#we included this in our contract terms right?

[photomatt]

You gonna do anything or make any statement about the rampant transmisogyny on this hellsite, especially in cases like predstrogen recently? Or yall gonna stay silent and keep letting/making us get pushed off of it.

I have a number of asks about this, so this is to address all of them, I won't do each individually.

We generally do not comment on individual cases, but because there seems to be mass misinformation around this, I will make an exception and comment on predstrogen.

First, Tumblr has a number of LGBT+ including trans people on staff, and they see things from the inside fully, and they're not protesting this case.

Why do we wrongly have a transphobe reputation? We did have an external contract moderator last year that was making transphobic moderation (and also selling moderation, criminally). As soon as we were aware that person was fired, and we later terminated the entire relationship with that contracting firm and have brought almost everything in-house (at great cost). I have previously commented on this publicly, several times.

I am not aware of any Automattician (people who work at Automattic and Tumblr) who has made any transphobic moderation actions. If it's reported it is investigated immediately, if anything were found that person would be terminated for cause immediately.

Predstrogen's account was suspended for:

Repeated mis-tagging of adult content against Tumblr's community guidelines. This has nothing to do with clothed transition photos, she had 20+ other blogs and multiple accounts with names so explicit I can't post them here without a mature tag.

Multiple cases of harassment of other Tumblr users, not just me.

Multiple threats of violence, not just the one I share below.

These represent a breach of our Terms of Service, and we've exercised our right to refuse service.

Threats of violence are never okay. Threats of violence are not protected speech. We will work with police and FBI where appropriate, though to be clear prestrogen's case hasn't warranted that so far. I'm referring to what we may potentially do for other threats. I just got a death threat yesterday from someone mad about predstrogen, and that account was immediately terminated.

So regardless of whether you still think Tumblr staff is somehow a bunch of transphobes, know that threats of violence or death are still not acceptable and will result in immediate and serious action. Know that when you rile people up, they can do dumb things with possibly permanent consequences.

(2 hours later update: I have changed instances of the pronoun "they" or "their" to "the account" because I am unaware of pronoun preference in this instance and don't want to misgender anyone. Thank you for the people who reported this as an issue. Update 2: "She" is apparently better, the post now says that. Sorry for the mistake.)

Here's one (of many!) examples of the harassment violations, this one targets me but there are others targeting other users on the site.

The second part seems to indicate she wanted to be suspended, I'm unaware of why, perhaps to create this sort of uproar. I agree the hammers feel silly, but the start, "i hope photomatt dies forever a painful death" is a violation of Tumblr's community guidelines and terms of service.

The car part did hit close to home as I have almost died twice in car accidents.

Update 2: Added this text to the adult content part: This has nothing to do with clothed transition photos, she had 20+ other blogs and multiple accounts with names so explicit I can't post them here without a mature tag.

[liminalweirdo]

id below the cut

source

screenshots from Instagram user gauntletnews containing several article snippets:

Institutional COVID denial has killed public health as we knew it. Prepare to lose several centuries of progress.

This propagandist narrative aimed to achieve, not just a practical outcome, but a philosophical, political victory. It aimed to individualize a collective good that has been entrenched as a basic human right in rich societies for at least a century. It aimed to reframe disease control as something that should be a choice for each person, rather than a publicly funded collective effort.

...

demanding clean air and clean water is not “living in fear” but simply expecting the bare minimum of a democratic society to which we pay taxes and refusing to be a bootlicker for billionaire talking points.)

...

The history of public health in this country and around the world is the history of disease eradication, mitigation, suppression, and prevention. The name of the public health body currently pushing “you do you” as a strategy is the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, for God’s sake. It’s not the Center for Diseases Are Fine and Go About Your Day.

...

Let’s talk about the short and long-term social outcomes of COVID normalization. Yes, masks and all other precautions are demonized to the point of being framed as indicative of mental illness, including on the left. But we also see this attitude bleeding into disease control generally. Another reason the public appears more willing- perhaps even eager- to spread disease- has to do with officially sanctioned misinformation being hurled at parents: that your kids are getting sick more often because of the “lockdowns” that occurred in 2020.

...

Unless we change course urgently- unless we fight back against the normalization of constant illness and the individualization of a critical public good- we are going to see a long, slow, across-the-board decline in health and life expectancy amid increasingly uncontrollable disease outbreaks and overwhelmed hospital systems.

...

The reality is that our kids will be continually reinfected with COVID while navigating the return of measles and other vaccine-controlled diseases, while being told there is zero technology that can protect them and zero reason to protect them, while contracting flu and RSV more frequently and with worse severity.

...

This is not 1824. It is 2024. We have the technology and knowledge to mitigate disease spread. Let’s fight for a future that is safer, better, and healthier than the world we grew up in, rather than sicker, crueler, and technologically regressed. If we don’t face reality and understand what we’re sacrificing right now, the next generation certainly will.

end id]

[yawnderu]

"Quit lookin' at me like that." He demands, accent growing thicker by the minute at his frustration.

"Like what?" You manage to gasp out, cheeks swollen and bloody at the beating you just took. Your hands are clasped together on your lap, forced to sir on your knees as you look up at him.

What stared back at you wasn't your loving Simon, no— this creature was much different. Ghost was glaring down at you, eyes cold and devoid of emotion other than pure, raw anger.

"Like a fuckin' lost puppy. Like you don't know what you did." His grip on the trigger tightens, holding the muzzle to your temple.

Please, tell me it isn't true. For the love of God, tell me it's all a lie.

"You leaked our information to fuckin' Konni?" He asks in disbelief, just wanting to confirm what he knew all along. It all connected once he found out; the late night escapades, the detached look in your eyes, how you kept missing every single celebration with the team claiming you were busy. Maybe if he noticed sooner, things would have been different.

Your silence and the way your head hangs low in shame is all the confirmation he needs. His gloved hand grips the pistol harder, the rough material almost merging with his skin.

You don't even have the courage to look at me.

"Everythin' we did together... I trusted you with my bloody life. I told you all my secrets and let you see all of me, and this is how you fuckin' pay me?" He doesn't even wait for an answer, three silenced gunshots ringing in his ears as he dumps the bullets into your chest, looking away before he hears the familiar thud of a body hitting the ground.

Goddammit. God damn it all to fucking hell.

Simon chokes on a harsh breath, the corners of his mouth twisting into a frown underneath his balaclava, jaw slackening. He doesn't dare look at you, unwilling to let his last image of you be a pool of blood with dead eyes.

He cried all his tears when he was a little kid, yet he can somehow feel the familiar sting in his eyes, causing him to sigh loudly and shake his head. His pistol goes back in its holster as he turned to leave, not sparing you a single glance.

Dying alone is a scary thought. You come to the world in a room full of people, your mother's happy face looking at her own creation, nurses and doctors smiling and celebrating you even when all your tiny body can do is to cry.

The thought of death isn't what scares you, no. Being a soldier for the special forces only ends two ways: retirement or going home in a box. That's something you came to terms with a long time ago, when your much younger hand held the pen, signing the contract that sold your soul to your comrades, a silent eternal promise of "we fight together, and we die together".

Your shaky hands grasp at the snow as you drag yourself forward, gear all of sudden heavier than ever; crushing you down like Atlas holding the sky. Your blood leaves a dirty trail on the pure, clean snow, marking you down as an easy target if Simon decides to come back for you— you know Ghost won't.

By the time someone manages to find you, your fingers are purple and your lips are painted an awful shade of blue, body adorned with burns from the cold snow digging into your bare skin. You allow yourself to rest as soon as the warmth of someone's hand makes contact with your skin, barely able to register the panicked scream and loud orders being barked.

Labeled as a hero after saving the country from Makarov's terrorist attack, Simon sported a new brand of chest candy on his uniform. Colorful ribbons adorned the right side of his blazer. His chest is still puffed out with pride as he steps into his small flat in London, all memories of you thrown away, including the ring he kept hidden in a drawer.

''Cute shoulder pads.'' Your finger hovers above the trigger, finally stepping out of the dark.

[atwhughesversion]

rick tocchet is gone — why did this happen, and now what?

ICYMI: the canucks announced a few hours ago that rick tocchet has chosen not to return as coach for next season. it raises a lot of questions — why did it end this way, will the canucks be better or worse off, what does it mean for certain players, and who on earth will take over?

lots and lots of text below the cut lol:

why did tocchet choose to leave?

as with most things, i’m sure more information will start trickling out once we think (and hope) that it’s old news in the market. right now, there have been a few pieces of information shared by reliable insiders. elliotte friedman said recently that he’d heard the 3 main holdups were contract (aka $$$), quinn hughes’ uncertain future, and lack of a practice facility. rick dhaliwal said that he thought the main issue was salary. today, we’ve heard from thomas drance and dhaliwal that the canucks did ultimately make a very genuinely generous contract offer, so the money probably wasn’t what drove tocchet’s decision.

this is what rutherford said:

“We did everything in our power to keep him, but at the end of the day Rick felt he needed a change.”

and this is what tocchet said:

“I'm choosing to move on from the Vancouver Canucks. Family is a priority, and with my contract lapsing, this becomes the opportune time. While I don't know where I'm headed, or exactly how this will play out for me over the near term, I feel like this is the right time for me to explore other opportunities in and around hockey.”

on canucks talk today, drance suggested that the decision was largely personal, and he mentioned that The Rift™️ was draining (and wasn’t entirely absent last season, despite the team’s success helping).

if i had to make a guess, i’d say that there were things tocchet wanted (quinn hughes certainty, practice facility) that the organization couldn’t provide, and once he received the large contract offer he ultimately decided that the money alone wasn’t enough for him to stay with a team that took a lot out of him the last year.

was tocchet a good coach?

this is the million dollar question lmao. while i’ve had my issues with him, personally i think that he’s an above-average coach all things considered. i think he was exceptional in terms of defensive systems and seemed very solid in terns of player relationships. i’m not sold on his offensive coaching ability, though, and IMO it’s a little concerning that he just hasn’t seemed to be able to budge his expectation in order to accentuate and take advantage of the skills of offensive players who might have some defensive warts. i don’t think he has the pedigree to be one of the highest-paid head coaches in the league, but i think he’s a solid option. ultimately, i don’t think he’s as good of a coach as the 2023-2024 season implied, but i don’t think he’s as bad as the 2024-2025 season implied.

what does this mean for quinn hughes?

quinn was really close with tocchet, and referred to him as the best coach he’s ever had — he even did an interview a few weeks ago, where he essentially went to bat for tocchet. a lot of people were of the opinion that the team needed to do whatever it took to keep quinn happy, including re-signing his favourite coach. so, with this news, and the uncertainty about whether quinn will ultimately sign a new contract with the canucks when he’s eligible (which rutherford won’t keep his damn mouth shut about oh my god), people are understandably concerned that tocchet leaving will make quinn less inclined to stay.

keep in mind, though, that tocchet was the coach who not only led the canucks to one of their most successful seasons, but was the guy behind the bench for quinn’s personal breakout season — and he started coaching the team when quinn was 23. that’s really young, and it’s very easy for young people to develop strong relationships with the mentors who help them reach peaks like this — and while the team made the playoffs in quinn’s rookie year under travis green, tocchet was the first one who helped them genuinely look like a contender, so it doesn’t surprise me that quinn would want him to stay.

quinn is a very smart player, though, and what’s most important for him will be winning. if they hire a new coach, the team looks great, and they have success again, quinn isn’t going to leave just because he misses rick tocchet. coaches are hired to be fired and while players will certainly get close with coaches (and tocchet wasn’t fired), there is an understanding that that person is not guaranteed to be with them for more than a couple years.

what does this mean for elias pettersson?

while petey’s surprising and lengthy decline was catalyzed by an injury, and has continued to affect him for a multitude of reasons (further injury, training around injuries, the rift, nonstop noise from the organization, etc.), so i don’t think it was caused by tocchet, i don’t know that i feel confident saying that tocchet played zero role in its longevity. there are a few reasons why — the style of hockey tocchet wanted his players to partake in wasn’t necessarily designed to take advantage of petey’s best attributes, and his emphasis on defensive hockey (including passing up low-quality shots so as not to cause turnovers) seemed like it may have caused some of the players to occasionally feel hesitation in really going for it offensively, and i do wonder if that contributed to petey being so hesitant to shoot or make dangerous plays.

the personal dynamic is also something i wonder about — they both have said that their relationship was good, but bruce boudreau once said that he found the best way to get the most out of petey and his personality was taking an approach using more positive reinforcement. did tocchet share this same approach? i’m not so sure.

i think petey was going to rebound whether tocchet stayed or went, but it might be a bit of a breath of fresh air for him to not have the same guy who has been criticizing him nonstop (while fawning over his #1 enemy /s).

who will be the replacement?

the options are basically: a member of the coaching carousel (woodcroft, laviolette, and anyone who’s fired after the playoffs are a few options), an internal promotion (aka manny malholtra), or a first-time NHL head coach from elsewhere (a current assistant coach with a different franchise, a coach from a different pro league — i’ve seen people throw around sam hallam, which would be interesting if not probable).

IMO, manny malholtra is the most likely (and today, rutherford said that he’s on the short list) — he has a lot of NHL assistant coaching experience, and has done a great job in abbotsford this year. and, notably, the abby canucks played a fairly similar way under malholtra as the canucks did under tocchet — so it’s not like the team would be deer in headlights learning a completely brand-new system.

the team will also need new assistant coaches. i wonder if maybe the sedins would be willing to start working for the NHL team full time, but they seem to really enjoy their current role in player development (though if manny came up, maybe he’d try and get the 2011 band back together 👀)

general vibe check?

i was pretty neutral on tocchet staying or leaving — there were things i didn’t love, but overall he was a solid coach who dealt with a season from hell. i do think it’s pretty bad for optics that canucks management made it incredibly clear that they wanted him back, and they couldn’t convince him to stay, so i’m ultimately not the biggest fan of how this went down. i’m optimistic about the future, though — at the very least, maybe we’ll get the “new coach bump” and have a hopeful start to the 2025-2026 season?

[fans4wga]

SAG-AFTRA Takes Up Bethenny Frankel’s Fight To Unionize Reality Show Contestants & End “Exploitative Practices”

August 10, 2023

"SAG-AFTRA, which covers the hosts but not the contestants on reality TV competition shows, said today that it’s working “toward the protection of the reality performers” in an effort to end “the exploitative practices that have developed in this area” and “to engage in a new path to union coverage.”

“We are tired of studios and production companies trying to circumvent the union in order to exploit the talent that they rely upon to make their product,” the guild said.

The announcement comes after Bethenny Frankel, a former star of The Real Housewives of New York City, suggested that reality performers should go on strike in order to win residuals for their work and to combat abuses in the workplace. Reality show hosts, but not contestants, are covered by the guild’s Network Code, which is not part of its strike against films and scripted TV shows.

“Why isn’t reality TV on strike?” Frankel said in a recent TikTok video. “I got paid $7,250 for my first season of reality TV, and people are still watching those episodes.” Reality stars, she said, “are the stepchildren, the losers, the mules, the pack horses. The ones that the entertainment industry is going to rely on, right now, to carry the water and do the heavy lifting when real stars, real A-list Hollywood is on strike.”

She added, “Reality television exploits affairs, bankruptcy, falling off the wagon, not really having what you say you have, something inappropriate, risking cancellation every single time the camera goes on.”

To address the alleged abuse of reality stars, she’s engaged high-powered attorneys Bryan Freedman and Mark Geragos to investigate the alleged abuse of reality stars.

In a statement today, SAG-AFTRA said that it “has engaged in discussions with Bryan Freedman at the Freedman + Taitelman, LLP law firm who has been retained by Bethenny Frankel around the subject of treatment of reality performers. SAG-AFTRA is the union that represents reality performers. Depending on the structure of the production and the performers involved, we can cover these performers under our Network Code Agreement.

“We stand ready to assist Bethenny Frankel, Bryan Freedman and Mark Geragos along with reality performers and our members in the fight and are tired of studios and production companies trying to circumvent the Union in order to exploit the talent that they rely upon to make their product.

“We encourage any reality performers and/or members to reach out to SAG-AFTRA’s Entertainment Contracts Department so that we may work together toward the protection of the reality performers ending the exploitative practices that have developed in this area and to engage in a new path to union coverage.”

“Please be advised that the day of reckoning has arrived,” Freedman, working with Geragos, said in a letter sent to NBCUniversal on Aug. 3. “While our investigation is still ongoing, we have reason to believe that cast members and crewmembers on NBC reality TV shows have been subjected to disturbing mistreatment by NBCUniversal and/or its employees, contractors, and third-party affiliates.”

Building off Frankel’s union aims, the list of such mistreatment that Freedman lays out includes:

Deliberate attempts to manufacture mental instability by plying cast members with alcohol while depriving them of food and sleep.

Denying mental health treatment to cast members displaying obvious and alarming signs of mental deterioration.

Exploiting minors for uncompensated and sometimes long-term appearances on NBC reality TV shows.

Distributing and/or condoning the distribution of nonconsensual pornography.

Covering up acts of sexual violence.

Refusing to allow cast members the freedom to leave their shows, even under dire circumstances.

In response, an NBCUniversal spokesperson told Deadline that the company is “committed to maintaining a safe and respectful workplace for cast and crew on our reality shows. At the outset, we require our third-party production partners to have appropriate workplace policies and training in place.  If complaints are brought to our attention, we work with our production partners to ensure that timely, appropriate action is or has been taken, including investigations, medical and/or psychological support, and other remedial action that may be warranted such as personnel changes.”

@bethennyfrankel on Tiktok: This is a union. I’ve defined fair & reasonable terms & consider those making $0 on the bachelor to a housewife making millions. This is a 1st pass & how I’d negotiate, w/ my institutional knowledge & wisdom in this industry w/ over a decade on 8 tv, w/ 10 books, 5 podcasts, multiple businesses & what was the fastest growing spirits business in history. I know a contract. Looking into traditional TV residuals is like looking inside “a beautiful mind.” Content used later with no profit sharing & l exploitation of hard working talent is as archaic as calling empowered independent women “housewives,” a term setting back women 100 years then using them for drama.

This is the REALITY RECKONING aka THE REALITY REVOLUTION. The is the new BETHENNY CLAUSE. Reality TV has existed for decades & sustained entertainment during the last strike & exploded. This isn’t for people like me, who have thrived & succeeded and clawed their way to the top despite the odds. This is for the next generation. These are broad stroke terms subject to modification. This fight is just getting started. We’re rogue & nimble & not entangled & unwieldy. The intention here is to affect change, get things done and make history.

I’ve listed some names who have contacted me & want to get involved. People not on this list are Vanderpump rules talent & the Kardashians, ironically the most powerful entities in entertainment right now, with the most leverage. They should fight for others who paved the way & for those after them. Shows like Summer House and others in production should stand down. Viewers should not watch this content. This paves the way for nurses and teachers, essential workers, production members & glam teams that will be inspired to create a model of their own reckoning.

Change takes courage. I’ve alienated this industry & burned bridges with the entire network and streaming community in one fell swoop. This is not for the faint of heart but it’s for the greater good. This is correct. We will be sending these terms by email with the subject line: “Reality Reckoning” starting emails with: imwithbethenny Who’s with me?"

[formulakracing]

ii. eighteen minutes - t.w.

pairing: reserve fem driver!reader x toto wolff

word count: 2.5k

warnings: morally gray individuals, slow burn, sexual content (intercourse), allusions to sexual content, cursing, marijuana use, references to alcohol use, lots of power imbalance, questionable boss x employee dynamics, light toxicity, slight controlling tendencies from toto

a/n: here’s the second chapter of my new baby. i really like the direction of this fic & i hope y’all do too. also, i really wanna clarify and say that the reader, toto, and max are NOT supposed to be good people. they are supposed to be written as people who have flaws + make mistakes. i hope y’all enjoy! <3

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ────── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ────── ･ ｡ﾟ☆:

“look at you! come on now, do a little spin for me.”

sucking in a breath, you swivel on your heel, turning in a tight circle. lewis nods in approval, his tongue swiping along his lower lip.

“who knew a fire suit could look so good on someone? if you’re not careful, you may have quite a few drivers in your dms later. me included!”

“stop,” you hiss through gritted teeth, “it’s a little tighter than i would like in some areas.”

lewis’ lips purse, the british driver eyeing every inch of the suit, “that’s not necessarily a bad thing–”

“could you stop harassing our sweet girl?” 

george strolls through the entrance of the garage, arms folding over his chest. lewis rolls his eyes, mouth forming a pout as george plucks a strand of hair from your right rib-cage, “how come you get to be that close?”

“because i don’t sexualize her every five seconds,” george mutters, shaking his head, “how are you feeling? nervous?”

“nervous?” a dry laugh erupts from the base of your throat, “i’m clenching my cheeks right now. i’m afraid i’m going to shit myself.”

“it’ll pass,” george shrugs, “soon the adrenaline will kick in and you’ll be fine. don’t stress yourself out too much. it’s only qualifying.”

“it’s only my first qualifying in formula one,” you counter, wiping your slick palms on your suit, “it’s only my debut as one of the few female drivers in a male-dominated sport. it’s only the first time the other teams will get to watch me drive and–”

“you just want to look good for red bull,” lewis waves a hand, “don’t act all coy over there. we’ve seen your interviews. we know you have an interest in joining the dark side.”

“the dark side?” you arch a brow, “what does that mean?”

“you’d be under the helm of christian horner if you went over to red bull,” george exhales, his hands settling on his hips, “that’s a no-no in the mercedes handbook. so, we refer to it as the dark side.”

“oh,” a slight wave of shame blazes within you as you sense the subtle scrutiny radiating off the british drivers as they pick you apart, anticipating your response, “i just wanted to showcase my capabilities, that’s all.”

“there’s no harm in that,” lewis whistles, “after all, a lot of seats are up for grabs. several long-term contracts for drivers are going to be up after the season. 2025 is going to be one interesting year. that’s for sure.”

“indeed,” george nods, “not a lot will change around here though. i’ll be sticking around. so will lewis.”

at george’s statement, you notice the way lewis tenses up, almost freezing in place. yet, he loosens up the moment another individual enters the paddock, the driver bearing a meek smile.

“howdy, toto!”

“guten morgen,” the team principal is almost cold, showing no emotion as he approaches the three of you, “i assume the two of you briefed our little hase on our strategy for qualifying this weekend?”

“yep,” lewis dips his head, “she’s chomping at the bit to get a hot lap in!”

“ah!” the team principal’s head turns in your direction, a smug smirk now apparent, “is that so?”

fuck you, lewis hamilton. fuck you big time. 

“yup!” you swallow thickly, shifting in place, “i’m ready!”

in reality, there was nothing more than you wanted in that moment to be in max’s arms, snuggling against his chest as his hands roamed, rubbing gentle circles into your back. 

as much as you shunned those feelings that bubbled to the surface whenever he was near, there was one thing that you could not deny. 

he knew how to make you feel safe. 

and god did you wish he was at your side, your fingers intertwined together. even the sound of his voice was enough to soothe your nerves.

if only he was here right now.

if only.

due to the nature of formula one’s guidelines, in order to replace george, you would have to participate in at least one of the practice sessions on the track. which, since qualifying was considered a practice session, you would be given the okay to compete. however, there was the more petrifying aspect of it all.

qualifying determined the grid.  

if you did not perform, then mercedes would be at the bottom of the grid, fighting their way to the top in order to earn points. if you did not manage to snag a position in the top ten, then you would not earn any points. 

and no team wanted zero points. 

especially at the beginning of the season where a high-caliber team like mercedes wanted to make a statement. 

so, it was up to you to set that tone. 

to prove that you were not only a worthy competitor, but also that you were capable of earning points. 

talk about a pivotal point in your formula one career.

a point which would hopefully last more than eighteen minutes. 

hopefully.

“all right,” toto clears his throat, placing a hand on your shoulder, “come with me. we’re going to go on over to the car. i’m going to have you meet with bono, marcus, and james. they are going to give you a little insight about the new upgrades to the car, along with some adjustments we’ve made since sakhir.”

“sounds good,” letting out a shaky breath, you follow the team principal’s lead, dipping your head to fellow members of the crew as they wave, circling around you like vultures. they appear eager, poised to pounce at any given moment. with every passing second, the tension in the air thickened, a buzz beginning to grow among the garage. 

of course, they were talking about you. 

this was the first time you were going to be behind the wheel of their car. the car that they had worked tirelessly on over the course of weeks, if not months. the car they had poured all of their passion, their energy, and their resources into. the car that required numerous donations and sponsorships to build, craft, and perfect. 

a car that was worth millions. 

and it was up to you to ensure that the car came out unscathed, without a single scratch or dent.

some pressure that was.

and god, was it starting to weigh on your shoulders.

“before you speak to the team, i need to tell you something.”

you pause, cocking your head, “yes?”

toto leans forward, his mouth hovering merely millimeters by your ear. 

“don’t fuck this up, hase. the moment you get behind the wheel of that car you are going to do one of two things for me. one, you manage to qualify in the top ten for tomorrow. or two, you crumble under the pressure and crash the car.

if you crash the car, you’re fucking done. you will never step foot inside brackley ever again. i will release you from your contact the very moment you make it back to the paddock. so don’t fuck this up, yeah? i’m sure you don’t want to lose your cushy little lifestyle in the reserves.”

a shiver courses down your spine, fear bubbling up in the pit of your stomach as he towers over you, wearing a sickeningly smug grin. however, that terror only lasts a second, dissipating as retaliation takes over. it’s fiery and hot, your jaw clenching as your fists form tightly wound balls. 

“fuck you,” you manage to spit out, “fuck you, toto wolff.”

“that’s exactly what i wanted to hear,” he coos, breath hot as it fans against your ear, “good girl.”

“fuck you,” you sneer, “if you utter so much another word to me, i’m crashing the fucking car.”

toto wolff couldn’t help but let the satisfaction course through his veins as you glower, folding your arms tightly against your chest as you make your way over to the huddle of engineers and crew. you were almost stomping, your steps a little louder than usual. 

he had you right where he wanted you.

tensed up, fury filling you to the brim. your brows pinched together with dismay, a frown etched across your features. the toes of your shoe tapping away against the floor, itching to feel the wheel beneath your fingertips. impatient as ever, the fear of loss mixed with the desire to win creating a dangerous yet lethal mix. 

a loaded gun, merely seconds away from firing. 

to toto, this was necessary. 

this was the only way he was going to make you a champion. 

you see, toto wolff made no mistakes.

he was a calculated individual, carefully plotting and carrying out every single move when it came to the decisions made by the team. no detail, no matter how miniscule or trivial was finalized without his permission. no contract was signed without his presence. no calls were made without his knowledge. 

so, the decision to replace george with the reserve driver for the first grand prix was not a decision that was made lightly.

in his eleven years at mercedes, the team principal had witnessed it all. with eight constructors’ championships, seven driver’s championships, and a stake in the team, toto was a dominant force in the world of formula one. he had seen his fair share of controversies, faced backlash from the media, and harbored his secrets. 

although he thought he had seen just about everything there was to see in formula one, that all changed the moment he saw your face. 

that was the exact moment in which toto wolff’s entire world came to a screeching halt. 

that was the moment in which he knew he had to have you. 

he knew he needed you at mercedes. 

no matter the cost. no matter the stakes. no matter the risk.

he had lewis hamilton to thank for that. 

it all happened one race weekend in zandvoort. toto could recall the memory perfectly, down to the exact minute. he could remember the way lewis was toting you around, your arm entwined with his. it was in the garage, as lewis was giving you a tour, showing you around a little bit, introducing you to a few prominent members of the team. 

at first glance, toto was under the impression you were just another fuck for the british driver, another innocent girl that fell victim to the bachelor’s charming ways.

that all changed when lewis introduced you as the prodigy of prema racing, the one who shattered records and obliterated barriers.

the next world champion pf formula two. that was, if you played your cards right.

the next face of the mercedes team, if toto played his cards right. 

as fate would have it, you did earn that title. 

in turn, that achievement ended up changing the trajectory of your life. it opened up numerous doors, more than you ever thought were possible. brands reached out to you through social media, inquiring about sponsorships. fans praised you across social media, stating that you were a trailblazer for the world of motorsports. 

most importantly, it opened the door to formula one. 

you had toto wolff to thank for that. 

with the help of lewis, he was the one who got the ball rolling on your contract. he was the one who took a chance on the hot-headed, bratty driver. he was the one who called you, inquiring if you wanted to sign a two-year deal with mercedes. you would be in the reserves, but you would be on the team, nonetheless. 

although you were not the first or second driver sitting in a seat, toto was well aware of the potential brewing within you. 

which, was partially the reason why you were competing today. 

he wouldn’t have made the call if he did not believe in you. 

as you slip into the car, he lingers at the helm of the control panel, sliding on a pair of headphones. 

“one, two, radio check. hase, can you hear me?”

your voice, so sweet and delicate, floods his ears, “i can hear you, toto.”

“good, good,” he tuts, “okay team, let’s have a good qualifying, yeah?”

as the remainder of the crew finish the check, the team principal’s gaze fixates on the reserve driver. her helmet was a little too big, but he could make out her lashes as they fluttered, her head bobbing along as the team buzzed about, ensuring that everything was in perfect order. 

a member of the crew flashes toto a thumbs up, signaling that it was time.

“all right hase,” with every fiber in his being, the team principal fights a grin as you mimic the wave of a princess, a gloved hand rotating back and forth as the car lurches out of the garage.

“es ist zeit zu gehen.”

the second you sailed on to that track,, your foot pressing on the gas, any doubt or fear dissolved, replaced by nothing but pure, electrifying adrenaline. 

“all right ms. reserves,” marcus’ voice seeps into your right ear, “let’s see what you can do.”

when it came to qualifying, all it took was one lap. 

one singular lap to prove yourself. 

and by god, that’s what you were going to do. 

you were going to prove yourself that you were more than just a body in the reserves. you were going to prove to the world of formula one that you were dominant on the track, just as you were in formula two. you were a world champion. 

the only woman in your sport to ever accomplish that magnificent of a feat. 

one of a kind.

the longer you were on the track, the more you realized how your body longed to be behind the wheel. the bells and whistles of the car came easily to you, really. natural, even. just as you had practiced in the simulator. 

your reflexes were sharp, on point with every turn of the chicane. your feet rotated back and forth between the gas and brake with ease, almost as if they had a mind of their own, like they knew this circuit by heart. 

before you knew it, you were sailing back toward the pits, to the mercedes garage. the chatter of the radio was almost like white noise to you, as you had paid no mind to the voices that filtered in and out of your helmet. part of you felt a sense of guilt for not listening to the engineers or crew. although, at the end of the day, you were the one driving the damn car.

coming to a halt at the garage, you pit, flipping the visor up. members of the crew swarm your car. yet, the only one you really make out is toto. with his broad stature and powerful aura, he was truly hard to miss. 

the team principal leans over, one hand resting against the halo of the car. 

the other taps your helmet, the corners of his lips tugging into a broad smile. 

for the first time, you make note of his dimples. how they soften his chiseled features. 

and for the first time, you can’t help but notice how gorgeous toto wolff is when he smiles. 

“congratulations, hase,” a chuckle rumbles in his chest, his hand lingering on your helmet. 

“with the fastest lap on the track, you’ve made it to the second session of qualifying.”

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ────── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ────── ･ ｡ﾟ☆:

taglist: @sweetjellyfishland @ts1m1kas @bxuzi @racecardilfs @bblouifford @justacornerofmybrain @irishmanwhore @noooway555 @sleutherclaw @okdokeygryssel63 @jeannealicette @marknolee @allyisalright-blog

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved in our archive

"Just a cold" that could potentially cause cancer.

By Jo Cavallo

It’s not news that some viruses, including human papillomavirus, human immunodeficiency virus, Epstein-Barr, and hepatitis B, can cause or accelerate the development of cancer. But a recent story in The Washington Post about rare cancers being diagnosed in individuals who had previously been infected by the coronavirus has raised the specter of whether acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS–CoV-2) could also be an instigator in the initiation of cancer.1

Although the devastating short-term severe impact of SARS–CoV-2 is evidenced by the more than 7,000,000 reported coronavirus-related deaths worldwide since the outbreak of COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization, in 2020,2 the long-term implications on health are just starting to be investigated.

According to Afshin Beheshti, PhD, President of the COVID-19 International Research Team and Professor of Surgery and Computational and Systems Biology, Director of the Space Biomedicine Program, and Associate Director of the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, it is hypothesized that SARS–CoV-2 may have long-term, life-threatening complications, including the acceleration of cancer, but these cancer-related effects may take several years to manifest. In this interview with The ASCO Post, Dr. Beheshti discussed how SARS–CoV-2could be a risk factor in cancer development.

Mechanisms of COVID That May Lead to Cancer Development

Reports are starting to emerge about a possible link between the coronavirus and the acceleration of the development of cancers. Is severe SARS–CoV-2 an oncogenic agent? Could the virus be implicated in causing cancer?

All we have right now is preliminary and indirect evidence of a potential causal link between SARS–CoV-2 and cancer. When there is an injury to the body or an infection, there may be short-term cancer-related signals that go up, but they dissipate quickly. What we are seeing in some patients with long COVID is that these cancer-related signals, such as inflammatory factors and mitochondrial dysfunction, are persistent. This makes us hypothesize that SARS–CoV-2 may be an oncogenic type of virus. But if so, we don’t know whether it is an initiator of cancer or a driver of cancer progression.

There is a good study in preprint showing a connection between respiratory viral infections and the awakening of dormant metastatic breast cancer cells in the lungs.3 In this study, the researchers infected mice with SARS–CoV-2 or the influenza virus to understand the mechanisms that disrupt the quiescence of dormant disseminated cancer cells that may lead to metastatic progression. What they found is that both the influenza virus and SARS–CoV-2 increased breast disseminated cancer cell expansion in the lungs after infection. When the researchers expanded their findings to human observational data, they observed that cancer survivors who had contracted SARS–CoV-2 infection had a substantially increased risk of lung metastatic progression and cancer-related death compared with cancer survivors who had not developed SARS–CoV-2.3

So, in a sense, maybe SARS–CoV-2 creates a different landscape in the lungs, in this case, to make the cancer more susceptible to progress or for the dormant cells to become active. My colleague, Kashyap Patel, MD, Chief Executive Officer of Carolina Blood and Cancer Care Associates, is seeing rare and lethal cancers popping up in his patients after they have contracted the coronavirus, so he has a strong suspicion—but no hard evidence—that there is a link between the virus and the development of cancer.1 We are working together to figure out whether the virus is causing dormant tumors to become reactivated, or it is causing an initiation. We want to bring attention to this issue before it’s too late.

Lingering Coronavirus Fragments and Long-Term Immune Responses

Is it possible that the coronavirus, rather than disappearing from the body after it infects an individual, lingers, potentially initiating cancer?

That is one of the concerns in patients who have had long COVID infection. So far, we have not seen the virus replicating in the body 15 or 20 days after infection. But researchers studying the impact of long COVID on the body have found that fragments of SARS–CoV-2 left behind after infection may continue to trigger immune responses.4 Whether that triggers cancer mechanisms is a hypothesis we should look into.

Focusing Research on SARS–CoV-2 and the Risk for Cancer Development

What are you learning about how COVID, especially long COVID, impacts the body in terms of prematurely aging tissue? Could that process spark the development of cancer?

We don’t know the answers to those questions. Emerging evidence has pointed to mitochondrial dysfunction or mitochondria suppression as a potential underpinning mechanism contributing to the persistence of long-COVID symptoms.5 That could mean there is a long-term impact on how cells transform energy.

In cancer development, malignant cells produce energy in a unique way that supports their rapid growth and spread. Known as the Warburg effect, this process could potentially play a role in the increased risk of cancer in patients with long COVID, because their cells may experience changes that make it easier for cancer to develop and thrive.

There is also long-lasting immune activation present in patients with long COVID, which can go on for 2 to 3 years after active infection. We know that consistent upper respiratory inflammation in the body can cause cancer progression.

A lot of the research underway now in long COVID is not yet focused on cancer development and the potential for SARS–CoV-2 to cause cancer, but it’s a question researchers should investigate.

DISCLOSURE: Dr. Beheshti is on the advisory board for Tevogen Bio.

REFERENCES

1. Cha AE: ‘Unusual’ cancers emerged after the pandemic. Doctors ask if covid is to blame. The Washington Post, June 6, 2024.

2. Worldometer: Coronavirus Death Toll. Available at www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-death-toll. Accessed November 18, 2024.

3. Chia SB, Johnson BJ, Hu J, et al: Respiratory viral infection promotes the awakening and outgrowth of dormant metastatic breast cancer cells in lungs. Res Sq [Preprint] rs.3.rs-4210090, 2024.

4. Doctrow B: SARS–CoV-2 fragments may cause problems after infection. National Institutes of Health, February 27, 2024. Available at www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/sars-cov-2-fragments-may-cause-problems-after-infection. Accessed November 18, 2024.

5. Molnar T, Lehoczki A, Fekete M, et al: Mitochondrial dysfunction in long COVID: Mechanisms, consequences, and potential therapeutic approaches. GeroScience 46:5267-5286, 2024.

[cephalopodfrills]

I finally managed upload my recording of the "Emily Temple Cute's Pasta Kitchen" panel from Naka-kon this year. The guests from Emily Temple Cute and Melody BasKet, Ohashi-san and Abe-san, provided a behind the scenes look at the designing and manufacturing process for these brands. The presentation included a look at design sketches, rejected colorways, design mock-ups, and a video from the factory where their designs are produced.

There is a full English transcript of the recording below the cut. Unfortunately, I was unable to transcribe the guests' original Japanese responses due to my own lack of fluency in the language.

Suzanne: Hello and welcome everybody to Emily Temple Cute’s Pasta Kitchen. I was told to let everybody know, for those wanting to participate in the stamp rally, there’s stamps near the door that you can stamp on the way out…with a helpful guy back there and a lil fancy stamp rally sign — Look at his little stamp dance!

We are joined here by the CEO of Emily Temple Cute, Abe-san, as well as Emily Temple Cute’s lead designer, Ohashi-san, and I think everyone here is in for a special treat because we are going to get a peek behind the curtain and they are going to outline how the proverbial pasta is made. They are going to go into all the steps that they go in as far as conceptualizing, designing, planning, patterning, manufacturing – just all of the details, so I think that is a real special treat.

And here we have an overview of the steps of production and so we’ll allow our guests here to elaborate on that. 

They’ve outlined seven steps in which all of the slides are going to be going over those: planning, designing, pattern-making, sample-making, preparation for the manufacturer, the actual manufacturing process, inspection/touch-up, and dispatch and marketing. So we’ll be going into detail on all of those.

And here is a general flowchart of all the steps involved in that process.

Ohashi-san: Hello! So, I’m not the designer, I’m the lead director. I consult with the designer about the direction we’re going in terms of the overall concept and how we decide to go forward with a design. The designer gives several concept proposals, several ideas, and, basically, the ideal design is picked out from several of those suggestions and we move forward from there.

I would like to go ahead and in this slide introduce something that is on display here at the con at the shop. This is the design concept for one of the pieces of clothing that’s sold there and I would like to go through the whole flow of how it was created.

So, for Emily Temple Cute designs, we always go with a strawberry motif. For this year, we kind-of had to think quite a bit about which sort of strawberry we were going to go with. For this year, we wanted to go with the shape of a dress as shown on the right-hand side of the presentation.

We had to think in-depth about how the pattern would appear on this dress. We decided to emphasize the sleeves and the hem of the dress, as you can see near the bottom of the dress and around the sleeve area. That’s where we decided to emphasize the pattern of the strawberries.

Basically, for this year, we got nine concepts presented as shown on the presentation. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine. We decided to go with the one with the star, with the blue [gingham check] and with strawberries on it.

As the designer and the illustrator were coming up with various sketch-ups and concepts, we had the designer go ahead and create these dress mock-ups for reference to choose out from.  We had one dress style for the traditional dress style design on the left-hand side and also camisole dress styles which are on the right-hand side that came up as key choices.

The reason we chose concept number one, on the left-hand side, was because our previous dress [that] was shown back in May at the previous con and right after we had that May presentation we were immediately contracted — or, decided to participate again — and we decided to go with a strawberry motif again for this year’s Naka-kon.

We decided to go with a very flexible design that is designed to have an adjustable waist area so that people of various sizes could enjoy using this dress and also have an open front for ventilation.

We also chose design concepts number eight and twelve. Those are more casual, everyday, comfortable designs. Designs that aren’t just for formal occasions; they can be worn more on a daily basis. We chose those for that concept as well.

If you guys aren’t aware, Japanese summers are incredibly humid and hot. We decided to go with these dresses for something that could be worn even in those hot Japanese summers.

For concept number eight, a lot of lolita fashion dresses tend to be very tight around the neck area, which is not very good for ventilation, especially in hot environments, so we deliberately decided to go with a more open concept for better ventilation in the hot summers. We decided to go with something called [unintelligible], which translated means a cool under texture, which is a special kind of fabric that is better for ventilation and is supposed to feel cooler to the touch in a hot environment. [Transcriber’s note: I believe Ohashi-san was describing a moisture-wicking lining.]

Taking into account the time at which it will arrive at the customer and making sure that not only is it a pretty design, but it is also something that can be worn comfortably no matter what kind of hot or humid environment you are in. We took special care when selecting fabric since Japan tends to have a very distinct four seasons, you know, very hot summers and cold winters. We decided to be very thoughtful in terms of "What season will this arrive with the customer?", "When will the customer be wearing this?", making sure to choose the appropriate fabric for the season.

Emily Temple Cute — this particular style — isn’t necessarily lolita fashion, it’s more of the traditional cute dress fashion is what its positioning is in terms of styles. However, we went with this design so that it could be worn as a lolita style dress. Also, the accessories, the [headband] as well, were designed so that it would match that aesthetic.

The colors that we adopted for this year’s dress design are the top four [on the slideshow presentation]. Not even the Japanese customers have ever seen this slide before. This is the first time in our history that we have shown the concepts and patterns, the colors, that we did not go with on the bottom half of the slide, actually. 

Now, the reason we chose these four colors. First of all, the first one, obviously, when you think of strawberries you think of the color red. Red was a no-brainer in terms of the first one that we chose. And, thinking of red, another cute color is absolutely is pink. We definitely thought that red and pink will be mandatory when designing this dress. Those are the first two.

In terms of the colors that we didn’t choose, the reason for that, if you look at the left-hand side, the dark crimson red and navy blue on the bottom-left. In terms of procurement date, the time at which these dresses would arrive for our customers in Japan, would have been around April. Basically, spring is the color of rejuvenation and brightness. We decided that the dark crimson and the dark navy color on the bottom-left didn’t match the season, which is why we decided to exclude those colors.

For the Emily Temple Cute [brand], we do not have an official or dedicated store. However, in Tokyo and Osaka we have branch stores where the designs are displayed and for sale. We chose the colors on the top because these are the ones that will stick out the most in the most aesthetically pleasing [way] when you see them lined up at the store with all the other dresses. We chose the colors to make sure that they’re complimentary with the color of the strawberry and make sure they don’t contrast or conflict a bit too much, especially in terms of looking at the pattern and compared to the dresses that would be displayed nearby or around it.

Next is pattern making. The professional pattern maker makes a mock-up or drawing diagram of the dress, how it’s kind-of laid out. We do something called a toiling process, where we don’t use the actual fabric that’s going to be used in the final dress but we use a temporary fabric to make a mock-up of the dress.

We create a mock-up of the actual dress, have them bring it back. Then we consult with the designer to make sure that this is what we’re looking for, make sure that the concept does look good when it’s in a 3D form. Once this check is done, making sure that everything looks good, we start using the actual fabric that will be used and then create the actual thing. 

So, the camisole dress — talking about that on this occasion — we have a model come over and actually do the fitting process, make sure everything looks good on an actual person. Checking the mobility, making sure that the person wearing the dress can be fully mobile in all the joints. And checking the final design overall, seeing that it looks good.

One point that we wanted to correct when we entered this stage of the production…if you look at the very bottom photo there, the print-out of the strawberry ended up being cut in half at the seam. We corrected the pattern because having the strawberry cut in half wasn’t aesthetically optimal. We went ahead and redesigned it so that the pattern would not be interrupted.

If you look at the top-right photo, the shoulder frills there, the initial concept wasn’t aesthetically pleasing to be blunt. We went through some different ideas with the designer, the patterner, and I to come up with a slightly better design to make it more aesthetically pleasing.

After all of those design phases are done, we’ve created the concept, we’ve corrected the concept to look like we want it to look like, we enter the manufacturing preparation phase. We begin the manufacturing by first consulting with the factory that will be producing the dress.

Abe-san: For the manufacturing and sewing section, I will go ahead and proceed with the presentation from here on out. Emily Temple Cute, when designing this clothing style, not only is all the designing process in-house, the factory is also in-house within the company. From the design process at the very beginning all the way to delivering the product to the final customer, all of that is done under one company. We don’t outsource anything. Basically, the manufacturing process is as shown in the presentation. The design is received from the design team and the people on the factory floor go ahead and start the production process as shown.

At the very end, we do the inspection and touch-up process for the dress that’s manufactured. We do multiple thorough inspection checks to make sure that the dress is up to our standards. However, this clothing is all handmade so, obviously, it’s human hands sewing and doing all this work. Inevitably, approximately one out of one hundred clothes that we manufacture at the factory end up not being up to our personal quality standards. That’s why we do such thorough inspections, not only on the factory floor but at the store itself when the product does finally arrive, to make sure every single piece of clothing that does enter the customers’ hands is up to our standards.

I recorded a video of actually what it looks like on the factory floor. I’d like to go ahead and present that to everyone here.

Suzanne: We were having some issues with our audio earlier, so hopefully you guys can hear this okay.

Abe-san: We’ll go ahead and show the video while I explain. First, we print the design onto the fabric itself as shown. This is a collaboration item with RoseMarie seoir. This is an Evangelion-themed [pattern] that you’re seeing right here. Ok, so, initially the pattern is printed onto paper and then it’s transferred onto the fabric. Said fabric is rolled as shown. This machine unifies them into a certain length.

We use computer-assisted design in the next process. We start the cutting process after correcting the design to the factory’s specifications. This product is a CAM [?] brand, themed brand, I believe. An automatic cutter cuts all these individual parts.

This is the sewing process. The fabric that has been cut into the individual parts of the dress are all stitched as shown using human hands and this machine here. What you just saw there was an Emily Temple Cute fabric being sewn. Finally, an iron is used to get rid of any wrinkles on every single piece of dress. 

English Translator: And the text says, before shipping out there’s a final thorough inspection done on every single piece of dress. 

Abe-san: Finally, they are packed into the appropriate packing and shipped out to the stores.

Alright, next slide please.

Next we’ll talk about the dispatch, or shipping-out, and marketing portion of things. The packaging process involves folding up all of those completed dresses to prepare for shipping and to attach the appropriate product tag. And from there it ships out to the appropriate store or online storage. That’s the general process of how one of our dresses is delivered to the final destination. Sometimes there are additional processes, like extra stitching or decorations attached, accessories, etc.

Next slide.

We’re going to go ahead and present another video. This is an introduction video showing the Melody BasKet brand.

[Transcriber's note: A combined version of the 'Brand Story' and 'lettre de @m' videos from the Melody BasKet youtube channel was played. I have embedded the videos below for you convenience.]

Emily Temple Cute also has a separate brand called Melody BasKet, as you saw in that introduction video just now. The concept behind Melody BasKet is that it came out of a children’s artbook or storybook. The person who wrote the story for us was Novala-sensei who also wrote Shimotsuma Monogatari (Kamikaze Girls) as well.

Some of our clothes are not made necessarily in Japan. We would like to have full transparency   into the locations where we manufacture our dresses. One of our factories is in Akita prefecture in Japan. Now, tragically, in the past 30 years the sewing and textile industry has declined 80% in Japan. The reason we chose this factory in Akita to manufacture the Emily Temple Cute brand is to preserve, to the best of our ability, the manufacturing of dresses like these in Japan.

So, the video that we showed previously only showed a handful of the steps involved in producing a single dress. There’s a lot more involved. Generally speaking, for the average dress there’s approximately 3,000 steps involved until the final product is created. However, for the Emily Temple Cute brand we go over 10,000 different steps until the final dress is complete.

One of the things we’re passionate about for the Emily Temple Cute brand is fostering the next generation of craftspeople who will be creating these dresses. We believe that it will ultimately be to the best benefit of the customer as well.

That is all.

[Applause]

Suzanne: Wow. That was really informative. We all have kind-of a general understanding of the difference between brand and off-brand or indie brands. Everyone who joins this fashions get it said over and over again how much work and detail goes into Japanese brand pieces that causes both the price and the quality to be elevated above what we might expect for regular clothing — certainly above fast fashion as well — and I think this really helps illustrate the amount of work that goes in to that and all of the processes and designs. I thought it was really interesting to see the colorways that they mock-up and consider. I think, overall, they made the best decision.

What I’m curious about — and I’ll field this to our guests here — is maybe, could you kinda drop like a little…just a theme or a motif of something that’s in the pipeline?

Ohashi-san: This is our second time ever participating in Naka-kon, since last year, and we have realized how much the American audience loves our designs. To give you a hint, we’ve really felt how much our American audience loves our products. We’re with something a little more pop-esque, a little more America-themed for our next idea.

Suzanne: Ooooo….Americana, maybe? I, for one, am always yearning for a pizza dress but I think they have already moved beyond Italian food.

Ohashi-san: I’ll take that into consideration.

Suzanne: Just pulling what few strings I can.

What really stuck out to me is, even a lot of other Japanese brands — like I know Angelic Pretty and, I think, Baby to a certain extent, have moved their production over to China. And a lot of them are really courting the Chinese market which has just exploded. I’m curious, is that also a market that you’re experiencing growth in and wanting to market towards? Or, like you mentioned before, with the Western perspective, are you just gearing more towards Europe and the West?

Ohashi-san: Yes, we are definitely aiming to expand into the Chinese market. But we are definitely also emphasizing creating a product that the American customer base would love, absolutely. And we are also targeting trying to get our foot into the European market as well. We’re still in the middle of analyzing the market and trying to reach our goal of getting our products internationally, making it available for our international audience.

One of our recent developments is that, for the American market, we’ve announced the plus size version of our dresses. And we are absolutely happy that so many people have been so positively receptive of that and very positive in terms of reaction. We would absolutely love to continue to improve our products with everyone’s — we are open to everyone’s feedback, suggestions, advice, comments, questions, etc. so that we can make our products and designs even better for everyone. 

Suzanne: Yes! And a great way to do that is – Lolita Collective, for last year’s Naka-kon, put together a survey collecting general information — size, style, fit preferences — from the Western and plus size community. We’ve created a very similar survey to continue collecting and refining that information. We send that directly over to our friends at Emily Temple Cute. The first batch was really helpful to them. So, with Ohashi-san’s mention of feedback and information, if you have any of that to contribute, Lolita Collective has posted that survey, I believe, to all our social media. It should be the link in our bio on Instagram and other places. So, if you haven’t filled out that survey, go ahead and do so because getting just as much data as possible so they can get the idea of: "Ok, what is the average size of our market?", "Who should we get this to fit?", "What is working?”, “What isn’t working?" is super helpful to us.

And, hopefully, that first survey we sent for that first year was a help for them and we really want this second one to help more.

Ohashi-san: Yes. Please, we would greatly appreciate it.

Suzanne: After the fashion show, there will be a more general designer Q&A. But because we have wrapped up their main talking points for the most part, we could probably take one or two questions from the audience as long as it’s probably a little bit tighter to the topic of what we discussed. More general questions for our guests can go to that Q&A panel. Which, we will be collecting those ahead of time! If you want to drop off any kind of question, go to the Emily Temple Cute booth in the vendor hall and submit that ahead of time for that Q&A. For now, I suppose we’ll just take one or two questions right here. You can come up and talk into the mic or, y’know, just raise your hand and yell at me.

We have someone, yeah.

Audience Member 1: I’ll come up to the microphone.

Suzanne: Sure, sure!

Audience Member 1: You mentioned that you didn’t want the strawberries cut off in the design at the seam. Do you have to change the scale of the design for your straight sizes versus your plus sizes?

Suzanne: Excellent question. I wonder that myself.

Ohashi-san: It is true because you’re using different fabrics sizes there – or types there – that the overall pattern of the dress might end up being slightly different. But we do take into consideration all of those fine details when producing our dresses. Our Japanese customers, as well, are especially acute about attention to detail and they do pay very close attention to that. For example, we are extra careful if it’s an animal-style pattern to make sure that the animal isn’t, due to the stitching, looking decapitated or anything like that. We do our absolute best to make sure that they look as pretty as possible and make sure that the animals aren’t in an unfortunate dismembered state due to the seams.

Suzanne: We definitely appreciate that attention to detail! My favorite little detail that I’ve noticed on this little laundry print is the tiny, tiny little raccoon that’s on the laundry bottle. I’m not entirely — it’s a little small, so I’m not entirely sure — I think it’s more of a raccoon dog, like, a Japanese one rather than an American one. But either way, both of them, like, wash their food and wash their hands – so they’re clean! That’s just my new favorite thing I wanted to gush about!

Does anyone have any questions? Yeah!

Audience Member 2: Hi! I wanted to say thank you, first of all, for your time. I was curious about the process between you and your illustrators. I was wondering what sort of mediums your artists tend to work in to design the final designs, whether it be digital illustration or more traditional work like watercolor?

Suzanne: That is a good question.

Ohashi-san: In terms of our textile designers, recently more and more – especially now – we use fully digital illustrators. However, for the small touch-ups, we go to the textile and printing level to make micro adjustments. For example, watercolor aesthetic or oil pastel, oil painting aesthetics, we actually do use actual watercolor and oil painting to do the final touch-ups in terms of those small details — making it look more non-digital. We do pay attention to the details like that for each and every pattern. What is the optimal way to get the final details and the final touch-ups in, what sort of medium we’ll use, we always take into consideration stuff like that.

Suzanne: Fascinating! Something that I was wondering when I was listening so intently to this presentation — this might be something Abe-san can answer — I’m wondering if there’s a financial incentive to stay all Japanese manufacturing? Either provided by the Japanese government or otherwise? Because I know that they have a lot of protective tariffs when it comes to other industries, and I’m wondering if there’s anything to help offset the additional cost of having it small-scale, having it local, from the Japanese government or otherwise?

Abe-san: We would love to have financial incentives like that from the government, but the reality is, no, it’s very difficult.

Suzanne: Well, I think that makes that commitment that much more meaningful. Because a lot of countries will have programs, protective tariffs, incentives…I think that represents a great commitment to values! What do you guys think?

[Applause]

Suzanne: Does anyone have any other questions about the design and manufacturing — do I see a hand? No? Oh! There’s a hand. There’s hands over there. You, in the glasses. You, in the — oh, wait, both of you are wearing glasses! Yeah, yeah — she raised her hand first! [laughs] In the black haori-looking thing.

Audience Member 3: In curating the brand’s image, are there certain pieces of art or themes that you stick to or do you consult what is currently on the shelves to then evolve your design?

Suzanne: Ok, for the rest of us who may have not heard that, that attendee’s question was “Are there motifs that Emily Temple Cute sticks to? Do they follow larger trends?”. Probably a more general query about when do they introduce a totally new motif versus following, maybe, what someone else is putting out? We’ll see what they say.

Ohashi-san: In terms of the popular series that we have in our line-up, obviously, we update it on an annual basis. However, we always love introducing new concepts and ideas into the market. We always try to come up with an idea of, like, “Wow! You’re gonna make that a dress? You’re gonna make that the theme?”. Something very unique or special, we always try to come up with something like that on a frequent basis.

I imagine, for example, the lady in the front row wearing that cereal themed dress is something that I imagine is very unique, for example, that we’re proud of. The future Emily Temple Cute concept that we hinted at is something that no one here has probably ever seen made into a dress pattern before. So please look forward to that in the future!

[Transcriber's note: I was the person wearing the cereal dress!]

Suzanne: And then, that other — in the green cosplay. You had a question? You can come up here or you can just try to project.

Audience Member 4: [Asks question in Japanese]

English Translator: Good Japanese!

Ohashi-san: I’m quite a fan of blue, myself.

Suzanne: Yes. Our attendee asked what Ohashi-san’s favorite color for a dress was. And I think that does track — I think she was wearing a lot of the blue the last time I saw her, last year, and this is in the same line [referring to the dress Ohashi-san is currently wearing].

Audience Member 4: I’m all for blue superiority.

Ohashi-san: [gives a thumbs-up]

Suzanne: But yes, very good Japanese. [pause] You can come up! Come up here, Susie.

Audience Member 5: So, yesterday, I bought one of the Emily Temple Cute dresses with the adjustable waist ribbons. I really like that because it’s very comfortable and I also think if my size changes a little bit, I can still wear the dress. Is that something you were thinking about when you were designing that feature?

Ohashi-san: Yes, so obviously, there are various body types around the world. We’ve designed our clothing to be beautiful no matter what type of body you have. We’ve designed and machined our clothing so that you can tighten your waist to make it look cute and you can also have it looser and still be able to look cute. 

We’re currently in the process of making even more designs where various body styles can be appreciated and look beautiful. I think everyone can agree that wearing these dresses and all sorts of various different styles of fashion is fun. We plan to continue to make different styles of clothing that everyone can have fun and enjoy dressing in in the future.

[Applause]

Suzanne: Yes, that’s wonderful! I, for one, am delighted to have a pasta dress that I can eat pasta in. I can go to Olive Garden and get those unlimited breadsticks. 

Oh, it looks like we have another question! Since it’s 12:29, that’ll probably be our last question. Any other questions, stop by the Emily Temple Cute booth and submit those and we’ll read them out for the Q&A later! But, go ahead, sir, and you can come up if you would like, as well.

Audience Member 6: How do you gauge interest in your dresses and decide on production quantities?

Suzanne: For those who might not have heard that gentleman, he asked how do they gauge how many dresses to make, production quantity, of a release?

Ohashi-san: Currently, the Emily Temple Cute brand, we go with a reservation/preorder type system. The reason for that is that we want to avoid situations where our dresses are sold out and someone who really wanted our dress wasn’t able to get one. We’ve designed it in this way to avoid that as much as possible. 

So, in manufacturing terminology, it’s a pull-type where the amount we manufacture is directly based on customer demands and orders. So that, for example, let’s say one color — in a traditional manufacturing system, if one color is particularly popular, that one gets always sold out. We wanted to avoid that as much as possible, which is why we went with the order system instead.

That’s the upside of that manufacturing system. However, the downside is that, obviously, there is a time delay between the customer ordering one of our dresses and it arriving at their doorstep. There is that time delay, which is the downside.

For the Naka-kon of this year, we decided to order products in a way that everyone can just immediately buy it on the spot to take home. However, in Japan, we do have that reservation system/preorder system where we do get feedback that the time between ordering one of our dresses and it arriving is like — y’know, you have to wait and that can be a bit frustrating. 

In the future, we would like to adopt a system where we can also produce more dresses ahead of time. In terms of the exact number we’re going to produce, I myself am still in the process of mulling over that and thinking “Ok, how many are we going to make?”.

Abe-san: One thing that I would like to add — as mentioned, we do primarily take on a format of an order-based system in terms of manufacturing. Similar to Toyota’s “just in time” production, we create the necessary amount of clothing at the necessary timing, just enough to meet our customer demand. 

Before we really worked on the Emily Temple Cute project and began this, the standard style for this industry was to create a certain amount of these dresses and anything that was left unsold would be put on sale. That would be the traditional style for the apparel industry. But, personally, we weren’t satisfied with the idea that some people pay X price, the full price, for our products while other people end up getting it for 50% off. That just didn’t feel right for me, personally. That’s why we went with the ordering system, so that certain people don’t end up with a massive bargain and other people do not. To avoid that, that’s why we chose this system.

Suzanne: Well, it seems they’ve successfully avoided the “bloodbath” model of releases that some other brands adhere to. I think all of the fans of Emily Temple Cute think that that system is worth the wait. What do you guys think?

[Applause]

Suzanne: And that wraps up this panel. Thank you so much Abe-san and Ohashi-san for joining us and giving us this unique look to see how the pasta is made. I have learned a lot and I hope you all have too! 

As I’ve said before, if you have any sort of leftover questions for our designers, and I think Misako as well, there will be a Q&A after the fashion show today. So swing by the Emily Temple Cute booth to see the final result of this 10,000 step production process and also drop off those Q&A questions for us there. I look forward to seeing you at the booth and thank you all so much for attending and for your very thoughtful questions.

[silverfox579]

TWST fic idea

I need this out of my head.

Okay so we all probably know the time travel theory in TWST...but I just got a crazy fic idea and I need to write it out b/c i know i'm never gonna have the motive to write it LOL

Okay basically: what if yuu was never a foreigner to this world.

Like, im thinking of a scenario where yuu was originally a student at NRC and was just ur normal, faceless background character. as a result, he saw everyone OB and sort of heard about/was exposed to all their tragedies in the aftermath. mood in school is depressed as powerful figures are turning up dead left and right...their friends and family are devastated...it's just not a good time.

in my head yuu admired the dorm heads and OB-ers from afar, like they knew azul as that crazy talented capitalist dude, riddle was obvious Mr. Perfect in terms of his grades, leona's literal royalty, blah blah blah...

then malleus OBs, but NOT in dream form b/c he has no friends and doesn't want to "preserve" happiness, more like angry hoard dragon mode. and yuu sees that everything is going to get destroyed and awakens his UM.

"Wish Upon a Star"...

he makes a 'wish' to turn back time and go back and prevent this from happening...not just the destruction of the school, but the mental breakdown of all of these amazing people who should never have reached this point.

in my head, this is powerful magic, so every time yuu makes a 'wish' he has to sacrifice something about himself...

maybe the first time he sacrifice his first memory of magic. it sends him back a day before malleus's overblot. he tries to find a way to save malleus, but realizes that everyone is scared of the prince of fae, no one wants to get close to diasomnia, and even the faculty won't get involved.

so the next time, he sacrifices something bigger. all three years of his memory of middle school. after all, who needs those embarrassing preteen memories, right?

now he lands smack in the midlde of the aftermath of vil's OB. he rushes over to ignilhyde, but idia is so isolated in his own dorm that no one even knew that he was "gone" when his OB happened. by the time yuu goes, idia's already missing.

and yuu realizes. he can't just stop one OB and call it a day. the root problem is much, much deeper. the social pressure of the OBs...the faculty's indifference to students...and the student's own attitudes towards each other..,they're all deeply intertwined in the net that is NRC.

yuu is keenly aware that he's Just a Guy. being a background character is kind of his defining characteristic--kinda like how trey thinks about himself (even tho it's SO not true lmao). so yuu goes to the only person he thinks can and will help the students at NRC.

(no it's not crowley)

(obviously)

it's the dark mirror.

so the dark mirror is kind of like. this ancient (maybe eldritch?) artifact thing...thinking of who its original master was, its safe to say that its one of, if not the most, op things in the school.

anyone, they team up. the dark mirror's power is related to "truth". it is an artifact created to the absolute truth of the world, which is why its not affected by yuu's "wish"--it can see the entire truth of the world's timeline, including the effects of yuu's UM.

the dark mirror agrees to help yuu by giving him some of its power. they make a magical contract--basically, dark mirror will lend yuu some of its power so that he doesn't forget his mission even after sacrificing his memories, and in exchange yuu will not be allowed to change his 'wish' until he succeeds. (dark mirror's ultimate goal here is to make sure NRC is still standing by the end of this lol)

(this is also where those "dreams" will come from---in this verse, the plots in disney were actually canon, its just that the "ending" continued after the story in our world and gave more power to the villain here. later, the villains got rid of the original history and changed it to their liking. the "dreams" are just the residual power of the dark mirror which stimulates yuu according to their contract by preemptively sort of "warning" him about the next upcoming OB.)

so yuu sacrifices. he goes back: three weeks, three months, six months, nine months--and then he does it again, and again, and again. He forgets the faces of his family, his friends, even the common sense and history of this world.

and in doing so, he dies, over and over--and watches others die, over and over. and suddenly it's no longer about just preventing the destruction of NRC -- and likely the world, considering the OB's powers and positions -- but about saving THEM. Not the authoritative, far-off figures he admired...but just...them.

the guy with mommy issues who'll write personal study guides for his students just to see them pass. the guy who hides his poisonous thoughts behind a smile but still won't turn away a person in need. the greedy mf with self-esteem issues ten miles long who treats his business like his goddamn baby. the prince with the crappy attitude whose inferiority complex is so infuriating it makes even pacifists want to throw hands.

the iron-willed celebrity whose exacting standards brutalize even himself. the grieving shut-in who's trapped in his past. the gargoyle-loving dragon prince who's never had a real friend.

and more. and more. and more.

yuu cuts himself into pieces for them. he takes away everything that made him, "him" -- until even his true name is lost to the world's memory, and all that's left is "yuu". he bleeds for them, laughs with them, cries with them--and sacrifices, and sacrifices, and sacrifices.

until...

until all that's left is a vague memory of the world...a vague memory of "himself". until he's back, to the day of the entrance ceremony.

until the day of the very last "wish", where "he" finally sacrifices the only thing "he" has left -- his very...soul.

on that day he stands in front of the dark mirror, in front of the only being in the world privy to the "truth", and it declares--

"the nature of your soul is...

...

...

...unclear to me."

i have more but this is enough to scratch the itch for now so i'll just leave this here for my future self...

[storm-angel989]

I thought of another cute request! Val’s wife and the other vees reactions to Val having a migraine and still trying to go to work

Hi Friend,

Love this request! Think OTO Val’s wife and storyline. We’ll call this OTO fluff. 

<3 Mandy

I wonder if my wife knows that the lights make noise?

A sharp hum, a buzz most can tune out- myself included, most days. Unfortunately, as I laid in bed the sharp pangs pulsing through my brain made it more than clear today wasn’t one of those days. 

I shut my eyes tighter and tried to review the days schedule in between pangs of pain. Two new models, six contracts, four shoots and Angel Dust…Angel Dust was owed his dues. Even if my saint of a wife tried to take my place in the studio for the day, as she had done successfully in the past, she couldn’t. This was my contract, and I needed to fulfill the terms personally. 

I heard the shower turn off and tried to hide the pain as I forced myself to sit up. Five minutes. I had five minutes at most to pull myself together before she walked out of that bathroom, took one look at my face and the back to beg argument would begin. I had to divert the best I could. 

Painstakingly, I pulled myself out of bed and slid on my glasses. I quickly grabbed my clothes from where she had laid my outfit out the night before and dressed as quickly as I could. I made my way over to the bathroom door. Three sharp, painful knocks before I spoke.  

“Baby? There is an emergency in the studio.  I have to go right to work. I’m sorry, mi amore. Breakfast will have to wait.”

Without waiting for a response, I hustled out the door and made my way down to my studio. As with every other due date, Angel Dust was sprawled out on the stage, eager to receive payment. 

“Aw, Daddy,” he purred as I stepped onto the platform. His arms wrapped around my neck. “What do you say we have a little fun this time, eah?”

I tensed up. Ignoring the aching in my head, I pushed him onto the bed in one fell swoop.

“Oh yes, Daddy,” he moaned greedily. “I’ve been a naughty, naughty boy, I…”

“Shut. Up.” I growled as I pressed my lips to the base of his throat. “Your contract doesn’t say a fucking thing about you enjoying the process.” 

Three minutes later I stood up and strode across the stage,  leaving Angel behind in a haze of high and pain. I didn’t like what our contract demanded, but we were bound by it either way. At least I could abate my anger by making sure the drugs came with a miz of pain and pleasure. My hope was that someday, somehow the pain would overtake the pleasure and he would beg for an out. 

As if I would be so lucky.

I slammed the door of my office shut, hit the light switch and in the dark, barely made it to the garbage can beside my desk before emptying my stomach of its contents. The act of payment started making me nauseous the day I met my reader, but combined with the pulsing pain in my head, it was unbearable. Gone was the thought of making it through the day- hell, I wasn’t sure I’d make it back upstairs. I picked up my phone and squinting, I hit the speed dial for my Vox. 

“Vox, I’m..fuck, can you grab my migraine medication from the nurse and bring it to my office?” 

The buzz of a dial tone was his only response. I put my head down on my desk and in minutes, the door creaked open, letting in a silver of light. I let out a groan and covered my closed eyes with my free hand. 

“I find it incredibly ironic that a moth demons gets migraines, arn’t you supposed to be attracted to light?” Vox’s voice floated through the darkness.

“Quit teasing him,” another voice snapped. “Val, love, cover your eyes.” 

I held back a groan. “Vox, I called you. Honey, you need to be…”

“Checking up on my husband, who clearly can’t take care of himself,” Reader said softly,  

I felt her hand against his forehead, and her cool hand  slipped under mine and over eyes. Inadvertently, I leaned into the comfort her palm offered and let out a soft moan of relief. 

“Vox is gonna turn the light on. You’re going to slowly open your eyes, stand up and we’ll get you upstairs,” Reader continued. 

“I need my…” I began. 

“The studio is empty and Vox has your medication. Now shut up and do what I say,” she interrupted sharply. 

I heard Vox chuckle and I closed my eyes as tightly as I could.  Even under the protection of my wife’s hand, the light that slipped through stung my head like a thousand yellowjackets. 

“She’s pretty feisty when she wants to be, eah, Val? Lights on.” Vox said lightly. “Come on, let’s get you to bed.” 

I barely remembered making it back to my bedroom. The sharp pinch of an IV needle, an ice pack and several hours later, the pounding slowly began to fade. Softly, I mentioned to my wife the relief I finally felt. 

“You’re a fool for going into work today, you hear me? A fool. Even my father, the toughest of the commanding angels….” 

I leaned up and cut her off with a kiss. She stopped scolding instantly and leaned into me. 

“Bebita. I love you,” I said softly.

She rolled her eyes but kissed my forehead. “I love your stubborn ass too. Next time, make a better decision.”

[cementcornfield]

Finally Some Details on the Shemar Situation

First from a Florio article

then this one from Pro Football Rumors

so! okay! things are a lot more clear now.

the good news: the payment schedule issue appears to have been resolved ✅

bad news: the bengals have indeed decided to include language regarding defaults that they have never included before. not for amarius last year, not for myles the year before, and certainly not for the stars like tee and ja'marr.

neutral news: but the thing is....this is language that several other teams in the nfl DO use, so it's not the bengals wanting to be uniquely cheap? but as florio points out, they aren't great with the signing bonus payout (but again, the other article says the payment schedule is resolved so!)

this is all super interesting because, defaults are rare, i can't imagine shemar would get one. but it would absolutely screw him with the current legal language (like many players on other teams who already use this language would be screwed.) but again, such a rare thing, i do wonder what will happen here.

the language at the end of the second article does speak volumes, the agent is being stubborn right off the bat and saying they are not going to accept unfavorable terms. likely because he, like the rest of the league, has been watching how our FO operates. but at the same time, this is minor language for exceptionally rare situations, that is standard with other teams in the league. so! i guess it's a pick your battles kind of thing! and he's choosing this one immediately lol.

hopefully it gets resolved soon. i'm just glad we have some clarity. i'm waiting for my twitter analysts to chime in, particularly andre, to see if he thinks this can get resolved easily or not. phase 3 starts tuesday and mandatory mini camp is in just a few weeks so...praying this takes care of itself asap 🥲

TLDR: shemar's agent isn't happy about the bengals wanting to change the language in their rookie contracts so that a default in one year would trigger a default in all future years. a default is when a player breaches the terms of his contract, typically by sustaining an injury while participating in a prohibited activity or committing conduct detrimental to the team. other teams in the league DO already have this language as standard in their rookie contracts.

[simplydnp]

Do you think the recording of TIT (bc it has to be getting recorded at some point tbh) will be a dvd release or a youtube upload this time around? I forget if Dan said any specific reason why WAD ended up being free on YT, but I feel like after setting that precedent, there's almost no going back. Ofc, there is the precedent of the two actual dnp tours being dvd or YT Red/Premium releases, but do you have any thoughts?

oh anon i'm so happy you asked. bc i did so much research for this about WAD before we knew what would happen with it.

so. the problem with dvds is storage capacity. with TIT being 2 hours, that is a lot of footage to put on a singular dvd at the resolution that they'd currently want to. dvds come in 2 sizes: 4.7 gb and 8.5 gb. you can fit a 2 hr movie onto a single layer (4.7) but any longer, and you need the double layer (8.5). thus, TIT would have to be on a double layer, unless they don't plan on including anything else except the 2 hr recording. a dvd can't play high resolution footage, only standard definition (480p). so there'd be a picture quality difference.

this is where blu-rays come in. they can store and play 1080p footage. they also hold significantly more space (a single layer blu-ray can hold 25 gb, a double 50 gb). part of the trade-off here though is that higher resolution footage takes up more space. a single layer can store 2.25 hr of HD video; a double 3 hrs. they could get away with a single layer, and that includes room for 2 hours of standard definition BTS video.

problem is, not everyone has a blu-ray player (not like everyone has dvd players either). but the main issue is that DVD players won't play blu-rays--and this includes disc drives for laptops and PC's. you need a special external driver to do it.

we'd be wading into contracts and companies being interested in selling physical copies, and given how discs in general are sort of becoming obsolete, i would be surprised if they put it on disc.

our next option would be streaming. i don't really see them wanting to attach it to any larger corporation--especially given they're physical media guys. the thought of just losing something simply because a streaming service doesn't want it anymore, or the company goes under, would be enough to keep them away from that.

people pitched the idea of nebula or dropout, but i don't see them posting a single video on nebula and then nothing else. and since i don't see them as patreon guys, i don't think they'd want to do incentives for subscription style stuff. dropout would be more of a possibility, but they'd probably want to do more with dropout in terms of guest starring before entirely handing their baby over, y'know? like hank did a whole d20 season before he did his special there.

i do think they might just upload it to dapg. genuinely. because of what happened with WAD--both rights wise and precedent wise. but also, could be extremely good for them if they can actually monetize it. their longer videos on dapg do very well, and since WAD happened before TIT was fully ironed out, i bet they've included the prospect of doing so into their scripting, so it has the ability to be monetized on their channel. plus, the desire to make it accessible for everyone (even though they are trying to tour in more countries). depending on how that goes, it may be delayed in being released online.

a lot of technical talk but i am so glad you asked anon, i love logistics discussion!

[gotham-city-municipal-government]

RE-ELECT CHRISTOPHER NAKANO FOR GOTHAM MAYOR, 2025

“The Joker says he’ll fix all our problems, but how can we trust a notorious liar to keep his word?”

We, the acting government of Gotham City under Mayor Christopher Nakano, guarantee the following

1. A Reduction in Everyday Crime

In collaboration with the GCPD and our neighbouring city, Blüdhaven, we will dedicate at minimum 25% of our budget to ensuring programs are put in place to reduce homelessness, poverty, and increase citizen-approved security for our most disadvantaged citizens

2. Cures for Fear Toxins, and other chemical weaponry

Funding guaranteed for any and all programs looking to advance Gotham-centric health issues (ex. Fear Toxin, Joker Venom, Water Contaminants from Lazarus Pitts, etc.)

3. Inclusivity and Equity

Gender Neutral washrooms in ALL public spaces

Free Menstrual Products AND up to 5 pages sick days per month for periods

4. Legalizing duelling

We, the GCMG, strongly believe in the rights for all consenting adults to be able to duel each other in public, so long as there is a pre-written contract signed between all parties. We believe sometimes actions do speak louder than words, and your actions deserve to be heard!

5. FREE MEDICAL CARE

This includes everything from cosmetic to dental to long-term care. Healthcare is free!

6. Environmental Protection

We will invest at minimum 30% of our budget to preserving not only our beloved Gotham city’s environment and green space, but that of Blüdhaven and other neighbouring communities

7. Higher taxes for the 1%, lower taxes for residents

We, and Christopher Nakano, are first and foremost for the people, not the 1%. We will lower taxes on everyday people and increase our budget for public services and education via raising the taxes of the rich of this city.

Sincerely, the GCMG

[paperclip-skz]

Hyunjin's Love and Leashes (part 3)

First Session

fem*Reader x Hyunjin

*WARNING*

contains: mentions of sexual content, and BDSM references, pet play, second hand embarrassment, this is going to be a lot of parts and little parts to it (there is a cliffhanger at the end)

Also note: This story is HEAVLY influenced by the Netflix movie Love and Leashes. This is just "my" version of it, you could say. I am writing to write and I recommend you watch Love and Leashes. *** This is not an original idea, this IS INSPIRED BY A MOVIE/ANIME**

WC: 3k part 1 part 2 part 4

*****

Hyunjin, As we have both confirmed the terms outlined in the contract, I have scheduled our upcoming "Play." Below is the address and your required attire. It is imperative that you arrive fully prepared; failure to do so will result in consequences. Keep your safe words in mind, and do not overthink our agreement. You have the power to end the play at any moment if you choose. Y/N L/N

You sent the email using his contact information from the work database, which included both his personal and work email addresses.

You thought it sounded right—both assertive and lighthearted. God, you were nervous. You set the scene to take place in a hotel. You had paid for a single room on an upper floor, so it was safe to assume that no one would be within earshot of the two of you.

But what would they hear? 

You read online the best way to introduce play is something as simple as instructing the sub into submission. Of course, they were talking about it in more of a sexual sense however you could play this into something innocent…you think.

As you settle into the plush seat of Hyunjin's car, a sense of exhilaration washes over you, and you grip your bag tightly in your lap. The cool leather feels reassuring against your fingers, but it doesn't fully quell the flutter of anticipation swirling in your stomach. The city streets whiz by outside the window, each neon sign and vibrant storefront a blur of color, mirroring the excitement bubbling up inside you.

Hyunjin glances over, his eyes sparkling with a mix of enthusiasm and determination. You can't help but notice the way his knuckles turn white against the steering wheel, a testament to both his focus on the road and the energy he carries with him. Every so often, he steals a glance at you, a broad smile breaking across his face, and you feel that contagious energy draw you in even more. The air is thick with an anticipating buzz that radiates off both of you. 

Your beat is erratic; you can’t possibly imagine what Hyunjin is feeling. The fact that this is his first play also makes this all the more nerve-racking. 

As soon as you both arrive at the hotel, the atmosphere shifts. You step out of the car, the cool air hitting your face, but it does little to soothe the whirlwind of emotions inside you. Every step toward the elevator feels like a mile; your legs tremble slightly as if they might buckle under the weight of your nervousness. With each passing moment, you can feel a buzz of anxiety coursing through your entire body, making your heart race and your palms sweat. You glance at Hyunjin, searching for reassurance, but your mind is racing with a flood of worries and doubts, amplifying the intensity of the moment. The elevator doors slide shut, enclosing you both in a small space, and time seems to stretch as you prepare for what lies ahead.

You both step into the cozy one-bedroom suite. The room has a TV mounted to the wall and a small living area with a pull-out couch folded to the side of the bed. You walk in first, trying to emulate confidence. 

You stride to the bed, where you sit and cross your legs. Your eyes scan over Hyunjin's tensed features, he’s walked in and leaned his body on the side wall, staring at every action you make. 

“Did you bring what I asked?” 

“Yes Ma’am” his body straightens and he squirms to be close to you. He reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out the collar and the matching leach you both know all too well. He hands it to you in shaky hands and you take it. You set it on the bed next to you. 

He stays silent, just watching you….what do you do? What exactly are you supposed to do?

You try your hardest to remember what the video said….but then you remember your encounter in the closet. How he reacted when you were clear and stern. “Sit down, Hyunjin” 

His eyes glimmer from your voice, and he begins to find a place on the bed next to you, but you are quick to stop him, “not on the bed” You both hold eye contact, his breath holding. Your eyes dart to the floor, right before you cross your legs. 

The dress you’re wearing fits your body like a glove, perfectly sculpting your silhouette and highlighting your natural shape. The length of the dress falls elegantly just above your knees, making it both professional and sexy for any occasion. 

Hyunjins falls to his knees slowly, his eyes scanning their way up your legs. Your eyes dart to the side where the collar sits, your fingers trace the cool rim of the leather. 

“Have you worn it yet?” you ask bluntly. 

“I haven’t. Just looking at it brings me satisfaction,” he says, his eyes shimmering. 

“But things are meant to be used.” his body reacts by your choice of words. You can see the wave of electricity course through him at the thought of you using him. 

He leans forward so you can securely attach the collar around his neck, and you click the leach into place. You give it an experimental tug that sends him slightly barrelling toward your legs.

A small gasp escapes your lips as he leans in, bracing himself on your knee for support. His sudden movement catches you off guard, and you can feel the warmth radiating from his touch. He quickly glances up at you, his eyes wide with a hint of embarrassment, and stammers out an apology. Despite his words, you can't help but notice the flush that creeps across his cheeks, a deep crimson spreading like wildfire, betraying the vulnerability he tries to mask. The moment hangs in the air, charged with an unexpected intimacy, leaving you both acutely aware of the closeness between you.

Suddenly, a part of the video becomes clear as day in your mind, “simple instruction is the best way to start off” 

Your heart raced wildly in your chest, adrenaline surging through your veins as the moment hung in the air. You took a steadying breath and commanded, “Sit. " Your voice was firm and unwavering, masking the whirlwind of emotions inside you.

For a brief heartbeat, his eyes widened in disbelief, but the surprise quickly melted away as he instinctively fell to his knees, his posture radiating a mix of submission and eager anticipation. 

“Hand,” you instructed, watching intently as he extended his hand toward you. The sound of his palm meeting yours was sharp and clear. 

“Speak” you say again and Hyunjin lets out a broken bark. 

“Good boy,” you cooed, a smile tugging at the corners of your lips as you felt him shiver at your praise.

You pause and think for a moment. You planned this whole night in your head, but when the moment came all ideas left your mind. Until you remembered what you brought. 

You reach behind you and grab the small bag of treats you packed with you, which was actually just a bag of chocolate cookies. "Good boys get treats," you say as you hold out your hand with a single cookie resting in the middle.

He begins to reach for it with his hand but stops when he sees your eyes raised. Then he leans into your hand and takes the treat from your palm, kissing your palm before moving away. 

He’s so gentle, his touch a soft whisper against your skin, every action infused with a sensual energy that ignites your senses. You never imagined it would make you feel this way, so needy, yet completely in cotnrol. He gazes up into your eyes, his chin cradled delicately in the warmth of your palm, and his intense stare seems to penetrate the very depths of your soul, unveiling the unspoken longing within you. Then, with a tender smile, he leans down, brushing his lips against your hand, planting tiny, lingering kisses that send breathtaking shivers along your skin. Each kiss feels like an unhurried promise, drawing you even closer to him.

You are both so caught up in the moment, with barely a whisper to break the thick tension…until you hear something…almost like moaning?

Both you and Hyunjin break away from each other, listening to your assumed neihbors….going at it like rabbits. 

Hyunjin scrunches his face in exaggerated disgust, his playful demeanor taking an unexpectedly wild turn as he starts barking like a genuine dog! Completely immersed in his role, he directs his attention to the couple next door, barking furiously as if warning them of an impending threat. 

Desperately trying to redirect his enthusiasm, you quickly fill your palm with a handful of tasty treats, holding them out like a lifeline while chanting, “Here, here!” in a sing-song voice, hoping to catch his attention.

His gaze flickers back and forth, torn between the intriguing couple and the enticing morsels in your hand. Just as you think you might succeed, a sudden yelp escapes him; he’s accidentally knelt on one of the treats, the sharp discomfort making him whimper in surprise and pain.

( the next day ) 

Haunted by the events of your last “play,” could you even call it that? You were more than embarrassed. You were devastated. 

You were about to call the whole thing off, screw the contract, you were in way over your head. What the hell were you doing? All of this was too much….. 

Y/N,  I hope you're doing well! I wanted to chat about what happened during our session last night. Being a new dom can definitely be a bit tricky, especially if you feel like you didn’t have all the info you needed going in.  I really don’t want you to feel embarrassed or nervous about trying again. If you're up for it, I’d love to set up our next meeting! Just a reminder—our contract is still in place, and you’re in charge; I’ll just pick the setting this time. I can’t wait to hear back from you! Your,  Pretty Boy

 You can’t help but smile at his cheery tone. You write back to him, saying that you are willing to give it another go, but deep down, your stomach twists—either from excitement or discomfort; you're not quite sure which.

(that night)

Hyunjin contacted you the place and time of where to meet. He told you to dress the same as your first play, so you did. That same fitted dress with black heels to compliment it.

It's strange to have a session here. He sent you the address to an elegant restaurant. You walk in and see the doorman nodding to let you in.. the glass floor shines underneath you and the place lights up with a warm hue.  

“Y/Ninne,” you snap to the call of your name, seeing Hyunjin approaching you. 

Your breath is knocked out of you. He’s stunning. He’s wearing a silver-toned suite with a white shirt, making him both elegant and untouchable. He walks with such confidence anyone could be mistaken for what he truly is, for what only you get to see. 

The air escapes your lungs in a gasp as you take in the sight before you. He’s breathtakingly handsome, exuding an aura that commands attention. Clad in a sleek silver-toned suit that glimmers under the light, paired flawlessly with a crisp white shirt, he exudes an aura of elegance that feels almost otherworldly. Every step he takes carries with it an undeniable confidence, demanding attention. To the casual observer, he might appear simple, sophisticated, and dominant. But only you are utterly aware of his deeper truth, to the hidden layers only he has allowed you to see. 

You both share your hellos before Hyunjin, and a waiter guides you out of the central part of the restaurant. You realize you didn’t hear the usual buzz of people eating and talking; in fact, you didn’t hear a single soul. Hyunjin and the waiter guide you around the corner to a separate room, where a table and candles have been set up. 

“I made sure we had the whole place to ourselves,” Hyunjin says, his gaze locking onto yours, filled with a mix of mischief and tenderness. The soft glow of candlelight dances across his features, accentuating those expressive eyes that hold your attention completely.

****

“Can I get you both anything else?” the waiter inquires, interrupting the infectious laughter that had been bubbling between you two. His voice drifts into the cozy atmosphere like an uninvited guest, pulling you momentarily away from your shared joy.

“No, no. I think we may have had a bit too much,” you reply, still smiling. Your voice is laced with playful laughter as you hold your wine glass to your lips, its crimson liquid shimmering in the warm light. 

Hyunjin simply smiles, a soft, understanding grin spreading across his face as he nods to the waiter. The door clicks shut behind him. 

You both pause, waiting for the other to break the silence. “I got you something,” Hyunjin says. 

“Huh?” your eyes go wide; I thought I was supposed to be assigning the gifts. 

Hyunjin reaches under the table to retrieve a box. It is crystal white, shining in the dim lighting, as he places it on the table. He slightly pushes it towards you, and you can see the anticipation bubbling out of him; it makes you smile at just how cute he actually is. 

You take the box carefully and set it in your lap. Once you open the box, your eyes sparkle at the sleek red material of the shoes. The black soles make the red shine and scream at anyone who sees them. The pointed square heel makes your breath hitch.

You trace your heel up to his shoulder, pressing it to leave a mark. He closes his eyes at the pain, but you can see the hint of his smile creeping up. You press enough into his shoulder to leave the faint line of a mark into the fabric of his shirt. “Pl-please”. Your confidence breaks at his weak plea. 

Oh god did I actually hurt him? 

“Jinnie?” your voice laced with worry. 

“Please let me touch you,” he pleas, tears brimming his eyes. 

Your eyes shoot out of your skull. “Uuhh”

“I just want to kiss your skin,” he pauses, “please. let me make you feel just as good as you make me feel,” he cries. 

Dark shadows of doubt whisper seductively in your ear, trying to pull you under. Yet, beneath this seductive chaos, a fiery desire ignites within you, bold and insistent. It’s a sultry voice that commands you to surrender, a tempting “yes” that beckons you closer to the edge of your fantasies. 

You nod your head slowly, putting your leg back against his shoulder. His hand traces the outline of your calf. His head tilts and his lips press against your skin. 

He feels like a delicate flower petal, soft and inviting against your skin, igniting a sensual thrill. Each caress is like a whisper, tantalizing and teasing as it glides over your body. The petal, with its velvety texture and intoxicating fragrance, wraps around you, drawing you into a world of intimate pleasure. 

 He’s just as gentle as he was when he was kissing your palm, but this time, there are no distractions. You lean all the way back against the chair, letting your body relax. You let his kisses trail along your leg, not leading too far. 

He lifts his head slightly to make eye contact with you. You watch him carefully, “kiss me properly,” you dare. 

His eyes grow darker, and his smirk grows. He reattaches his lips to your skin, this time not being as gentle as before. His tongue flicks out to touch your skin, and his teeth gently graze it.

You gently close your eyes, letting the warmth of his presence envelop you. As you savor the moment, the sensation of him lingering just below your thigh sends a shiver of anticipation coursing through you. Hyunjin’s touch is both tender and cautious as if he senses the fragility of this intimate space between you. Each moment stretches, filled with unspoken words and a shared connection, leaving you to wonder how long he will dare to stay at this intoxicating threshold, more tempting than the last.

That shared moment stayed with you for days after, but before that memory could taint you dreams; you took the heels home and said your goodbyes. The second you lay in your bed, you couldn’t fall asleep that night. You kept thinking about how he touched you, how gentle he was, and how his teeth felt against your calf. 

It lead your fingers to trace along the rim of your panties, sliding in every so carefully….you fell asleep easily after that. 😉

~~~~~

Hyunjin couldn’t sleep that night either. Roses, he thought, you smelt like roses. Freshly cut roses that reminded him of the garden he loved when he was a child. He loved that smell. He could easily get addicted to it, but that could be a problem. 

The last thing he needs is to complicate the contract. The last thing YOU need is more pressure on your shoulders. 

But God, those roses drive him nuts. He can feel his heart pounding as he lies in his silk sheets, thinking endlessly about that night in the restaurant. It wasn’t just your smell or the way your skin felt against his lips, or even the dress you were wearing. It was the way you looked at him. Dominating yet tender, that look possesed a gentleness that can send a thrilling chill down anyone's spine.

He could feel his boxers getting tighter, he told himself he would wait. Wait for your permission, for your first order to let him release, but he’s too pent up, too caught up in his own head. All he can see are your eyes, your beautiful eyes….

….oh no…

*****

A.N/

I really hope you guys are liking this little series as much as I am. It's honestly been a blast writing this :🤭 if yall have any suggestions on what you want to see next please don't be shy to leave a comment or ask me in my profile. And I can’t wait to show u want more this little series will bring 😝!

p.s you guys have no idea how excited I get when I see yalls comments!!!!☺

[psych3-delic]

Hello! I adore your family AU and I'm curious about the events that led to Charlotte's birth? Did Undertaker manage to bring back R!Ciel in this AU but it was a less public appearance? Also, do Sebaciel and their baby eventually leave the spotlight to live their immortal lives on their own terms?

And if this prompt idea interests you: Since Charlotte's lover is Grelle's prodege, how about her making a big scene of her and "Bassy" being in laws now and Sebaciel dreading it?

In my head, the whole Undertaker thing was over and done with: o!Ciel proved himself once and for all that he was the one knighted by the Queen, and that he was the one performing all watchdog duty.

It also helps that r!Ciel is already dead. To prove one's alive is easier and it proved also that the dead can be manipulated, thus, can be used as an instrument of lies.

The Phantomhive left the spotlight when they departed from London to America to avoid the Great War in 1914. Afterwards, none really knew where they were, or what happened to them. Funtom continue to grow under regional management, but the owner can only be contacted via mail or telegram. Once, taking advantage of the owner not being around, an executive attempted to funnel company's money into his own pocket. A week later, he's found dead in the office. Reason of death: cannot be determined; his body looked to have suffered no harm. Frozen on his face was an expression of utter terror. On his desk was one single Funtom lollipop.

The Reapers was around when Charlottes was born. The whole dispatch, including Grell, William, Ronald (but not Max though, he hadn't died yet) perched outside the manor on tree branches like vulture, ready to pounce. None had expected Ciel Phantomhive to survive; not even Sebastian. A half-blood child between human and demon had never before existed; her warring natures too might yet not survive the outside world. And seeing as demons drain human life forces, it might very well be that the halfling would kill her mother the moment she was no longer in need of a host body.

But then Sebastian emerged from the manor, in his human form but it looked quite off, beastly even if you looked close enough, followed by his dark tendrils... and a baby girl in his arms.

He showed her off to the prowling death gods:

"She's alive," he said, "and so is her sirer. You are no longer needed here, Grim Reapers."

William adjusted his glasses: "You don't know that, Collapsar. Ciel Phantomhive is not yet out of danger." At this, the demon bares his fang; ill winds picked up; the shadows that enveloped the mansion became impossibly darker:

"He is mine. The boy has been mine ever since our contract. Death hath no claim on his soul."

Will and the Demon exchanged a long look. In the end, Will reluctantly ordered the dispatch to call the mission off. One reaper protested:

“But sir…” “There’s nothing we can do now, or do you fancy being snuffed out of existence by Collapsar?” He spared the speaker a look.

When they all left, Ronald get close and whistled upon seeing the baby, and said: "You sure that adorable babes came from your gene, pop?". And Grell just :)) sighed exasperatedly like when you found out your kpop idol bias is getting married.

I also think the dynamic between the Phantomhive-Michaelis and the Reapers would be like:

Will on a mission in the midst of London > feeling something tugged at his leg > Look down and see Charlotte being tearful mouth quivering: "I lost my papa and dada, Mister. You're their friends right? You're around all the time" > Will reluctantly returned the demon child to her demon parents 🤣

So yes, when they met again in 2020s, there there isn't a lot of animosity left; just a sort of playful annoyance (?)

As I have said before, Max initially hated this grown "Lottie" because of his prejudice against demon and his perception that she deceived him somehow. They had an enemies to lovers arc. The moment it started to shift more toward "lover", Sebastian was horrified. The "Sebas-chan" still makes him shiver even to this day 🤣 meanwhile, Grell is just behind Max giving him (terrible) date gifts ideal and trying to match make.

[eretzyisrael]

by John McGuirk

From time to time, I get asked by readers why it is, exactly, that I spend so much time writing about official Ireland’s attitudes towards Israel.

There’s a personal answer to that question (I’ve been to Israel, have friends there, find it to be a wonderful and welcoming country where people live cheerfully even in the knowledge that there are constant plots to kill them) and there’s an substantially more important political answer: That Irish attitudes to Israel are a marker for so much else that’s wrong about the country.

The first thing I’d say is that no issue more clearly sums up the entirely performative nature of Irish politics, in which our dear leaders prance about on the stage playing at being the “goodie” in a pantomime. For example: How many times this week have we heard, solemnly, from our leaders that Ireland is committed to international law and human rights? 

And how many times, dear reader, have you heard that lie – and it is a blatant lie – challenged by the Irish media?

This is, of course, the very same Ireland that literally rolled out the red-carpet last year for the visit of the Chinese Premier, while that Government perpetrates what actually is an internationally recognised genocide against the Uigher people.

It’s the same country that sends Ministers every Saint Patrick’s day to Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, where women are routinely whipped for alleged adultery, which includes being raped by a man other than their husbands. It’s the same country where the party of the official opposition used to import guns from then Libyan dictator Muamar Gaddaffi in order to murder British (and Irish) civilians.

Indeed, the President who took to his rostrum yesterday to spew more invective against the Israeli Government, and to criticise the alleged extra-territorial ambitions of Israel, is called Michael D. Higgins. He bears, not coincidentally, the same name as the Irish President who just some months ago wished his very best in their endeavours to an Iranian regime that has infringed on the sovereignty of Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Iraq in recent years, and which openly exports arms to terror groups right across the Middle East.

He’s the same Michael D. Higgins also who extolled in the most poetic terms the late and apparently missed Cuban dictator, Fidel Castro. That’s the fellow spluttering barely coherent outrage about the apparent fact that the Israelis might think we were unfairly singling them out for criticism.

This rank performative nonsense – which is what it is – is not confined to the international arena.

Our Taoiseach is an actor. He acts, and poses, as a man of great activity and ambition.

He stands before us, tears in his eyes like a melodramatic republican-era Roman stageman of yore, telling us five years ago that he would solve the crisis of children unable to access Scoliosis surgery. He signs contracts for a children’s hospital, then pretends to be blameless for their contents. He talks a great game about leading the fight against climate change but knows full well his country can do nothing about it. It is all a performance; a man play-acting at power and influence who neither has it nor would know how to wield it if he had.