, who argued that she had violated the constitution by calling for a military invasion and economic sanctions on Venezuela. She did so on multiple occasions during the dire economic and humanitarian crisis the country has suffered from in recent years. The political ban has been a point of contention in negotiations between Washington DC, Caracas, and the main opposition parties.

The agreements led to electoral guarantees for the 2024 presidential race, and the suspension of some sanctions by the US. Most importantly, they have opened up the oil and gas sector, which is Venezuela’s economic engine. However, the government led by President Nicolás Maduro shows no signs of backing down.

uh yeah why would they?? the u.s. is demanding that the venezuelan government legitimize someone who openly, repeatedly commits treason* and this guy is going like "hm yeah why don't they"

[ask-farah-karim]

I finally lose one game of cards and this is my punishment? Really?

Well, I guess I am here now. No going back. Unless...

Anyways, make yourselves at home. Help yourselves to some tea. Let us talk or whatever happens on these things.

Hi! This is the person behind the blog. I got really into the blog RP style that I've seen on the other COD ask blogs so after some light encouragement (im so easily enabled guys you have no idea) here I finally am!

You can call me Renny! I'm a 24 year old woman (MDNI!!!) from the U.S., I also have a part time job during the week so responses to asks and @'s will be dependent on when I'm free to hit back at you!

Nothing offensive allowed.

No hate of any kind tolerated here! No sexism, racism, islamaphobia, transphobia, etc. is tolerated here. You think you're getting a welcome ear? try a-fuckin-gain pal, this is tumblr and my blocked list is looking mighty empty...

Flirting and NSFW is allowed.

I'll respond in character, but I likely wont answer every NSFW ask, its really gonna depend on which ones I'm comfortable or not comfortable with so just use some common sense when you're sending them. So yeah! NSFW is fine but please refrain from being overly explicit

Inspired by... fuck me, there's so much of you

@ghost-askblog (aka the OG!!!) @johnprice-asks @soap-askblog @ask-gaz @ask-phillip-graves @nikolai-asks @ask-mactavish @ask-roachsanderson

ok, if I need to add any further rules or stipulations in the future, I'll edit this post. signing off for now!

[brokendarkfairyempressforever]

INTRO POST (guys I finally did it)

Assalamualaikum(peace be upon you), hi, hiya, hiiii!

My name is Sabreen(no this is not my real name, please don't ask) I'm a Desi Bangladeshi Muslim who lives in the heck country of the U.S. I love books, cartoons, movies, cats, and other stuff(probably)

This blog supports Palestine🇵🇸🍉, Yemen, Syria, Sudan, Congo, and anyone who is under oppression. I will stand with you in social justice issues. Everyone deserves empathy, respect, understanding, and kindness.

DNI if you're zionist, Islamophobic, racist, sexist, a nazi, a colorist, anyone who hates or belittles anyone. If you hate anyone who is a different social economic status than you get out, if you hate anyone based on their skin color, their race, their religion, their gender, their home situation, their family situation, their homeland then get out. I don't tolerate haters.

Naraini (Myna) calls me Habibti @hijabi-flavored-nerd

Beana (Bea) calls me Sabreena @book-girl4evaaa

Riya (Riyana) calls me Sabreeni zucchini @im-on-crack-send-help

I will do a list of my moots eventually

Likes:

BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS(I probably read at least some of the same books as you

Mystery

Fantasy

Adventure

Sci Fi

CATS

Writing poems

Random story ideas

MOON AND STARS

cherry blossoms

CATS

Indigo but more on the purple side-favorite color

sleeping more like spiraling lol

Uhhhh I don't know what else to add(I'm not good at stuff like this I'm sorry)

Oh yeah I'm a chaotic arsonist and I'm the leader of the chaotic arson gang

I have a cat named zayne

I have a lot of mental health issues (adhd, anxiety(general and social), bpd, cptsd, depression, DID, and ptsd)(I might be autistic but no one wants to get that checked out sooo yeah) So this blog is very friendly with fellow messed up minds

I've faced racism, colorism, sexism, abuse, homelessness, bad grades, islamophobes, and bullying. I also have a speech impediment

So I'm just trying to say I will never hate you and I will care about you until my last breath. You deserve the world and so much more. If you need/want a safe place, I'm here

So I'm still discovering/rediscovering myself. You're gonna see a lot of random reblogs and posts😅

I'm not always mentally okay and I'm sorry I'm advance.

Anyway yeah

I might update or change some stuff later

Here's some lore about my username

I accept any asks unless they're too invasive or I'm just not comfortable. I don't usually do chains but I appreciate the love.

Um I think that's it ? I don't know guys I literally don't know myself but welcome to my home i guess!

Catch ya on the flip side 🌒✨🌘✨❣️🫠✌🏼🐾😺

*update: I’m really not okay so I’m very sorry if you see depressing stuff. I may or may not be active as much because of school but also because of my mental health

[unhetalia]

soft usuk headcanon where america just hugs england after having a bad day or even nightmare.

This is a holdover from childhood. Arthur wasn't there a lot, but when he was, Alfred asked for hugs all the time. One time Alfred fell out of a tree and was just about to brush it off when he saw Arthur was beside himself. He quickly realised that it was not normal to fall out of trees and feel nothing, so he quickly turned on the waterworks so Arthur would hold him. Free hug!

(It fucks up his relationship with affection, this belief that there needs to be a Legitimate Reason in order to receive gentleness or love, but that's not what this is about!)

Nowadays, it's more complicated than that for Alfred. Americans aren't a high contact culture, and while I don't believe in Nations always being the embodiment of their countries' ideologies, when you're living amongst people who have a certain way of interacting, it absolutely has an impact, same as for any human.

As a result, Alfred is someone who is a little bit touch-starved. I think he wants more contact than he's able to get from the people around him. His best friend is an alien, his other best friend is fucking BELARUS.

Arthur, on the other hand, isn't lacking in physical contact, if you know what I mean. He's traced every curve of a woman's body; held a man down and fucked them until they begged. He's been clung to, held tight, clawed in passion.

But Arthur rarely touches people when he's not fucking them - hasn't been touched by someone who wants affection, or is offering it to him.

The first time Alfred hugged Arthur to seek out comfort post-independence was in 1950. Alfred had come out of World War II incredibly jaded - it was only the third time he'd ever revealed himself to and worked with his government, and they'd gone behind his back and dropped two atom bombs. Alfred left after, though President Truman had tried his best to get him to stay, promising him that because of what they'd done, there would be no more wars.

Five year later, the U.S enters the Korean War. Alfred is with Arthur when he hears the news, and to say he's gutted would be an understatement. He must've looked devastated, because Arthur moves to stand in front of him and makes to put a hand on his shoulder. Instead, Alfred just... falls into him, face in his chest, holding him tightly and crying his heart out. Arthur is stumped for a minute before he wraps his arms around Alfred, starts shushing him like he's a child again. Telling him it's going to be okay.

Alfred would lie awake that night thinking about how different Arthur felt from when he was a child; how, in fact, being held by Arthur in that moment hadn't felt like his childhood at all. Alfred doesn't quite realise it's because he's in love with Arthur, but he learns - or re-learns - the power of physical affection.

This lesson impacts Arthur because not only does Alfred begin seeking him out for comfort (which stops him in his tracks every time), he offers that same comfort without prompting.

Arthur is seething during a meeting after receiving several ridiculous reports, and yes, he's shouting and terrifying everyone, especially Antonio, who is very aware Arthur still carries a sword around, when suddenly Alfred stands up, marches towards him, and pulls him into a hug and says "chill out, dude, everything's gonna be fine!"

The world watches Arthur almost physically deflate. When Alfred pulls away and walks back to his seat, Arthur will finally take a deep breath. "Well... it's not the end of the world, I guess. We'll need to rearrange a few things, but it's fixable."

Witnessing this, everyone decides that it doesn't matter that their relationships don't reflect the geopolitical climate: Alfred truly is a superpower.

[Note: All my headcanons unless states otherwise exist in a universe where Hetalia characters are independent of their government. Their roles are to protect the land and the people, and often this requires them to work against their governments. Despite Nations being a representative of a country, their work to protect the land and people goes beyond boarders, and while Nations have personal relationships that involve liking and disliking others, this does not impede on their work and is not tied to their country's politics.]

[scriptedcryptid]

no... like being so real for a minute, prisons (at least in the us) are so disgustingly inhumane. its a real problem. definitely not like a moon vacation or something

Which of the following is the most ethical?

MOON PRISON - Inmates are kept in an isolated facility on the Moon. Books, movies, and other materials may be made available, but there is only very limited network access. In each room there is a 3D screen which shows the view of Earth from cameras outside the facility, but aside from an atrium, the vast majority of the facility is beneath the surface to protect it from asteroid impacts. Food and a limited amount of replacement parts are produced on-site.

CYBER PRISON - Inmates are placed into life-sustaining pods, and then connected to a full immersion virtual reality simulation similar to The Matrix. This allows inmates to experience running freely in an open-world environment without putting ordinary citizens at risk, although the environment is somewhat lower-fidelity than real life. The facility is located on Earth in a remote part of Iowa. It is intended that the network is isolated. In the event of an emergency, inmates will be ejected from the pods.

CRYO PRISON - Inmates are stored in a state of suspended animation for the duration of their sentence. The technology is highly reliable, with few side effects. Inmates will be the same biological age at the end of their sentence as when their sentence started. In the event of an emergency, backup systems in each unit will attempt to safely bring the inmate out of cryostasis. With no food, active life support, or VR server farms, this is the cheapest option.

Feel free to provide your reasoning in the reblogs.

[irithnova]

Looking at her(?) post, myrddin is the incarnation of the stereotype of the american who thinks their country only do good vs the evils other dicatorships. I saw that post not long ago where she was talking about rusame fans and basically she saids it brushed her the wrong way that people where making content about this meanwhile russia is a pariah/mafia state waging a genocidal war since 2014 (or before if you go back to chechnya and georgia). Considering she lost a friend in ukraine it's understable that she has these feelings. The problem is that it became very hypocrite when someone pointed out that she don't gave a fuck about the countries her nation had destroyed and the thousands of civilians merely considered as collateral damage, (so it was kind of weird to ask people to cancel a country because they do horrible things but it surprisingly doesn't apply to your). And she answered by posting an article about a russian nationalist killed and called the poster a vatnik. adding the facts that often she post about nato that she considere a 100% peaceful organisation (hi libya and afhganistan who were NOT asked by UN),Usa (hi MeNa/LatAm), that people who posted about iraq war where russians trolls (no way it's people who gets hurt by us intervention, huh ?) everyone who disagree with her is paid by the kremlin and because usa are the 1st global power they should be kind of the world police. It looks like she just is an american nationalist who doesn't aknowledge that her country is as much of a terrorist state as russia, and the millions lives who gets destroyed are barely collateral damages(or they deserved it, these damn 7 yo jihadist).

Sorry for the long post and for the possible non-comprehension, english is not my first language and i wanted to talk about it without being treated as a russian agent.^^'

Disclaimer: Do not send threats to myrddin ffs

The myth of American benevolence and American exceptionalism is a plague lmao. Yeah as someone who's country (Philippines) was directly affected by American imperialism and who's suffering under American imperialism is constantly downplayed because of the myth of American exceptionalism I really don't appreciate any mention of America's imperialist reality being met with "YOU'RE A VATNIK! YOU'RE A RUSSIAN SPY!"

Yeah it's incredibly hypocritical to get mad at people for drawing hetalia Russia art because of the invasion of Ukraine but be completely fine with hetalia America art despite... Everything about America's imperialist legacy which persists to this day. The U.S helped implement a racial hierarchy system in the Philippines and the affects are still felt to this day. American imperialism/interventionism is still tearing people lives apart.

I do sympathise with the fact that they've lost a friend in Ukraine - that's terrible. However that doesn't mean that in some sort of logical sequence it then justifies running around with a blindfold on trying to ignore America's faults.

I admit that I get annoyed myself when people woobify Russia too much because surprise - I'm not a fan of the Russian state either (I despise it) despite the vatnik accusations, and I've been quite vocal about my distaste for their actions myself, but unless the content is crossing the line into Russian (or American) imperialist apologia, it's just content that annoys me/is annoying at the end of the day and that's that. By their logic they should not be America posting then? They hate rusame art/content because of Russian imperialism but... Nothing about American imperialism?

But wait - the U.S and NATO have done nothing wrong, right? And anyone and everyone who levels well founded criticisms at them MUST be being paid off by the Kremlin, right? Including people whose families' lives, countrymen's lives, and even own lives who were ripped apart due to their actions? Right?

Their lived experiences = Russian agent now I guess.

The fact that it got to the point where myrddin defended what they thought was a Ukrainian using "Mongol" as an insult towards Russians because I said it was racist/had it's basis in Nazi eugenicist science and that it should not be tolerated, and accused me of spreading Russian propaganda of "Ukrainians being Nazis"... Yeah myrddin, you're just racist lol. The fact that they had the gall to make (really bad) posts about hetalia Mongolia beforehand too. The gall of it all.

Considering English isn't your first language - if you sent an ask into Myrddin anyways they'd probably point that out and laugh at you. Because they're like that (saying this because they've explicity made fun of a LatAms grammar before when they sent in criticism) I guess.

If you're so American imperialist brainrotted that it comes to that, please get the fuck off my blog.

[queen-of-the-avengers]

CATFA: Part Five

Pairing: Ikaris x Female!Reader, Bucky Barnes x Female!Reader

Word Count: ~2.1k

Warnings: canon violence and angst

Author’s Note: any and all comments are appreciated <3

x

The promise you made to Bucky will stand firm because you're not going to let anything happen to Steve. He's eager to get started, even after seeing his other recruits in boot camp. You're off to the side since you've already done this and are allowed to observe. A very slim young woman approaches the recruits with a serious look on her face.

"Recruits, attention! Gentlemen, I'm Agent Peggy Carter. I supervise all operations for this division."

"What's with the accent, Queen Victoria? Thought I was signing up for the U.S. Army," one of the recruits asks with a smirk.

"What's your name, soldier?"

"Gilmore Hodge, your Majesty."

"Step forward, Hodge," she orders, and he does as he's told. "Put your right foot forward."

"Mmm, we gonna wrassle? Because I got a few moves I know you'll like," he winks. 

Peggy pulls her fist back and punches him square in the jaw. He falls to the ground in shock as blood squirts out of his nose. The Colonel picks the right time to come in on a jeep.

"Agent Carter."

"Colonel Phillips."

"I see you're breaking in the candidates. That's good!" he turns to the fallen soldier. "Get your ass up out of that dirt and stand in that line at attention until somebody tells you what to do."

"Yes, sir," Hodge sniffles as he tries to keep the blood inside his nose.

"General Patton has said that wars are fought with weapons," the Colonel begins, "but they are won by men. We are going to win this war because we have the best men and because they're gonna get better. Much better. The Strategic Scientific Reserve is an Allied effort made up of the best minds in the free world. Our goal is to create the best army in history. But every army starts with one man. At the end of this week, we will choose that man. He will be the first in a new breed of super-soldiers, and they will personally escort Adolf Hitler to the gates of Hell."

Steve has always had trouble trying to fit in wherever he went. This training camp was no different. The other recruits saw his size and immediately thought he couldn't do it. They made his life hell here, but Steve was a fighter. He never gave up even when things looked a little bleak.

When you were a recruit, you had gone through the same hell as them, only more difficult. Your recruitment officer wanted to make it as tough as possible to prove a woman couldn't do it. When you passed with flying colors, he knew you weren't an ordinary woman.

The recruits are doing their run around the camp, but you're hanging out with Dr. Erskine and Peggy in a jeep waiting for them to get to the halfway point.

"Y/N, I'd like to talk about your academy results if you don't mind," the doctor asks.

"What about them?"

Dr. Erskine and Peggy look at one another as if they know something you don't. He tries to get the words out of his mouth, but Peggy takes over.

"How you passed with such perfect scores."

"Hard work, I guess."

"Yes, that's what I thought until I looked at the footage." Dr. Erskine takes out photos that were developed from the footage since he can't show you personally. The first photo is of you alone in the camp when you thought no one was around to see you. The next photo is of you hunched over as you're in the middle of transforming into an animal. The third photo is of you as the animal. The fourth photo is you running away from the spot into the woods behind the camp. "Care to explain?"

"No," you shake your head.

"Not even the best candidates of your group got perfect scores, yet, you did. Now, unless you'd like me to show this to authorities, I suggest you start explaining."

Well, there is no use in lying to them now, so you come clean.

"I'm not human. I'm from a planet called Xenia, and I came to Earth nearly a thousand years ago. Believe me or not, I'm not the bad guy here. I'm a shapeshifting avatar that can control the elements. I can turn into anything and anyone as long as it's living."

To demonstrate, you use your aerokinesis and cause the wind to pick up. There are no clouds in the sky, but you solidify the water molecules in the air, causing them to sprinkle down onto the three of you. Peggy looks up in shock when she doesn't see any clouds above her.

"I once belonged to a government that only wanted to inflict pain. They were bullies. I put a stop to it, and I've been bouncing from planet to planet trying to help them. All I want here is to help," you say and cease all activity. Peggy and Dr. Erksine aren't nearly as shocked as you thought they were going to be. "You two don't seem that shocked."

"We're looking for someone to be experimented on with a serum we've created. It will enhance their speed, strength, and stamina. We like to say we're building a super soldier to help us win the war," Dr. Erskine reveals.

"We'd like your input."

"Sure." The unmistakable sound of feet stomping on the ground can be heard from where you are. The recruits are coming this way. "I guess it goes without saying that I'd like for my secret to remain a secret."

"We'll keep yours if you'll keep ours."

"Deal."

You look back and see everyone running in two lines, but Steve is all the way in the back and falling behind. Seeing him so battered and bruised makes you think about the promise you made to Bucky. Then, you think about Bucky and how you miss him so much. He's in England right now fighting for his life without you by his side. Maybe this weekend, when you have off, you'll fly over there and see how he's doing.

"That flag means we're at the halfway point!" the instructor points to a flagpole ten feet off to the side. "The first man to bring it to me rides back with Agent Carter! Move!"

All ten recruits rush to the flagpole and try to get to the flag, but they're all failing. Some try to climb it but only get a few feet off the ground. They try to help each other up, but none can pass the halfway point up the pole.

"Nobody's got that flag in seventeen years! Now fall back in line! Come on, fall in!" All the recruits fall back in line, but Steve hasn't gotten his turn to try. "Rogers, I said fall in!"

Steve looks at the flagpole and notices the base of it. There is a latch that can be undone. He pulls it free from the base, allowing the flagpole to fall to the ground in a defining thump. Everyone is shocked into silence when Steve grabs the flag. You and Peggy look at the instructor with smirks on your faces; you're kind of proud of Steve for using his brain. He hands the flag to the instructor and gets into the backseat of the jeep.

Once everyone gets back to the main area for training, it's time for more exercises. All the recruits need to do push-ups over and over again, and everyone does them well except for Steve. He's trying his best, but he can't seem to keep up with everyone else.

"Faster, ladies! Come on. My grandmother has more life in her, God rest her soul. Move it!" Peggy barks orders at the recruits.

You're off to the side watching them when you notice Dr. Erskine and the Colonel talking by one of the keeps. The Colonel takes a grenade from the back, takes out the safety pin, and throws it into the pit of recruits.

"Grenade!"

If you don't do something soon, then it's going to blow up. You stick your hand out and use your aerokinesis to manipulate the air around the grenade to throw it somewhere else. All the recruits hide behind objects that could protect themselves, but Steve jumps on top of the Grenade to take the fall for everyone else. You, Peggy, the doctor, and the Colonel stare at him in wonder as the recruits look at him like he's crazy.

"Is this a test?" Steve asks when the grenade doesn't blow up.

He's proving to be the one they need for the serum, even if the Colonel doesn't think so. He's passed every test and done everything they've asked for regardless if it's harder for the other recruits to do it.

When it was clear who they were going to pick for the serum, Dr. Erskine came clean to Steve about what was really going on. Steve was apprehensive, but he was ready to take that final step. That final step leads you back to Brooklyn. You're in the car with Peggy and Steve and you can already feel some sort of tension. It's nothing bad, but it's definitely something.

"I know this neighborhood," Steve recognizes the area. "I got beat up in that alley, that parking lot, and behind that diner."

"Did you have something against running away?"

"If you start running and they'll never let you stop. So, you stand up and push back. Can't say no forever, right?"

"I know a little of what that's like. To have every door shut in your face."

"I guess I just don't know why you'd wanna join the army if you're a beautiful dame," Steve says. He realizes his choice of words and stutters out an apology. "Or a beautiful... a woman. An agent, not a dame! You are beautiful, but—"

"You have no idea how to talk to a woman, do you?" she interrupts him.

You snicker under your breath, and he lightly kicks your shin to get you to stop. It's his way of telling you to shut the fuck up.

"This is the longest conversation I've had with one. Women aren't exactly lining up to dance with a guy they might step on."

"You must have danced?"

"Asking a woman to dance always seems so terrifying. The past few years just didn't seem to matter that much. I'd figured I'd wait."

"For what?"

"The right partner." Peggy stares at him in admiration just as the car pulls up to an antique store. You're the first one out, then Peggy, and finally Steve. "What are we doing here?"

Peggy leads you two inside an antique store, and the owner comes out to greet Peggy.

"Wonderful weather this morning isn't it?"

"Yes, but I always carry an umbrella."

The owner gives her a nod, and Agent Carter leads you two to a bookcase in the back which opens up to reveal that they were, in fact, doors. She took the lead down to a hidden lab in a big circular room filled with machinery and a pod in the middle.

"Good morning," Dr. Erskine announces when he sees you. He shakes your and Steve's hands respectively. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah," Steve acknowledges.

"Good. Take off your shirt, your tie, and your hat," he commands. As soon as he achieves that, he climbs into the pod that is ready whenever he is. "Comfortable?"

"It's a little big. You save me any of that schnapps?" he asks the doctor.

"Not as much as I should have. Sorry. Next time. Mr. Stark, how are your levels?"

Howard Stark comes onto the platform, and you stare at him in admiration. He made an impression when you saw him at the Exposition of Tomorrow. It's fitting that he's working on this project since he's brilliant.

"Levels at 100%. We may dim half the lights in Brooklyn, but we're ready as we'll ever be."

"Agent Carter? Don't you think you would be more comfortable in the booth?" the doctor inquires.

"Oh, yes, of course."

You turn to follow her, but Steve grabs your arm to prevent you from leaving.

"Stay, please."

"I'm right here," you whisper and stay by his side.

After a few moments of silence, the doctor picks up a microphone to talk to the people inside the booth as they watch from above.

"Ladies and gentlemen, today, we take not another step towards annihilation, but the first step toward the path to peace. We begin with a series of micro-injections into the subject's major muscle groups. The serum infusion will cause immediate cellular change. Then, to stimulate growth, the subject will be saturated with Vita-Rays."

Wow, if only Markus was this thorough with you back then. Another doctor in the room stuck a needle in Steve's arm and quickly injects whatever is inside.

"That wasn't so bad," Steve comments.

"That was penicillin," the doctor informs him. "Serum infusion beginning in five, four, three, two, one." 

The serum is injected into Steve's arm at the end of the countdown. The Doctor gives a thumbs-up to Howard, and the inventor pulls a lever that encloses Steve into the pod and stands him upright. Dr. Erskine walks to the tiny window and knocks on it. 

"Steven, can you hear me?"

"It's probably too late to go to the bathroom, right?"

"We will proceed," the doctor nods.

x

Follow my library blog @aqueenslibrary​​​​​​ where I reblog all my stories, so you can put notifications on there without the extra stuff :)

[fiercynn]

okay i guess i have a little bit to add to bicycle helmet discourse, but it's kind of tangential to the other conversations so i'm really just using this as an excuse to share information that people might not know about helmets lol

wear a helmet unless you have a good reason not to: helmets do reduce head injuries and fatalities (and this is true in europe too - here's a study commissioned by the norwegian public roads administration on the impacts of helmets in cyclist accidents). so unless there are mitigating circumstances like health or cost that make it impossible for you to wear a helmet, you should do absolutely do it!

make sure your helmet is in good shape: if you are a regular biker, you may want to consider replacing your helmet every three to five years (but you can keep it for longer if you're a more sporadic biker), and you should definitely replace a helmet that has been through some kind of accident, even if it doesn't seem damaged

laws requiring helmets are unjust (in the u.s., but maybe elsewhere too): helmets are great, but using helmets as the fulcrum of policy interventions for bikers can actually perpetuate racial and economic injustices. studies in many u.s. cities have found that laws requiring bikers to wear helmets result in police disproportionately giving and enforcing citations/fines on bikers who are black, native, and/or homeless, as well as using such stops as pretexts to try and charge them with other things. my city, seattle, was the largest city in the country to enforce a helmet law until our county overturned all helmet laws last year to prevent this kind of police harassment - with support from local bike organizations. so helmets are good, but requiring them by law has bad side effects. (i tried to find out whether there's data from other countries, but nothing turned up, so maybe this hasn't been studied as widely outside the u.s.)

u.s.-ians, don't let helmets cover up the bigger problems: as with most issues of health and injustice, the real safety problems for bikers in the u.s. lies far deeper: in our infrastructure and our reliance on cars. we can be annoyed at europeans who say they don't need helmets, but they are correct that helmets are treating the symptom, not the cause. don't let your support of helmet-wearing keep you from also advocating for more protected bike lanes, better public transit, lower speed limits for vehicles, and other things that will better protect bikers (and pedestrians, for that matter)

[senkaithegriffin]

Welcome To The Cabin.

Hey there, dunno why you're here but if you'd like to stick around you'd find that the cabin holds many tales and I happen to be the author of most of them. I'll share my stories, OC's, and a bunch of absolutely stupid stuff here because I happen to be oh so incredibly stupid.

You can call me Kai, Senkai, or whatever flutters your wings I guess, I enjoy writing and so I am deciding to share the things I write. It won't be on this blog but maybe if this one catches on enough I have some darker stories I'd like to share too so we'll see how the first cabin does but even now my stories aren't exactly family adventures.

◤ ◢◣◥◤ ◢◣◆◢◣◥◤◢◣ ◆ ◢◣◥◤ ◢◣◆◢◣◥◤◢◣ ◥

◣ ◥◤◢◣ ◥◤◆◥◤◢◣◥◤ ◆ ◥◤◢◣ ◥◤◆◥◤◢◣◥◤ ◢

In the Future, you'll find a List of all of my fic's and links to the full chapter of said stories. I'm considering separating it based on Fandom and having a long list with it being labeled.

The list (No link yet)

A couple of Fandoms you might find me writing for are: Mortal Kombat, Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer, Cyberpunk, Dragon Ball, MHA, Warframe, and so much more do note that some of the stories change so much that they're almost unrecognizable.

Before you decide to dive further like I mentioned, for now my stories will start off pretty light but they typically don't stay that way, when I see fit or people express interest the lore type of content I'll post will get darker they'll still be light-hearted stuff on here however. There will be warnings in chapters but here's also a heads-up in case you read this!

Also, some fics simply never get an ending, I do my best to find suitable stories but I know myself, and more than likely if you're looking for an ending it may not be there.

◤ ◢◣◥◤ ◢◣◆◢◣◥◤◢◣ ◆ ◢◣◥◤ ◢◣◆◢◣◥◤◢◣ ◥

◣ ◥◤◢◣ ◥◤◆◥◤◢◣◥◤ ◆ ◥◤◢◣ ◥◤◆◥◤◢◣◥◤ ◢

This is my only blog, it features a little of everything unless I ever see it fit to make another Blog then I'll link it here but for now.

I'll add a Link to my A03 here: Link (Not active yet)

Here you'll find the full chapters of the teasers and snippets I drop here, but Tumblr also gets benefits as I'll explain things, answer questions, and such here. I'll even drop unrelated pieces of lore here occasionally for my stories.

Also since you're here, check out my writing partner @rennsdeaddoves would never be posting any of this let alone writing it without them.

◤ ◢◣◥◤ ◢◣◆◢◣◥◤◢◣ ◆ ◢◣◥◤ ◢◣◆◢◣◥◤◢◣ ◥

◣ ◥◤◢◣ ◥◤◆◥◤◢◣◥◤ ◆ ◥◤◢◣ ◥◤◆◥◤◢◣◥◤ ◢

A few fun Facts I suppose: I go my He/Him

I'm based outta the U.S

I'm beyond the age of consent

You can never really predict what i'm gonna put out because when I watch something new I subconciously make an Oc in my head and it would be wasteful not to put them to work so that's resulted in me making some pretty outlandish stories but it's all in good fun.

My Current focus? I would say My DS Story but it's one of those stories of mine that are super detached, oh and maybe Spiderman, I've been playing the new game so much it's amazing

I turned on questions and some other stuff so go for it, Don't know how to use the block button on here yet but I'll figure it out so don't be a dick.

[duhragonball]

UAWC Update: 20,070

All right, I'm 40% of the way to my goal for the month. I don't have a lot to add to that, so I'll take this time to mention that I left Twitter last week.

I didn't have a very big Twitter footprint, so I don't think it matter much, but if anyone cares, I got more active on the thing in 2019, after Tumblr instituted the porn ban and everyone thought the site would go out of business or something. For years, my profile just read "I sure hope Tumblr doesn't self-destruct", because I really never understood what to do with Twitter and I was only using it in case people couldn't find me through Tumblr.

And I did tweet stuff over that five year period. Nothing particularly interesting, I think, but I guess I got something out of it. Then Elon Musk bought the thing, and I decided to stick around and watch it decay. I had to turn off DM's because I kept getting messages from spambots, likes became private, except sometimes they weren't? I'm not sure? The Trending tags section seemed to malfunction a lot. Gradually, everything you'd go to the site to do got a little shittier.

Eventually I got fed up with using it on mobile, so I deleted the app from my phone. On Firefox, I can actually block all the shitty ads, and that made the experience much easier to deal with, and also I couldn't use Twitter unless I was at home, which probably helped my mental health a lot.

Then the Brazil fiasco happened, when Elon tried to play hardball with the Brazillian government. I forget all the details, but the short version is that for a while it became illegal for Brazillian citizens to access Twitter, because Elon wouldn't implement the content moderation required by their laws. Using a VPN to get around this would incur a steep fine. So a lot of Brazillians made the jump to Bluesky.

I was on a trip when the Terms of Service thing changed, so when I got home I logged in for the first time in a while and there was this stupid message telling me I couldn't use the site until I agreed to the TOS. And the TOS said that anything I wrote or any images I posted would be used for training AI, and that was the last straw for me. I got a Bluesky account late last year, but I hadn't used it much because there was so little activity. But when the Brazil thing happened, there was a big influx of users, and I'm not sure it ever stopped. So by the end of October I was checking both sites, and a lot of the people I followed were making the jump, and it seemed like I might as well cut the cord on Twitter. The AI thing just gave me a good reason to go through with it.

From what I hear, there's another mass exodus going on now. I know Elon implemented some change to the block feature where the people you block can still read your tweets, and that really pissed people off, and the U.S. Election seems to have been a catalyst. I heard Taylor Swift fans are leaving the site in droves, but that could be for all sorts of reasons, really.

I'm a little curious what the current state of Twitter is right now, but that's exactly why I deleted my account. Even when I could log in, I couldn't really tell what was going on, so this way I save myself the hassle.

If you're still using Twitter, my advice is to just quit cold turkey. Delete your account, or if you're worried about people using your handle after you're gone, I guess you can delete all your tweets and go private. I don't know. Me, I'd rather make a clean break. Bluesky is shaping up nicely, and if you want to find me there, the handle is the same. But there's nothing left for you on Twitter, trust me.

[athomewiththecicadas]

Short story 9/16/24

Well, debting a U.S. Ranger. Okay, it applies an officer training that is different then just Physical Fitness training. Okay.

And the depth of what this great country has to offer is astounding. So, when you get into art School, there is so much to know. Of course when I was growing up Reagan was in Office. And those rainy nights were so plush with the leather of Cadillac seats.

And Public appearance didn't mean what it was today, if you can remember the basic full dress uniform is somewhat clumsy. For anyone who's made an institutional career out of public appearance.

And arts can describe anything. Especially the meaning of the closest relationships in your life. After all, even if you remember the Final Fantasy III game I was talking about, the characters' names change, and they learned different habits, but you as the player know that there was something there that was stronger. And if you pick at it, there's always something that would settle what was in your mind.

And a 1000 years is a long time, but the commitments you made in your childhood, still make you who you really are. And these were adult decisions.

And you try to build equity, and you state that it's the truth, and then a big, gigantic slobbery mouth comes in and must have the whole thing, and talk about all of these details.

And if you know anything about the higher tiers of higher education, you know that there is another meaning to a University or College Degree. And sometimes, that was just exactly what you needed. As if the difference between white people and black people. (I'll rest)

So, I used to take it out on metals. Heating and bending the metals into various shapes, as you ponder through all of these variables in life.

Yes, I'm divorced. Which is the institutional correct.

And it's because, when you get into infidelity, it just doesn't match the feelings and emotions you know you are hiding in your book keeping.

But the institution, just like our higher degrees in education, could just appreciate everything. And so, a divorce is technically a degree in the institution of marriage.

If any of that makes sense.

And it's not like it just ends right there. You find the assets continue, and carry on as if it was just part of your life. And that makes you who you are.

And I guess you wouldn't really get it unless you were an officer to begin with.

Of course, you know a Sandwich is supposed to be nimble, and a bird is supposed to admit the truth, and the way it really is.

But then there's all of this cultural values that you can also appreciate.

And if you enjoy coffee like me, there is just so much to talk about. I wouldn't know if any of this would even be meaningful.

But your personal convictions will tell you if you are making the right decisions. And when your investments mature, what your intuition told you is nothing to snub your nose at.

And for people who actually have the time, art can be quite enjoyable.

And all of these collections you've made in your lifetime, could just continue on endlessly. And these collections can increase the quality of your life in a robust manner.

And who's to say anything different? Especially when you are talking about the rest of your life.

And I've mentioned Pearl in previous posts. But you can also appreciate other gems such as Black Pearl. And the values of appreciation for arts centered around something as institutional as a Black Pearl.

And the value of Black Pearl changes, to where an observer would view the pearl more precious than diamonds. The markets would say otherwise. And there's no real way to put a price on it. And you're right. Values can be different than what society would say was institutionally correct.

But art is definitely one of those things that is difficult to define.

And sometimes it's just hard to pin down exactly what an artist is stating. Especially with all of these forces of nature.

But a Ranger, even though the institution never told him the truth, might be able to form some sort of conclusion. Even on his own.

Sergeant Major Nathan Marksmith, North Wales Militia/ Joint Militia Detachment Brigade (Virginia Militia Association)

-------

-------

[the-whispers-of-death]

sylvester's parents can only speak russian, ive decided. so. yknow. even if stone wanted to, he couldnt talk to them properly,,, death however...

i wanna imagine them being in an old folks home somewhere in the uk tho. idk why, but theyre here. but im putting them at least like 300km away from the ranch cuz. yuck.

funnily enough, they approve of stone. they just look at him like "👀👀👀🤩😏👍🫵💪🤰👶👨‍👩‍👧🙏⁉️⁉️⁉️" if that makes sense..oh my god wait they dont even know about mārīte. *good.*

It's so funny to me that Stone was like "I'll show them a man." Like baby, did you forget that you're also trans and thus not a man in Sylvester's parents' eyes?

Though I do suppose they wouldn't know he's trans, because he passes very well. So I mean, I guess in their mind, he is in fact a man unless someone tells them he's trans. Thus, they still approve of him.

Death would not go within twenty feet of Sylvester's parents. He already had dealt with a homophobic father (who decided to abandon him in the U.S. because Death is gay), he doesn't need to deal with transphobic people.

Sarabi will translate though, just because he wants to add on his own embellishments when translating what Stone says (please Sylvester, please let Sarabi translate what Stone says to your parents) to them.

[anyroads]

I know this is a tongue in cheek comment and I'm not exactly a die hard patriot by any means, but I'm a US expat living in the UK and you know what

People take the shit you can do in the U.S. for granted. I'm not saying it doesn't have problems, I mean hell, I left for a reason. But I've lived here almost a decade and what the fuck. What the FUCK. what the fuck. I grew up in Communist Eastern Europe and what the FUCK.

It takes a month to get a marriage license here because there's still a centuries old law that you have to put an ad in the paper announcing your marriage and then wait for weeks and weeks in case someone comes forward to claim one of you is already married to them. Can you imagine that in the US? No. You want to get married in pretty much any state, you rock up and get a marriage license, or at worst wait a few days for an available appointment but that's because the license office is busy and has no appointments that very second. You want to get your license as part of your wedding ceremony in the UK? Whether you can depends on the location and if they're licensed, not on whether you bring a legally ordained officiant. Your control in a given situation, even if you're paying for that privilege, is limited.

Getting buried in a Jewish cemetery? Better hope you can access one of the few not run by the United Synagogue, who have the legal right to veto what you want to put on your loved one's gravestone. Because in the UK, you may have paid for the burial plot but you don't own it. This is legal. This is a legal thing in this country. The idea that you would own property just because you're paying for it is... not guaranteed. This is a country that has leaseholds - a system in which you buy your apartment but only for a set amount of time, like 90 years. It's your apartment, you pay a mortgage on it, but after 90 years it goes back to the local council unless you extend the leasehold and keep paying. You pay like you own it, but lol no you don't. This system basically means that middle class people can be exploited for money while they live but not have anything to pass onto their children, unlike the upper class. Did you want a covid booster? Better have proof you're on immunosupressants, otherwise you don't get one. Every other country would consider you medically vulnerable? Too bad, the UK doesn't and they know best! Nope, can't pay for it out of pocket. Government Daddy has decided you don't get one, so you don't (unless you're a millionaire and have a private physician on retainer, because let's be real, the rules are never for the wealthy and upperclass, are they?).

Fun fact: the NHS has a zero tolerance abuse policy. What does mean? Your guess is as good as mine. This fact is stated on posters in doctor's offices, but not explained. Every doctor's office has its own interpretation, which they post in a corner of their website you can only find if you search for it, and isn't posted on the wall next to said poster. Patients' rights exist somewhere but that doesn't get any posters. The way this zero tolerance policy has been instituted the last couple of years has been for overworked and pandemic traumatized staff to use it to push back against patients when they ask inconvenient questions. If you speak to staff the way they speak to you, you will be asked to leave, or hung up on if it's a phone call, or they'll threaten to call the police over something as small as a patient saying, "but I don't understand can you please explain it to me?" I've seen it. I've experienced it. And calling the police is the only solution to violating this policy that is offered, other than kicking a patient out permanently -- what I mean is, for offices that are often staffed by black and brown people, their only resource to assert the policy that is meant to protect them is to either cut off a patient's access to care or call the police. All of this is accepted and done because it's accepted that there are no real rules. There are no definitions. There are no steps, no system of "you get one warning." Punishment for vulnerable patients is just implemented at the whim of the staff member and whatever mood they're in. This is legal, because the concept of clearly defined boundaries and ways to assert them doesn't really exist here.

These are just a few issues I have with British law and the culture surrounding it - because if you ask British people about this kind of thing, most of them just shrug and don't care. It's a paternalistic culture and run based on the idea that whoever has authority knows best and must be obeyed. The idea of individualism in an American sense is not applicable here and people are fine with it. Because British people would generally rather say, "it's fine" even if they're lying in a ditch on fire than potentially inconvenience someone else or make them feel awkward.

And look, I'm well aware of the massive issues that violate the concept of freedom in the US, especially the way it's tiered to disadvantage non-white populations. I'm well aware that laws exist in the US that are broken without consequence daily. But at the least the U.S. has a Constitution, which is more than I say for the UK. And at least when bullshit like this comes up there, you can say, "this is bullshit and it violates my constitutional rights" and there are dozens of organizations that will stand up with you and support you because they exist to do so. And while I think orgs like the NAACP shouldn't have to exist because the work they do should be inherent to how government functions, at least the rights are there and the orgs are there. If you want to think the UK doesn't have its own brand of ingrained racism and classism, then I can't help you fix your life, but what it actually doesn't have is a set of laws that protect many of the basic rights that Americans take for granted.

Because you know what? That woman with the werewolf statue is fighting the city because she has a right to, and a legal leg to stand on in doing so. That's the point of the idea of how the U.S. government runs (I'm not going to call it freedom because it sounds too patriotic and bullshitty and I don't like that kind of nationalism, but I still think it's important to acknowledge that people in the US have rights that many in other countries, including Western ones, don't and yeah, that's worth something).

I don't know, maybe this is just a really long way of saying, criticize the US all you want but understand that it's complex and nuanced like literally every other culture. Don't throw out the baby with the bathwater. You can comment on the bullshit of a woman having to fight the city to put a giant werewolf on her own property without dismissing an entire country. And tbh this isn't even about patriotism but about my sheer and utter exhaustion with the reductive, simplistic, ignorant political takes this hellsite churns out like they're donuts at Dunkin.

Bless

[maguro13-2]

Darkness Reborn ~ Origins of the Ink Demon Final Chapter Pt.11 ~

"A Year before Death City's destruction..."

[Seperation - Masamichi Amano]

Seto : [v/o] This relationship between a Mecha Pilot and a Wired Girl has secretly kept in order to keep it away from society and people will never find out that a computer genius had a crush on him. So with that, Lain and Duo decided to have one last spare time before they parted ways for Duo to reunite with his friends while his robot Deathscythe is kept safe in the Seabed area.

(we show Duo and Lain in the master bedroom, where he packs up his stuff)

Lain : I am happy that it is much been too long after we finally keep everything a secret. You given me much precious memories for me to have, you'll robot will do just fine and needs time to be at it's peace. You'll be happy that you'll finally meet your friends for your reunion. When our relationship will never be broken, I'll always be there for you. Please be safe from now on.

Duo Maxwell : Yeah, I will. My reunion with the guys is going to good this time of year. With the DWMA's stock prices crashed and plummet to the ground, that school of their's will be going out of business pretty soon. I'll be back soon when I finally have chance to have the reunion of my friends. (Lain hugs from behind him)

Lain Iwakura : Have safe travels, My dear. Keep our promise as a secret forever and never be broken.

[later cuts to Duo exiting the facility]

*SEAGULLS SQUAWKING*

Duo Maxwell : Heh. There's my ride.

*PROPELLERS SPINNING

Chopper Mike : Hey there, Duo! Care for a ride to Tokyo for the reunion of your comrades? It'll be an hour to get to the bay.

Duo Maxwell : Yo, what up, Mike! Happy New Year!

Chopper Mike : Happy New Year's to you! You're all set and ready for Tokyo? You got your things ready?

Duo Maxwell : Yep! I'm prepared and headed for Tokyo. My friends will be there very soon!

Chopper Mike : Okay then! I pull out the ladder for ya! (Pulls out ladder

Duo Maxwell : Say, you're with the JSDF, are you?

Chopper Mike : Probably.

Duo Maxwell : But you're with the U.S Government and I believe you're one of them Capcom Representatives, I see. (Climbs up ladder to get into the chopper)

Chopper Mike : Welcome aboard, Duo. Ready for our travels?

Duo Maxwell : Sure thing, man!

Chopper Mike : Next stop : Tokyo.

[Lain is shown from the Hideout entrance]

(chopper flies away)

Lain Iwakura : ...Duo.

"An hours later..."

*PROPELLER SPINNING*

Duo Maxwell : (yawns) Aw man. Finally made it back to Tokyo. This might be my chance of getting the guys ready for the reunion they deserve. Unless that incident of the Ink Demon Attack in the city happened around 8 years ago. My comrades sure know about it. The people haven't gotten this changed since they installed the Gundam data archives.

Chopper Mike : Yep. With Death Weapon Meister Academy going on a suspension of business decree, the school itself was finished and humanity's only protection is only our selves and the detectives. I'm sure that the world will be safe without the DWMA and to get all the good details to leave it to the superheroes.

Duo Maxwell : That's good to hear, Mike. Sounds like their hunger for heroism and power is no match for greats of all superheroes. Guess the DWMA will see their selves in hell. They'll just have to wait, to see if they're always a goner. Ready or not.

Chopper Mike : We are now reaching the Tokyo Area. The Arrival at the bay is almost there.

Duo Maxwell : Thank god.

[BEEPING]

Chopper Mike : Hold on! There's something in our way to the Heliport and it's kinda reminds that Tokyo is having some serious severe weather damage.

[THUNDER BOOMING]

Duo Maxwell : Strange. That was a thundering sound that the weather man didn't say anything about the weather.

Chopper Mike : You think so, man?

Mike's Co-Pilot : But it appears that Tokyo isn't the only one to have Earthquakes and Tsunamis, that's how Japan and this planet suffered from normal catastrophes plagued by the weather gods their selves and I think a creature is attacking the city.

[S.E.E.D - Kenichi Tokoi]

Duo Maxwell : What!?

Chopper Mike : Wh-What is this thing!? Why is it using thunder to attack the city!?

Duo Maxwell : Let me see...[looks through binoculars to see a heartless (Darkside) that is using Thundaga to attack Tokyo] Is that...a Heartless?

Chopper Mike : That's Darkside. One of the pure heartlesses from the Realm of Darkness. What was Square Enix thinking of having their bosses go wild and started attacking the city!? JRPG idiots are going bonkers for their stuff running amok!

Duo Maxwell : I guess this was the company's fault that it's going on a rampage!

Darkside (?) : Marie! Where are you!? Come out, come out, wherever you are, Marie!

Duo Maxwell : Marie? Is this thing talking about Marie? It's only talking about a blonde hair woman with an eyepatch. I know who that Heartless Darkside is, it's that communist Franken Stein.

Chopper Mike : Franken Stein? This Heartless that was attacking Tokyo is that communist Franken Stein?! But he was killed by that American Sammy Lawrence and he died in Tokyo right before the DWMA has completely bankrupted! I might get a call from this.

Duo Maxwell : Don't worry, I know someone that can might help!

*Phone Ringing*

Lain Iwakura : Hello?

Duo Maxwell (via) : Lain, it's me, Maxwell! There's something happening and there's a big problem at Tokyo! It's Darkside the Heartless from the KH Universe, and it's running amok.

Lain Iwakura : Tokyo's in danger? But that's where I originally came from! How is it in danger!? What's something responsible for attacking the city!?

Duo Maxwell : I believe it is a giant heartless that is controlled by the actual communist Dr.Stein, who was literally assassinated by that American being called Sammy Lawrence who happens to hate communism! Yeah, it's the truth. Get Deathscythe really right away! And there's a lot of them!

Lain Iwakura : Okay! I will get him to be prepared!

Duo Maxwell (via phone) : Good! Just wake him up and head over to...DAAAAAAH! *DBZ SFX : Explosion)

Lain Iwakura : Duo?! Are you there?! Duo! I gotta wake the machine up, I don't want to let him die like this! If could I just awaken the machine with my cry for help, I need to know that I will let my heart out. That'll be a miracle, I hope this better works. Hey, Deathscythe, answer my voice, Deathscythe, I need your help and awaken yourself!

*heartbeat echoing*

Lain Iwakura : ...Okay. Here goes nothing. Oh, Great Deathscythe, protector of humanity and Guardian of peace. I wished that my love would unite himself with you. please hear voice my voice. Speak to my heart. My dear love is in need of assistance and I could help you out! Please hear my cry and help us all! DEATHSCYTHE, I BEG OF YOU TO AWAKEN YOURSELF!

(Deathscythe awakens)

[Makenai Ai ga Kitto plays]

Deathscythe : ...UNITE DUO MAXWELL. TOKYO IS IN GRAVE DANGER. MUST SAVE LIVES FROM EVIL ITSELF. (The robot begins to activate)

Lain Iwakura : That voice! Did his machine spoke? My answers finally worked this time! (Giggles in excitement) I can't believe that his machine spoken his words for the first time! This is really a dream come true! I can't wait to tell Duo about this!

Deathscythe : HEARTLESS NOT FRIENDLY! HEARTLESS MUST BE EXTERMINATED! FEAR NOT AS I SHALL SAVE ALL OF MANKIND!

*DBZ SFX : SHIP LIFITING OFF*

Lain Iwakura : Wish me back! Hope you come home real soon!

(cuts to Deathscythe flying over the ocean)

Deathscythe : DUO MAXWELL. FRIENDS WILL BE ON THEIR FOR THE PLEA OF OUR HELP! SIGNS OF LIFE DETECTED! ENEMY INVASION HAS STARTED TO BRING ON THIS PLANET. COMMENCING NEW TARGET ACQUISITION.

"Remember, Maxwell. I, Deathscythe, has been in the palm of your hands that my name suits me well for a Gundam to make myself as the Powerful robot that I was ever created by Professor G. To think that the Man-Made son of Shinra was foolish enough to call me a weapon, but I am no tool the devil's will, I am a fighting machine created to protect the innocence and become the champion of peace!"

"Now I finally understand what it means to be Deathscythe, the greatest machine ever to live in peace and to bring harmony to the machines. This is my momment to give evil the sweet taste of justice that will ever last for them!"

*DBZ SFX : BOOSTING*

Slippy (via Communication) : Fox! I've detected an unknown giant robot on the radar. It's a machine that came from that facility called the Iwakura-Maxwell Hideout Residence. Otherwise known as the site for the Deathscythe Launch Base.

Falco (via Communication) : Lain Iwakura, that famous computerized genius from the 1990s? The media thought that she died of committing suicide. Turns out that it was just a simulation from that video game made for her. She must've programed an AI version of herself, what else that she has done for herself?

Fox (via Communication) : So it's best that she was still alive after that tremendous incident in Japan, well I checked the net twice and discovered that the footage of Lain commiting suicide was just a fake only to fool the Real World for stupidity.

Krystal : Now it's commonly to surprise that Lain is still alive and lives somewhere off the coast. But that programming of her's might make people giving fear and contempt.

Falco : Maybe this Maxwell fella sure know how to make a robot that powerful. The DWMA is trashed and Smash is gonna give them a thrash! Now let's take this Square Enix bonehead to the Trash!

[Arwing blasts off]

??? : Oh my. This looks promising. I can't wait to tell this that the city of Tokyo's under attack by Square Enix's foolishness. Don't worry, but I know how to cleanup their mess. Leave it to me, Bayonetta!

"NEWCOMER : BAYONETTA JOINS THE FIGHT!"

Bayonetta : This should be a piece of cake! A remarkable display for a couple of bad boys carries out for destruction. I should lend them a hand to give them a warm welcome to a witch that they never forget. (jumps off)

~ Nintieth Scene : True God of Death ~

[thebreakfastgenie]

I genuinely don't want to be one of the people who shouts "debate me!!" And then never shuts up and calls it a win when people eventually stop talking to them, so unless you actually want to talk more, this'll be my last message.

It is a right-wing talking point, and you're right to be suspicious- but the key difference is intent. They say it to justify not fixing anything, or to focus the rage of the people on whatever their target of the hour is. What I and other leftists intend to say is that focusing on guns is focusing only on one part of a much wider problem, and deflects blame away from what truly could have caused such violence in the first place. If all guns were banned, gun violence would decrease. That's something that you are 100% right to think, because it's true- but we would see violence in other forms start getting way more frequent. You don't want kids to get shot. I don't either. But if the thing you're the most vocal about is the method of death, then I think you're being misguided, and getting hung up on the wrong thing.

I could say more, but I don't want to talk your ear off any more than I have already. Thank you for responding to me at all- I hope the rest of your night is good, and I hope that people stop telling you to hurt yourself. Those people are also misguided, imo.

Well, I guess the difference is I don't see these things as mutually exclusive. Of course there will be a focus on guns right after a mass shooting.

You have also not given anything concrete about what this cause of violence might be or how we're supposed to identify and address it. I know pushing for gun control in the U.S. is kind of doomed, but at least it's a concrete goal.

I hope you have a good night too.

[endreal]

Opinion of some of the more unusual bbq styles out there? Like Alabama mayo based bbq sauce, or Memphis style dry rubs? Also what's your favorite bbq meat/other stuff to bbq?

I personally don't care for mayo a whole lot so Alabama style has never caught my interest but I'm sure it tastes fine if you're into it! More importantly though, why are you trying to bait me into saying something that will get me shot in Texas anon?

~Send me anons and asks for (belated) TMI Tuesday fun and prophet!~