#welcome to the 24th century

[my-timing-is-digital]

send  👫  for  a  reunion  starter

After the conclusion of Clemens' debacle, and his and Guinan's subsequent departures, the android repositioned the transreceiver in his supposed prototypical device for the horseless carriages and settled himself at the desk, monitoring the instrument's workings deliberately. Assiduously, he observed the rhythmic oscillations of the metal indicator, which functioned in a similar fashion as an analogue seismograph. Thus far, his device had not measured any time shifts, and would not for the next 39 minutes...

A long-awaited, arrhythmic scratching sound instantaneously tore his attention to the contraption. Excitedly, the pen attached to the end of the indicator recorded the occurrence — the device finally measured the time shift he had been anticipating —, and based off of the particulars printed on the sheet of paper, he could accurately determine the epicentre of the spatial distortion. Data consulted a map of the town to confirm the location, and without a moment's hesitation, he leapt to his feet and vacated his room. He navigated himself down a flight of stairs with mathematical precision and hurried outside where he supplied the bellboy, Jack, with sufficient 19th century currency to have him procure a carriage, preferably drawn by two equines — to multiply the carriage's power.

The ever-efficient hotel employee immediately scurried off to the stables and returned within several minutes, gesturing gleefully at the wagon he had snatched from an agitated colleague. Prior to mounting the box, Data expressed his gratitude for his services and pressed an additional sum of money in the boy's hand. He had never rode on horseback, let alone piloted a vehicle that was pulled by two of them, but he had judged it advantageous to observe others operate this form of transportation, in case he would relay on its services in the foreseeable future — he was glad he had pursued that particular endeavour.

Data armed himself with the reins and managed to set the equines into motion, gently instructing the animals to accelerate. The terminal words of farewell that emanated from the bellboy were left behind in a cloud of dust...

The carriage careened through the streets, teetering uncomfortably toward his destination: the local hospital. And it was not until he was in close proximity of the aforementioned facility that his positronic subprocessors sensed the familiar hum of 24th century technology, or rather, the wavelengths of a tricorder that was broadcasting signals on all frequencies. While he narrowly circumvented a collision with another horse-drawn carriage, he inferred that the others must have successfully ferried themselves across the frontiers of time and were here to assist him.

When the carriage swept around a corner, the tricorder transmission started to grow stronger and more prominent; his conjecture was confirmed when he sighted the others filing out of the hospital, and he promptly surmised that the occurrence of the time shift might have been a joint effort between them and the two individuals with the ophidian. Unfortunately, he could not initiate his interrogation, for his friends appeared to have antagonised the local police force.

'Data!' Commander Riker's loud, sonorous voice lacerated through the air, alerting him, unnecessarily, of their presence.

The android pulled on the reins to render the equines stationary adjacent to the pavement, allowing his friends to embark the vehicle.

'Doctor,' Data said, his own voice extraordinarily tranquil. He extended his hand for to grab and join him on the box seat while the others clambered into the carriage. 'It is good to see you again.'

'Go, Data! Hurry!' Captain Picard ordered, an urgent accentuation vibrated in the words he had enunciated.

'Aye, sir,' he replied compliantly, providing the horses with the objective to proceed down the street, with the intention to escape the police and take temporary refuge in the countryside until the coast was clear and they were certain no reinforcements would be ambushing them upon their return...

[ninjago-zine-of-elements]

Welcome to the Zine of Elements!

Zine Information Doc || FaQ || Updates || Application Form || want to be alerted before applications close?

Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Zine of Elements! This fanzine project is centered around celebrating the LEGO Ninjago TV series’ various lesser-appreciated elemental masters through fanfiction and fanart.

Applications for the project ARE open until December 14, 2024, so follow this blog and read on for more information!

What is the Zine of Elements?

The Zine of Elements (ZoE) is a free, digital SFW fanzine hosted by @21st-century-ninja (Fabro) and @curiositythecryptid (Lis). Over the course of three months, 25 artists and 6 writers will work together to bring the background elemental masters to life!

The ZoE is a canon-focused zine, which means that contributors will be asked to create works that fall beneath the canon umbrella (see the Zine Doc for more details). While the ninja are allowed to be background characters in any works created, they cannot be the subject matter, as this is a zine dedicated to the lesser-seen elemental masters.

Who can apply?

Anyone, regardless of age or skill, is welcome to apply for the ZoE. You must be able to use Discord to communicate, and you must be able to speak either English, Spanish, or Portuguese.

What does the schedule look like?

Applications: Nov 24, 2024 to Dec 14, 2024 Application results: by Dec 28, 2024 Creation period: Dec 28, 2024 to March 22, 2025 (12 weeks) Pitches due: Jan 11, 2025 Check in 1: Feb 1, 2025 Final dropout date: March 1, 2025 Check in 2: March 1, 2025 Due date: March 22, 2025 Zine publishing date: Mid April 2025, TBD

What if I have more questions?

If you have more questions, the Zine Doc has more detailed information on the project. Our ask box is always open, too!

I'm excited to apply! How do I do that?

In just three weeks, writer and artist applications will open via Google Form! In the meantime, though, you can be prepping your portfolios. Artists will be required to provide at least three pieces, at least one of them that must be Ninjago-focused, and writers will be required to provide three writing samples, at least one of which must be Ninjago-focused and under 2,000 words.

And that's that, everyone! Follow this blog for future updates on the project, and we'll see you Nov 24th!

@ninjago-events

[transterrorweek]

Trans Terror Week 2024

We’re back! Trans Terror Week 2024 will run November 24-30th.

Between Twitter dying and busy mods (@solomontoaster and @manicpixiedreamjop once again), we are not going to have much of a presence on Twitter this year, though we will be keeping tabs on it. Your best chance at getting a quick response will be one Tumblr!

The rules are the same a last year, detailed on our FAQ page (for the mobile accessible FAQ go here). 

Rules and Reminders:

This event is for anyone who is trans, nonbinary or is currently questioning their gender. Our goal is to uplift trans content creators in the Terror fandom and we encourage cis creators to show their support for their trans compatriots.

There is NO restriction on type of content: art, fics, edits, playlists, videos, everything is welcome!

November 24th is also for Creator Spotlights, make a post highlighting your works and we’ll give you a boost!

Please tag your works #transterrorweek/#transterrorweek2024 and/or ping us @transterrorweek to make sure we see your stuff! This applies to both Tumblr and Twitter.

Fics can also be added to the Ao3 collection. Simply search for “Trans Terror Week” when posting your fic or follow the link on our blog. Our FAQ has instructions for posting anonymously.

Prompts:

This years prompts are the result of three semesters of grad school study and research on the part of one of the mods. As always, full details on the prompts can be found on our prompts page:

Day 1: Staged Otherness | Trans Performers - Fanny & Stella

Fanny & Stella cross dressed both onstage and in their personal lives during the 19th century.

Day 2: Kabloona |Trans Explorers - Jan Morris

Jan Morris was the first* trans person to ascend Mount Everest as a journalist accompanying the 1953 British Mount Everest Expedition. *as far as I know

Day 3: "Herodotus and Oral History" | Trans Historians - Leslie Feinberg

Leslie Feinberg is the author of the pioneering trans history text Transgender Warriors.

Day 4: "Identification of a Senior Officer" | Trans Military Officers - Chevalière d'Éon

Charlotte d'Éon de Beaumont, the Chevalière d'Éon, was recognized as a woman by King Louis XVI, who furnished her with a new wardrobe.

Day 5: "Learning About Sea Ice" | Trans Scientists - Alan L. Hart

Alan L. Hart pioneered the use of x-ray photography for tuberculosis diagnosis.

Day 6: Arctic Circles and Imperial Knowledge | Trans Titlebearers - Sir Ewan Forbes

Sir Ewan Forbes of Craigievar was the 11th Baronet of his family’s barony from 1968 until his death in 1991.

Day 7: "You Do Not Belong Here" | Trans Activists - Loren Cameron

Loren Cameron was a trans activist and photographer, known for photographing nude trans bodies.

[cry-ptidd]

Always been a bit confused on Laura past, you hint here and there, something about a nunnery and how that made despise God and the church. So, what exactly happened to her to make the way she did. Also was Hans the one who bit her or some other werewolf?

Alright, I do realize most people might not be aware of her story considering I never really made a post about it and I deleted the fic of her backstory bc I didn't like it, so I'll summarize it here!

And no, she wasn't bitten by Hans. She is older than him by half a century or so

Laura's backstory/timeline masterpost

⚠️⚠️ TW for: sexual assault, religious abuse, victim blaming, emotional abuse, and VERY long babbling

1735 - Human life:

Laura is the eldest daughter of Jean Chastel and Anne Charbonnier. She was born in Gévaudan (now in the department of Haute-Loire) on the 24th of December 1735.

She was her father's favorite child, due to her and her mother surviving a difficult birth. This also led to her mother putting her a bit aside considering her father doted on her "like a son", taught her to read and write, and allowed her to not marry due to her disinterest in men (they both just thought she was chaste because of religion) and work with him in the fields, at the inn and other places. She learned French and Occitan.

Laura was brought up catholic, as most people in 18th century France, but she was particularly devout and religious. She was teased as a child for it, spending a lot of time in church and confessionals, which didn't help because her father didn't have the best reputation (he was nicknamed "de la masca", Occitan for "of the witch".) She started to pick up on Latin, though it was extremely rudimentary. Her overly religious attitude annoyed her own family sometimes, and their lack of emotional support led her to become a bit naive and confide a lot in religious authority figures.

She was an extremely diligent girl, always making sure her chores were finished and her work wasn't interrupted. That led to her sometimes putting her own health at risk in harsh winters, or disregarding people's warnings.

1758 - Bite:

Early spring of 1758; Laura was 22 when she was herding cattle near a clearing. She ignored the warning of the other villagers of wolf sightings, because the attacks were rare and she had a cattledog with her anyway. However, it turns out the villagers were right - safe for a few details.

Laura was attacked by a feral werewolf that scratched her stomach and bit her on the forearm after she put it up to not let it tear her throat out. A few of the village men were alerted by the commotion of her yells, the dog and cattle, and they managed to drive the werewolf off before it could devour her.

Sadly, she was now infected, and it showed, when in the next two weeks she was writhing in agony at the transformation that somehow healed her wounds and left big, ugly scars. People were starting to be afraid, wondering what the hell was going on. Her father was running around trying to find doctors with what money he had. Most locals dismissed the idea of a werewolf and thought she just had rabies, but the symptoms picked up by the doctors didn't support that hypothesis. Laura herself was going through it, spending hours upon hours of praying and reciting scripture and reading the Bible in hopes of a cure. The locals started to treat it as something you shouldn't talk about, considering how odd and ugly the details were, and people were avoiding the building where she was kept.

After about a month of very painful confusion, after her condition started to appear more supernatural than medical, Jean decided 'fuck it' and stuffed her in a carriage with a couple other men, before bringing her to a remote abbey.

1758 - The abbey:

Laura was brought to a remote Benedictine monastery, where 12 monks resided. She was welcomed at first, with suspicion of demonic possession, and given a room in the sub-level of the abbey.

Exorcism and purification rituals were routine, as well as the already implemented practices of the abbey. Laura was very willing to go with all of it, putting her trust in them, especially considering her awful mental state at that point.

However, about six months in, one of the men there went to her room at night and assaulted her. The others were alerted because of the commotion during imposed hours of silence. When they were found out, though, she was the one blamed for "seducing" the monk, because he was one of the "most devout" of them. A small scuffle ensued, and the abbot decided to give them both a "pardon" as long as they did a bit more service as penance, since they were "both in the wrong". After this, her relationship with the monks soured more and more.

The exorcisms stopped after a year in or so, since they saw no signs of improvement (and judged her no threat). She was however to stay at the monastery for the safety of others. Laura felt terribly alone, considering not only the fact that the abuse continued in secret but also that she was treated as basically a feral dog to be wary of, and just being a lost young woman surrounded by men that started to look at her with contempt. She considered escaping several times in her stay; however, each time she was either caught trying to sneak out or was too scared to go with it, fearing judgement from God for disobedience.

The abuse became well known some years in, but once again no one did anything, either being told by the abbot to keep it down and not talk about filth within the house of God, or spoken about by a handful of the men who took advantage of her fear and silence to vent out their frustrations. Their initial duty towards her was basically brushed aside and discarded, and they kept her around and subjugated for fear of her condition. Her lack of menstruation and fertility (because of the lycanthropy) were also attributed to her being a "wicked creature", that she needed to stay in here to be forgiven by God, or else her resistance to holy cleansing would be noticed by the Lord.

This went on for years. 6 years, 5 months and 13 days to be exact, of Laura begging for God's help and mercy, which at first was her begging for a cure to her condition so she'd be in His graces again, to her wanting it just so she could escape the abbey, to eventually praying for the monks not to hurt her anymore or at least lose interest, to her just begging to die because she was so afraid and hungry from not getting any of the meat that her body demanded (of course, she couldn't die of starvation or sickness, thanks to regeneration). Her biggest fear was that she was beginning to doubt God. Her faith in the monks was completely dead by the fifth year, but she was also starting to doubt anyone would save her. She also started to despise her father for bringing her here in the first place.

This all culminated to one night, after the monastery doors were closed, when one of the monks had just finished his little "escapade" in her room. He was about to get out and she got up, barely dressed and dirty, and started to call him out. He slapped and started to berate her, but she didn't listen, and jumped at him. His screams and pleas were ignored, because the others learned not to mind them. She devoured him, and all her pent up rage and fear turned into bloodlust, as she mauled each one of them and devoured them like cattle. Nothing but scraps of bone were left by the morning. This is when she got enough strength for her first transformation. By now, her fear of God turned into sheer resentment, spite and hatred, and she felt no apprehension at disobeying Him- in fact, she was going to do it on purpose, because He can go fuck Himself for not helping a helpless, desperate girl that was suffering right under His nose by His own men, especially when Laura had been such a devout Christian for so long.

1765 - Escape, start of the killings:

Laura broke out of the abbey in her wolf form, embracing her anger completely (for lack of any other emotion that served any purpose other than wanting to let herself die). She ventured out until she found civilization (eating a few travelers on the way), and found a young girl, Marie-Jeanne Valet, herding cows. She wanted to be discreet, but the reminder of her own human self (that she came to despise), and lunged at her. However Laura was driven off by the girl who managed to wound her with a homemade spear she was carrying to defend herself from the other wolf stalking the area (the same one that bit Laura). This drove Laura off, and what officially sparked the start of the hysteria.

Laura never transformed back into a human form for the duration of the terror. About a hundred deaths were attributed to her, but she killed way more in actuality.

In September 1765, Marie-Jeanne's recount of the attack and the subsequent hysteria reached the ears of the king, who sent one of his hunters, François Antoine, to kill the beast with his soldiers. However, they only killed the other werewolf in the area, which left Laura without a rival for food and did not stop the slaughter.

Battues and hunts were routine by now. Laura relished in outsmarting/overpowering each faction sent after her, starting to kill out of spite rather than food, picking off the weak and vulnerable and taunting the hunters by shrugging off their bullets like it was nothing, and her skin was starting to go from toughened to just impenetrable. Some preachers were talking about how the beast was a sign of the end of times, or how it's a punishment sent by God, and it made her so mad to be affiliated to Him that she ate those guys in broad daylight.

1767 - end of the terror:

This continued until the 19th of June 1767, when Jean Chastel took the head of a hunt for the beast, accompanied by a few men and their hounds.

It was three days of stalking and tracing, with a few bodies the beast left uneaten specifically to taunt them, until they stumbled on her in a clearing.

Laura mauled two of the hunters accompanying Chastel. Jean, however, had noted that normal weapons didn't seem to do much damage to it. So, a week prior, he had melted a silver medallion of the Virgin Mary into a mullet for his rifle. While the beast prepared to turn around and attack him, he cocked his rifle, aimed, and pulled the trigger. The bullet went through its left shoulder and out the chest; its howl resonated through the forest when it fell, and the hunting hounds were quick to attack as it limped off. Jean got a good look in the beast's eyes when he shot it, and familiarity washed over him- a feeling that would haunt him on his deathbed.

Laura, on the other hand, limped off into the forest and turned back into a woman for the first time in a couple years. Her heart had been shot out by the silver, and she was severely wounded; by all accounts she should've died, since silver is the one thing werewolves are weak to.

But somehow, she didn't, either out of sheer spite and stubbornness or because of a twisted joke by the universe.

Records of a "Laura Chastel" were scrapped from the archives on Jean's own request, likely out of guilt, and the more supernatural elements of the attacks were dismissed as rumors of scared, superstitious crowds.

1769 to 1995 - pre-Hellsing:

It took Laura over a year to properly recover her strength. This attack had not only done her body grievous damage, but also her psyche, at seeing her own father be the one to attempt and kill her- she already resented him, but it added a whole new layer of damage.

This also knocked her anger and arrogance down a couple of pegs. She had grown too greedy and reckless, and retaliation had been inevitable, which is a lesson she learned from that.

So, she grew more discreet and learned to be a proper wild animal - stay out of sight, snatch your prey, leave the area, stalk the shadows.

During the French Revolution, she recovered a lot of strength, due to eating and stealing the dumped bodies of those executed by the revolutionaries. She didn't care for the ideology or the impact on civilization at all, considering she grew to dislike humans and see them as her natural enemies/predators, but she did enjoy the chaos because it took any attention off her.

Her early years were more of her staying in the wilderness, only approaching humans either to eat, or to take her boredom off by seducing women - which she got better at doing overtime.

Late 19th and early 20th century she had started to come closer to civilization. She picked up a penchant for drinking, despite not being able to get drunk, and was often seen as a strange, shady homeless woman. In towns, she would pretend to be passed out in lone alleys to attract men and get a quick snack. She would also sometimes seduce women just to use their showers for warm water or get some clothes.

In ww2, she didn't do much out of her routine. During the invasion of France, she didn't care much for what was happening, but grew quite annoyed with the invading forces. She ate quite a lot of nazis, especially those camping in forest areas or those that came to bother her when she was in town, and made sure to avoid getting attention drawn to her. Most of the deaths were attributed to local resistance.

1995 - Battle against Alucard and invitation to Hellsing:

in the early spring of 1995, Laura had made the mistake of leaving the corpses of two British hikers in a place where they could be found, and another one of killing a Protestant pastor. The affair reached Hellsing, who saw the hints of possible supernatural threat in the case.

Alucard was sent to the town where the pastor had been killed, to investigate. Laura sensed the danger from miles away (a bit of a given, he has a freaky aura), and tried to lose him in the crowd. After failing and seeing him keep up the trial, she lured him out into the woods where they wouldn't be disturbed.

The fight started at around 11pm, in the middle of the woods. Laura knew he wasn't a normal person at first sight of course, but she didn't know the extent of Alucard's powers or of Hellsing at all. She had dealt with a few vampires that infringed on her territory already, but they were easy game, so she just opted to tear his head off and be done with it. Alucard, being the asshole gentleman he is, humored her and let her tear him to shreds to give her false hope and then reform as if nothing had happened. Laura was kinda freaked out by this when he did, but the shock quickly wore off because it just began to piss her off.

The real fight started when he pulled out the Casull. Laura knows silver is her weakness, and even if she grew somewhat of a mild resistance over the years she's not one to experiment. Alucard was starting to get interested after the first thirty minutes of her holding her own against him. He taunted her the entire time of course, but he grew more and more intrigued because of how fun she was to fight, and her abilities were obviously above any average werewolf. When she transformed, it was double the excitement because now he gets to brawl with a kaiju.

The fight went on for hours. Dawn was approaching when they were both starting to tire, and Alucard decided to end it. After many efforts, he aligned the gun and shot her straight in the heart, making her fall mid-attack and transform back into a human.

She was writhing in agony on the floor, literally clinging to life with teeth and nails, and Alucard started to approach her. He admitted to a good fight, and did his whole speech thing after he beats an opponent he likes, but his bravado was interrupted when she grabbed onto his leg to hoist herself up. He was surprised into silence for a moment, seeing the fire in her eyes, not only that but seeing her alive, because she's not going to get killed by this asshole, not now, not ever, and God help her if she allows him to harm her like this-

Alucard caught her when she lost consciousness, seeing her still not die despite the gaping hole where her heart should be. He pauses, and decides this is just too interesting an opportunity to pass up.

1995-1999 - pre-canon:

Laura woke up three days after in one of the guest bedrooms in the mansion, cleaned, tended and dressed in one of Alucard's shirts. Speaking of, he was sitting in the room waiting for her to wake up, like he did with Seras.

Laura was confused out of her mind, and thought she actually died because no fucking way. A brief verbal scuffle ensued (mostly on Laura's end), before he left the room to report to Integra, and also to tell her he drank Laura's blood to access her memories, just to make sure she wasn't affiliated with Millenium or anything related, considering the last time he saw a werewolf was the Captain, and instead found a goldmine of information on werewolves and the mystery of the beast of Gévaudan, and considered it would be a great new addition to Hellsing's arsenal. He had left Laura in the room alone, assuming she was too weak to do anything.

She wasn't, apparently, because Walter came in a dozen minutes later to say he had to wire her up after she tried to escape again and almost mauled one of the guards (but ultimately left no injury).

Integra was pissed, so she went to have a little chat. Laura said she'd comply if Walter and Alucard left, leaving them face to face.

Integra explained her situation, who she was and what was going to happen. Basically, Laura had two choices: either she joins and swears her civility in the organization, or Alucard finishes her off after they gather what information they need from her body. Laura was kind of pissed at being put between a rock and a hard place, but Integra also promised, if she were to choose the former and be obedient, to ensure her safety and protection, as well as feeding and clothing her. The added bonus that her bodily autonomy would be respected and that their rival is the Catholic Church is what tipped the scales.

Laura accepted to join, and a few weeks later she was assigned the role of a maid. Integra had to report her existence to her superiors, of course, but decided to keep her a secret from her enemies, so she gave her a seemingly inconspicuous position. It also helped because Laura, due to her trauma in the abbey, has trouble staying inside or being stuck in rooms without doing anything, and it occupies her because she's already pretty good at cooking and cleaning from helping her father out at his inn some two centuries ago. Integra had given her a small silver cross to wear, an artifact made by Van Helsing from melted medallions of St. Patrick, that acted as a much weaker version of Alucard's seals.

This was the start of her life at Hellsing, that she actually grew to somewhat appreciate because of not having to worry for survival every day. She started out as cold and hostile, but eventually allowed Integra and Walter to come a bit closer to her. She sees Walter as a pretty alright man since he knows not to push her and is very respectful, and she grew more and more intrigued by Integra as a person, which resulted in (quite unhealthy) romantic feelings towards her for the simple reason that Integra treats her as a living thing. The cross also became more of a decoration than anything over time.

She mostly takes care of the mansion, but sometimes can go out and decimate some ghouls for enrichment. Anyone that tries to break in and manages to get past the guards also finds themselves face to face with her.

By now she is only loyal to Integra (not even the organization, only because Integra is there) and obeys her because of her own willingness and feelings, and Walter is maybe her favorite coworker. She sees Alucard as a bothersome fellow fucked up creature, and still hasn't forgiven him for drinking her blood without her consent but overall tolerates him most of the time. Seras is a new addition; Laura sees her as a very naive and inexperienced girl, and maybe underestimates and infantilizes her a bit, but overall doesn't mind her presence. She despises the Iscariot with no exception, and Millenium by default.

That brings her to the current timeline, let's hope nothing bad happens.

[mysticstronomy]

WHAT IS THE SLOWEST THING IN THE UNIVERSE??

Blog#394

Saturday, April 20th, 2024.

Welcome back,

For centuries, physicists thought there was no limit to how fast an object could travel. But Einstein showed that the universe does, in fact, have a speed limit: the speed of light in a vacuum (that is, empty space). Nothing can travel faster than 300,000 kilometers per second (186,000 miles per second).

Only massless particles, including photons, which make up light, can travel at that speed. It's impossible to accelerate any material object up to the speed of light because it would take an infinite amount of energy to do so.

So as it turns out, Einstein could never have caught up with the beam of light that captured his imagination as a teenager!

How long does it take to get to the Moon? Light travels the 380,000 kilometers (240,000 miles) between the Moon and the Earth in 1.3 seconds. It would take a person more than nine years of continuous walking to travel this distance.

Light: 1.3 seconds

Electron: 2.9 minutes

Space shuttle (orbital speed): 14 hours

Sound (70°F): 13 days

Passenger jet: 18 days

NYC subway car (maximum speed): 220 days

Human (walking): 9 years

The faster an object travels, the more massive it becomes. As an accelerating object gains mass and thus becomes heavier, it takes more and more energy to increase its speed. It would take an infinite amount of energy to make an object reach the speed of light.

Originally published on

COMING UP!!

(Wednesday, April 24th, 2024)

"HOW FAST DOES LIGHT TRAVEL??"

[miffy-junot]

On this day in 1771, Jean-Andoche Junot was born in Bussy-le-Grand

^ the house where Junot was born.

On 25th September 1771, Michel and Marie-Antoinette Junot welcomed a son. He was named Jean-Andoche after the Catholic saint Andoche (or Andachius), a 2nd century missionary who was martyred by the Romans in Saulieu. The feast day of Saint Andoche is actually 24th September, but he is much more significant to the Côte-d'or region than any of the saints commemorated on 25th September, hence why the name Andoche was chosen.

[zoestormwriting]

My writing

Hello hi hello! Welcome to my writing blog!

My name is Zoe, and I write stories with transgender protagonists living their best lives; the kind of stories I wish I could have read when I was a young kid questioning my own identity, basically, instead of what we got during the 1990s.

If you want to check out my writing, your first stop is my ScribbleHub page, where you can check out a few of my stories.

Then, if you like what you've read and want to support me: I have a Patreon! There are lots of stories over there that haven't (and probably won't) published online for free, so check it out and, if you like what you see, think about subscribing :)

Also, I've published six proper, honest-to-goodness books which you can actually buy; they've all been edited and expanded from the online version. The books are:

Alex -- A young man working a part-time job as a waiter accidentally stains his shirt, and the only choice for him to be able to work is to dress up in a girl's uniform; this turns out to have significant consequences.

E-book and paperback stores | Itch

The Transition Zone -- A young man from a sheltered background goes to college, meets new people, makes new experiences, and finds out more about himself.

E-book and paperback stores | Itch

Performative Masculinity -- A closeted trans girl in high school is accidentally outed to the boy she most dislikes; but he surprises her, saying he won't tell anyone.

E-book and paperback stores | Itch

To Own the Libs -- A young man with conservative leanings and no gender feelings at all (honest!) decides to prove that anyone can transition, even cis people. Why? To own the libs, clearly! How? By transitioning himself! Because he's not trans. Obviously.

E-book and paperback stores | Itch

These four books are all set in the same fictional universe, the Bradford McKinley Chronicles, named after the fictional Upstate New York college in which most of them take place; they share some characters, but can be read in any order.

The Brightest Stars -- A sci-fi spy thriller set on Mars in the 24th century: an archaeologist makes an important discovery which could shift the balance of power among the nations of the Solar System, and has to decide whom she can trust.

E-book and paperback stores | Itch

The Enchanted Forest and Other Stories: Five Tales of Gender Magic -- Five short stories about people finding themselves, with the help of a bit of magic.

E-book and paperback stores | Itch

Lastly: all of the stuff I've written can be accessed from my Linktree, and if you just want to toss a couple coins my way you can do so on PayPal.

And that's all! Thank you for your attention, and I hope you enjoy reading my stories as much as I've enjoyed writing them :)

[leighsartworks216]

Biological Malfunctions

Data x AFAB!reader

I rewrote this and then did not proofread it so have fun!!

Warnings: THIS IS A PERIOD FIC. THERE IS TALK ABOUT MENSTRUATION. PLEASE DON'T READ IF THAT MAKES YOU UNCOMFORTABLE. Reader is described as having a uterus, but no other explicit descriptions of their gender is made. Can be read as platonic or romantic (like, the beginnings of a crush)

Word Count: 2003

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Data entered his room as he had over a thousand times before. He stepped in, making sure Spot was not by the door waiting to rush out and scamper down the hallways, and- He stopped in the middle of the room, hardly two steps in the door. Something was different. The lights were dimmed.

Data only changed the light setting in his room during Alpha shift, a ship-wide nighttime when he was usually put in charge of the Bridge, as he did not require sleep like the others. By doing so, he simulated a day/night cycle for his beloved feline friend. However, Alpha shift would not start until approximately 2 hours, 37 minutes, and 15 seconds. Also unusual, the lights were dimmed to 20%, a setting he himself never used.

Now the question was why?

Truth be told, he was momentarily titillated by this mystery. He considered, briefly, donning his Sherlock Holmes outfit to investigate. Alas, the mystery did not last long enough for a costume change.

“Data?” a voice called from the bed-area of his quarters. “Are you back?”

The android followed the voice, as did Spot, to a figure curled under his Starfleet regulation blankets. The fabric shifted, and a face peeked out from the edge, squinting up at him. He recognized the voice, but seeing the face it belonged to absolutely confirmed it.

“Lieutenant Y/N, I did not expect to find you in my quarters.”

“Sorry,” you yawned. The blankets were warm, and clean from lack of use. They drew you in deeper, coaxing you into curling further within the cascades of fabric, warm and safe. Spot climbed on top of you and began lovingly making biscuits into your side. Data was briefly fascinated by the strange exhibition of behavior. “I needed to see Spot,” you admitted. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all. Your presence was unexpected, but you are always welcome here.” He met your tired little smile with a sort of grin of his own. “May I ask why you needed to see Spot? Has she done something wrong?”

You chuckled airily at the question. “No, she’s a good kitty.”

Data nodded, agreeing without hesitation, as the cat in question snuggled into a ball atop you and began purring contently.

In a softer, less comfortable tone than before, you murmured, “I needed the comfort.”

“Comfort?”

“Mhm. I’m…” A deep-rooted tree of shame ached in your chest at the thought of confessing your problems. You couldn’t help it, really. All your life since middle school, the biological issues - whether physical, mental, or emotional - you faced were heavily enforced as your problems. Even further, the most enforced rule of all was to never disclose them to men.

You would think, in the 24th century, these silly little laws of society would die.

When you did not respond after a moment (approximately 37 seconds), he understood that you may not wish to tell him. A prolonged silence in humans often reflected a sense of unease or discomfort, especially relating to conversation topics they were uncomfortable with. Your voice stopped him before he could retreat back to his computer.

The branch squeezing around your heart, pumping guilt through every channel of your body, won out over all.

“I’m going through some, uh, biological malfunctions.”

Data’s eyebrows raised, surprised by this new information. He kneeled down, positioning himself in a better position to speak with you face-to-face. “If you are feeling unwell, I suggest going to sickbay for an examination. Doctor Crusher is well-suited to a wide variety of biological issues. If you would prefer, I could ask her to visit you here.”

You nearly startled at the suggestion, speaking in a rush. “No, no, no, no. Really, Data, I’m okay. I just have to wait it out. I’ll be fine by the time you go back on shift, and then I’ll be out of your hair, promise.”

Confusion replaced his surprise. You seemed to panic at the subject of Doctor Crusher, yet you have shown no previous signs of anxiety relating to anything medical. Not to mention your strange phrase. “Lieutenant, you are not in my hair.” You found yourself relaxing once again as he rambled on about the logistics of being in his hair, a small smile finding your face once more. “A single hair is roughly 80,000 to 100,000 nanometers wide, while the average adult male is approximately 2 billion nanometers tall. To fit in my hair, you would need to shrink down to 25 times the size you are now. Alternatively, you would need to increase the size of a hair by 25 times in order to fit inside it at the height you currently stand.”

His sweet naivety reminded you of how you so easily fell into a friendship with the android. You could discuss niche topics in varying detail for hours on end and never get tired. He helped you feel like you belonged when you were just an ensign, fresh from the Academy and unsure in every step. Even now, without even trying, he grounded you and gently pushed away all of your anxieties.

Only once he was finished did you speak. “It’s an expression, Data. It just means that I won’t be in your space, or causing you any problems.”

His head tilted, cataloging the new phrase within an ever-growing list of human figures of speech. “Ah, I see. You are not ‘in my hair’, Lieutenant. If you would like, you are welcome to stay once I leave for Alpha shift. I do not mind.”

“I appreciate it.” You breathed in deeply, closing your eyes to revel in the dim light, surrounded by your best friend and his cat. The quiet sound of machinery beeping and Spot purring made it feel like home. This was not your room. “But I really should get back.”

“Would you like me to escort you to your quarters?”

You hummed, considering. “Maybe.” Data’s bed was unused, soft, and clean. It was much nicer than yours, which had a pronounced divot in the mattress after sleeping in it so long. But, you reminded yourself, you had barged into his room and made yourself comfortable in his bed, without any form of permission to be had. You were trespassing, despite Data’s all-too-welcoming attitude. Still… He was giving you a chance to stay for a bit longer. “I don’t want to take advantage of your hospitality,” you opened your eyes to study his pale face, “but I don’t really want to leave right now.”

“No advantage taken. I even find your presence quite…” he paused to ensure he had the right word, “enjoyable.”

You smiled gratefully at the android. Now, more at ease than ever, your eyes slid shut and you welcomed the exhaustion that tickled the back of your mind. You pulled the blankets slightly to tuck them snugly under your chin, and even curled the blanket around your feet, effectively trapping in the warm air and sealing out the colder air beyond your cocoon.

Data watched your actions with interest. He wasn’t exactly privy to how humans slept, nor did he find the topic as fascinating as sneezing or hiccuping. The act of sleeping itself, that it. Dreams were another topic entirely. Now, though, as he watched you curl into a fetal ball, nuzzling your nose into his pillow, he wondered why he had not been interested before. For a brief moment, you curled in tighter, holding your breath. A grimace twisted your features. And then you breathed out slowly, uncurling a little.

“Lieutenant,” he pried, continuing even when you did not look at him, “your actions suggest you are in some form of discomfort. If you tell me what your symptoms are, I can look up methods to ease them.”

The branch of guilt and shame coiled like a snack around your heart once more. It was illogical to be ashamed, especially when you were talking to Data who would never be offended by anything as natural as bodily functions. The years and years of having your femininity shamed only brought you anxiety and a vague feeling of nausea. He wouldn’t care. He wouldn’t be disgusted.

“I’m menstruating.” For such a small admission, you wanted to crawl within yourself and die surrounded by your shame. You kept your eyes firmly shut, pressing your face into the pillow, in hopes that, perhaps, this was all just a dream. “I’m just having really bad cramps right now.”

His head tilted, though you refused to open your eyes and see it. “Am I correct in thinking that you are uncomfortable with this topic?”

You huffed a strained laugh. “Yeah, you’re right.”

“Menstruation is a natural occurrence among biologically female humans. I do not understand your discomfort.”

“It’s just… not really something humans are comfortable talking about, especially in mixed company.” Before he could ask your meaning, you added, “With males. Biological functions make people uncomfortable.”

His eyes lit up. “Fascinating.” He opened his mouth, ready to ask more questions about why, but stopped himself as you curled up tight once more. Right, he said he would help with your symptoms.

“There are a wide variety of methods said to reduce menstrual cramping. Methods include holding a heat compress to your lower abdomen, taking a hot bath, eating anti-inflammatory foods such as berries, tomatoes, pineapple, almonds, walnuts and salmon, or holistic treatments such as acupuncture or acupressure. Other methods such as exercise or abdominal massages are also said to relieve discomfort.”

You huffed out a frustrated breath, body curling in on itself as a second wave of pain ripped through your body. You curled in as tight as you possibly could, and yet the pain stayed. Your constant movement disturbed Spot, who finally had enough of laying on top of you, and jumped down. Data followed her movements as she found another, solitary, surface to sleep on.

As the wave ebbed away, it left behind aggravation and irritated tears that pricked at the corners of your eyes. You didn’t want food, you didn’t want to move, and you definitely didn’t want to get poked or prodded. You just wanted the pain to end. Spot had been acting as a sort of heated compress before, one that purred and had soft fur. Now, though, you had nothing to help.

Unless…

“Are you doing anything important right now?”

Data was confused by the odd question. It was entirely subjective. “I am kneeling here, talking to you. Is that not important?”

You may have been touched by the simple sweetness of his words, in the naivety he carried to find something as simple as talking to you important in the over-simplified, highly-literal way he saw the world, if you weren’t busy scrubbing the wetness from your eyes and gathering every ounce of dignity you had left. “Will you cuddle with me?”

“Inquiry: ‘cuddle’?”

“Just… lay with me and hold me?”

Data, confused but willing, nodded. As he got up from the floor, you scooted to make more room for him on the bed, while at the same time opening up your cocoon for him. In smooth, albeit unsure, motions, he joined you in the bed. Laying on his back, you threw the covers over him and helped to guide him in a rough lesson to cuddling. With no resistance, you were able to pick up his arm and wrap it around you as you settled down into the nook it created. He watched as you pressed yourself against his side and rested your cheek on his chest. You were close enough to hear the soft whirring of his inner mechanisms.

“Is this cuddling?”

Your cheek shifted against his uniform as you nodded. You appeared more at ease now. He… enjoyed seeing you like this.

“Yes, Data, this is cuddling.” After a brief moment of hesitation, you found his hand resting loosely behind you and guided it to rest over your waist. And as everything stilled, you were finally at peace.

[episodicnostalgia]

Star Trek: The Next Generation, 125 (May 16, 1988) - “The Neutral Zone”

Teleplay by: Maurice Hurley Story by: Deborah McIntyre & Mona Clee Directed by: James L. Conway

The Breakdown

This is one of those “multiple story lines going on at the same time” episodes, so first let’s deal with…

Plotline  #1 – After the Enterprise scanners pick up an old earth space capsule that piques Data’s interest, he and Worf decide to hop over and take a look. There they find three preserved bodies in cryonic chambers, which are beamed over to sick bay.  Turns out these three bodies have been sitting out in space since the late 20th century, y’know, from 25 years ago when people began the common practice of preserving their deceased loved ones (it was like Tamagotchi’s, everyone was doing it) in the hope of reviving them when medical science had advanced far enough.  That’s right, I said deceased.  These three people were frozen at the exact moment of their death (that’s gotta be tricky to pull off), and now revived 300 years by Dr. Beverly Crusher herself; their company is comprised of a Rich Guy who played the stock market, A mother of two, and a drug addicted musician. 

The episode follows the newly resurrected boomers, as they grapple with the fact that they’ve jumped 300+ years into the future, and that their loved ones are all dead, etc. The Rich dude (Ralph ) has a particularly hard time coping with the fact that his fortune is both nonexistent and (even if it weren’t) meaningless, since the pursuit of wealth and power no longer holds any sway in the post-scarcity 24th century. The mother (Clare) understandably spends most of the runtime being depressed, until Troi points out that she has a great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandson, who will undoubtedly welcome his displaced ancient ancestor with open arms. Lastly, the musician (Sonny) pretty much stays a lecherous, sexist, alcoholic, but he’s mostly having a good time enjoying the replicators and hanging out with his new guitar. At various points they inconvenience Picard (who���s dealing with more important things in the other plotline), but mostly they kind of sit around as the Enterprise crew smugly judge them for being ignorant and confused, until they’re transferred to another ship that will take them back to earth and become someone else’s problem.

Plotline #2 -  Starfleet outposts along the Neutral Zone (the established border between the Federation and the Romulan Empire) are being destroyed, and Picard has been ordered to check out if the Romulans are to blame.  Most of the Episode deals with Picard getting the bridge crew to study the Romulans so they can form a strategy, but that’s easier said than done, since it’s been decades since anyone has heard from them.

Anyways, when they finally arrive along the edge of ‘the zone’, Worf makes a shocking revelation that their outposts aren’t destroyed, but rather completely missing, since there would be some sign of debris otherwise.  Shortly thereafter a Romulan ship decloaks, and their captain explains to Picard that their outposts are also missing, and figured it was the Federation’s doing, but now realize it must have been someone-or-something else. Thankfully cooler heads prevail, and both sides agree to collaborate on solving this mystery later on, and then leave, but not before making a thinly-veiled threat that they’ll be back to cause more trouble down the road.

So, on that disconcerting note, the Enterprise optimistically heads back to its regular business because this is the finale, and we need to wrap things up until next season!

The Verdict

The thing is, both plot outlines have plenty of potential, in their own right.  A story about displaced-wealthy-20th-century-folk struggling to fit into a society that has no place for their ideologies, is a perfect theme for Star Trek. And I’ll admit, there’s every chance that the execution of such a story would come off as pretentious and out-of-touch as anything else the show put out during this season, but even a failed attempt would be interesting to watch… provided of course that it was the primary focus of the episode.  My biggest issue wasn’t how hilariously proud of itself the Hurley's script is for criticizing capitalism (while we’re at it, did you know slavery and genocide are also bad? Follow me, for more deep insights!), but rather that the story doesn’t really go anywhere, or do anything with the subject matter.

Ralph (the survivor with the most screen time) is arrogant and demeaning to the crew because he’s used to getting his own way, and we are made to understand that his love of money is directly tied to his character flaws, which is fine, but then what? At one point there’s a scene where he disregards Picard’s orders (to calm the fuck down and stay out of the way), and chooses to intrude on bridge just in time to see the Romulans being space-jerks, but there are no real consequences or thematic correlation, rendering the moment pointless. In the end Ralph seemingly resigns himself to accepting his new lot in life, but has nothing in the way of a meaningful epiphany to help him reach that point. Clare and Sonny both have similarly meandering “journeys” as well. Clare ultimately takes comfort in knowing she has living a descendant (who doesn’t know her, or share any cultural values), while Sonny just happily concludes that since everyone he knows is dead, he doesn’t need to worry about facing any accountability for his past (and seemingly hurtful) life choices.  Remember kids, the secret to finding inner peace is in outliving everyone you've ever wronged!

Meanwhile, the “Romulans-are-back” story line is conceptually more exciting, but it takes almost the entire episode for anything to happen. The most intriguing development is the revelation that some other unknown entity may pose a threat big enough to challenge both the Federation and Romulan empire simultaneously, but then it’s quickly tossed away in favour of a generalized tease about the Romulans stepping up as the show’s primary antagonist. It’s not so much that it’s bad, but like the “boomers-in-space” story, it doesn’t really go anywhere, leaving us with what is essentially a promise that more interesting episodes will continue the story “some other time.”

Now before anyone gets up in arms, yes I am aware that this episode was originally intended as the first in a multi-episode arc, before the writers strike forced them to rework their plan [more on this below].  Be that as it may, even if part 2 had both A) existed, and B) rocked hard, this is still a weakly structured episode.  That’s not to say I hated ‘the neutral zone’ altogether, but I certainly can’t say I thought it was good. 

Nice try guys, maybe next time.

1.5 stars (out of 5)

Parting Thoughts

Apathetic utopia: One thing that doesn’t sit right with me is the sheer disregard that Picard and many of his crew show for the space-boomer’s safety and well being. For starters, Riker was barely willing to let Data check out the capsule to begin with (even after Data points out that it could have historical value, if nothing else), but even after Data and Worf discover the bodies, Riker seems put out by Data’s insistence that they be preserved.  Then, to make matters worse, when Picard hears that the SB’s have been revived he’s downright irritable with Data, arguing that he should have left the survivors behind because “they WERE dead at the time.”  But like… here’s the thing, Dr. Crusher examined their bodies and discovered that all of them could be revived with relative ease, which suggests they were only clinically dead, and it’s commonly accepted that the window of revival in the Trek universe is significantly larger than our present day reality.  So yeah, they were technically dead, I suppose, but not irretrievably, which I would argue comes with a clear moral responsibility. The context for Picard’s ambivalence toward the situation is that he’s stressed about the upcoming Romulan mission, but that’s still an oddly callous stance for a man who professes the sanctity of life.

Silly things I find interesting: Introducing, the Borg! …kinda.  I can’t remember if the missing outposts are ever mentioned again in the show, but the intended continuation of this story was originally meant to serve as an introduction to the Borg, who would have been revealed as the true culprits. Obviously that didn’t pan out, but it’s interesting to think what might have been.

In fairness to the writers, a big part of why the script was so lacklustre is, once again, due to the strike. Basically, once a writers strike is underway, productions aren’t allowed to make any changes to a script until the union signs an agreement. Knowing the strike was imminent, it seems Maurice Hurley had no choice but to whip up a completed script based on the first draft, in only a couple days time.  Needless to say, the results speak for themselves.  Ultimately, I think it would have made more sense for the studio to keep the script for the following season; ‘Conspiracy’ was already a much more exciting episode, and would have served as a stronger season finale.

Did you know that... in Canada (where I'm from) our "Universal health coverage" still doesn't cover cryogenic suspension. So reach out to your MP and let them know we demand better comprehensive coverage before the next federal election! [All kidding aside, we should be doing that anyway. Seriously, how is dental not inherently included in that?]

[maximumwobblerbanditdonut]

Not strictly traditional, but good fun! They sip the drink the quaich dry. “Quaich” is a Scots rendering of the Gaelic word “cuach”, meaning cup. The two-handed design of this drinking vessel incorporates trust, on the part of both giver and receiver.

The quaich, Scotland’s cup of friendship, has been used through the centuries to offer a welcoming drink at clan gatherings, and other family occasions, and to friends and visitors.

Slàinte Mhath!

#BOMB💥

Posted 24th July 2024

[drgeyerappreciation]

Hello everyone! Welcome to Dr. Geyer Appreciation Week 2024! We're excited to be back for another year. Thank you to everyone who filled out the interest survey to help pick out our dates and themes. We're so excited to finally announce all the details for this years event.

This year the event is running June 23rd - 29th. You can find this years themes below: 

Day 1 (June 23rd) Pre-canon: We start off the event by exploring who Dr. Geyer was when he was younger. Whether that be as a child, in high school, in college, etc. Anything that takes place before we see him in canon is open territory.

Day 2 (June 24th) Love and Family / Domestic: A look at Dr. Geyer as a husband and father. Or maybe throw him into some other relationships. 

Day 3 (June 25th) Alternate Universe: Maybe there’s a universe where Dr. Geyer never actually became a doctor. Maybe he was a firefighter or a chef or a teacher. Maybe he lived in another century altogether. Anything is possible!

Day 4 (June 26th) Darkness and Light: Everyone has light and dark inside of them. Today’s the day to find out just what Dr. Geyer is made of, or maybe see how outside forces affect him. 

Day 5 (June 27th) Seasons: This day is all about seasons, whether that's the literal seasons of the year or of a life. That's all up to you!

Day 6 (June 28th) Lyrics and Quotes: What quotes or lyrics do you associate Dr. Geyer? Maybe there's a specific song that relates to him or maybe it's a favorite of his.

Day 7 (June 29th) Dealer’s Choice: Today’s theme is completely up to you. Do you have something you’ve been wanting to make but didn’t get a chance during the other days? This is the perfect time for that.   

While there are specific themes for the different days, it is not necessary to follow them. So if your muse leads you someplace else for that day, feel free to follow it, and we look forward to seeing what you create. We accept any and all content whether it be fanfiction, fanart, playlists, gifsets, whatever you feel like making. If there are any questions, our ask box is always open. 

When posting please tag @drgeyerappreciation and/or #drgeyerappreciationweek or #drgeyerweek2024 in the tags so we can find your posts and reblog them!

Happy creating!

[katiajewelbox]

Broadwell Concert 24 November

Christmas is hoving into view! Start your celebrations on 24th November in the Church of St Peter and St Paul, Broadwell, Lechlade GL7 3QS with: 

St Birgitta's Vision, a dramatic community oratorio, world premiere

St Birgitta was a Swedish saint born in 1303, whose visions of the Nativity were a major influence on Western European fine art through many centuries.  Much of the oratorio text is taken from her writings.

There are over 50 performers ranging from members of local choirs and instrumental groups to professional soloists

The evening commences with a choral evensong at 5pm, followed by an interval, and St Birgitta's Vision (which lasts for 40 minutes) begins at 6pm

Tickets for St Birgitta's Vision can be purchased in advance or during the interval - full details on the poster

Those who would prefer not to come to the choral evensong are welcome to arrive during the interval (suggest 5.45)

Parking signposted from the road

All profits from St Birgitta's Vision will go to support and maintain the beautiful 12th/13th Church of St Peter and Paul.

Tickets: £10 in advance, £15 on the door, Under 15s free.

BACS Broadwell Parish Vicar and Church Wardens, Sort Code 20-84-58,

Acc 60205826, Reference: St Birgitta

Further info: annabel_molyneaux@hotmail.com / 07919 192377]

[theadmiralslegion]

Welcome to our inaugural Community Challenge!

There are five categories of prompts:

GENERAL * 12 new fics by members of the community * 6 new fics in the 23rd Century era: Star Trek (The Original Series), Star Trek: the Animated Series, Star Trek: Discovery S1-2, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and related Short Treks * 6 new fics in the 24th Century era: Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Lower Decks, Star Trek: Prodigy and related Short Treks * 6 new fics in the post 24th Century era: Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Discovery S3-5, and related Short Treks

RATINGS * 3 G rated fics * 3 T rated fics * 3 M rated fics * 3 E rated fics

PAIRINGS * 3 F/F fics * 3 F/M fics * 3 M/M fics * 3 Multi fics * 3 Gen fics

TROPES * 1 Only One Bed * 1 Fake Dating * 1 Mutual Pining * 1 Mission Fic * 1 Hurt/Comfort * 1 Everyone Can See It

ALTERNATE UNIVERSES * 1 Canon Divergence * 1 Historical * 1 Fairy Tale * 1 Sports * 1 University * 1 Flower Shop/Tattoo Parlor

Rules:

All fics must either feature Star Trek characters or be set within the Star Trek universe. Any version of Star Trek is welcome, including beta canon. Any Trek characters are welcome, including OCs.

Fics must be posted to the collection in order to count toward the challenge. They may be posted wherever else you like.

A fic may check off more than one challenge. For example "T-rated Cornwell/Lorca Academy fic" fits TOS Era, T, F/M, University. Please include the prompts your fic fulfills in the tags and/or notes.

There are no word count requirements or limitations.

The current standings and remaining challenges will be posted to tumblr the first of every month.

If a category is completed before December 1, 2024, new prompts will be unlocked.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions.

If you want to participate, congrats you're a member of the community. Please follow us for updates!

[capriccfest]

CaPri 2023 Consummation Ceremony Fest: Rules and Guidelines

Timeline:

Prompting Opens: 19th June, 2023 (Closes: 21st July, 2023)

Claiming Opens: 24th July, 2023

Submissions Due: 13th October, 2023

Posting Starts: 20th October, 2023

Intro:

Ah, the beauty of CaPri’s consummation ceremonies… Can you imagine Damianos’ shock over learning he’ll have to make love to Laurent in front of witnesses because of some ancient royal decree from centuries ago that the consummation of a royal marriage must be witnessed by the council? And Laurent’s complete complacency and/or amusement? The list of sarcastic taunts he intends to bait Damen with is practically endless and we’re so here for it. But Lamen aren’t the only couple the consummation fest mods would like to see. We’re open to any and all pairings…in terms of imagination, dear contributors, the sky’s the limit.

Also, and because we don’t want to curb your creative spirit in any way, we’re not limiting contributions to fics, but also accept art and/or podfics (if you have the original author’s consent). Feel free to collaborate amongst yourself, let those creative juices flow!

The Rules:

This fest is 18+ only, no exceptions will be made for any reason. Any attempt to deceive the mods will result in the instant dismissal from participating in the fest.

If you’re contributing a fic, we humbly ask for a minimum of at least 1000 words. Beyond that, the sky’s the limit.

You must have an AO3 Account to participate. The AO3 collection is available here.

Since we’re new on the fest circuit, this won’t be an anonymous fest. You’re welcome to natter away about your prompt in your favourite Discord server or amongst friends. For fic contributions, we do ask that you do not share snippets of your story publicly until your contribution has been revealed.

Your work must be created especially for the fest. This means, anything you previously published is not eligible for submission.

If you’d like to submit a podfic, please provide us with the original author’s approval to record their work.

Please note that the mods’ decision on the interpretation of the rules is final.

Prompts:

Prompting will begin 19th June, 2023 and run right through to the 21st July, 2023. You’re welcome to submit as many ideas as you would like…the more the merrier! You can find the prompting form here.

There’s no requirement to participate in the fest in order to be eligible for prompting; we’re a bit greedy and want all your ideas. 

If you’re the mysterious kind, the form allows for anonymous prompt contributions.

This fest is not a gift exchange, however if you’d be happy to receive a contribution based on your prompt as an AO3 gift, we ask that you indicate so in the form. Contributors, at this point, the mods team would like to take the opportunity to remind you that if you opt to gift your work to the prompter you should adhere to their wishes. That means respecting special requests and/or any squicks.

All prompts are open to all ratings. We do ask that you respect the maximum rating stated if you plan to gift your contribution to the prompter.

Self-prompting is allowed. For this you don't need to fill out the prompts form. Simply wait until we release the claims form and tell us all about it then. Do make sure to jot down your self-prompt somewhere. Those cheeky plot bunnies sure do like skipping away. If self-prompting, we still encourage you to submit prompts.

Claiming:

We expect claiming to start on the 24th July, 2023, likely (and providing there are no technical hiccups) from 11am GMT onwards.

Prompts will be available on a first-come-first-serve basis and can be claimed once for fic, once for art, and once for other fanworks.

We would appreciate it if you could choose three prompts when submitting your claim, with your first choice being the prompt you’d like most, though you are not required to submit three choices.

You may only claim one prompt at a time. Once you’re done and have submitted your contribution, you’re welcome to choose a second prompt. For this reason, claiming will remain open until submissions are due. Please let us know in your submission email if you’re planning to submit a second claim through the form.

We do understand that sometimes life gets in the way of fun and that this may make it impossible for you to complete your work. No judgements, we merely ask that you inform us as soon as possible.

If you decide to collaborate, e.g. fic + art, please ensure to provide us with details for all claimants in one claim form.

Once you have submitted your claim, we aim to respond within 24 hours to confirm your choice. Please respond within 72 hours to let us know that you have received our confirmation and will participate in the Captive Prince Consummation Ceremony Fest.

Creating:

As previously stated, we ask for a minimum word count of 1000 words. Beyond that, you’re free to break your own personal records.

We will only accept completed works; multi-chaptered works are fine but all chapters must be uploaded at once. All submissions must be new and individual works. They cannot be a continuation of your previously published work.

Prompts are meant to inspire you, as are any additional notes provided, but as you are the creative head of your work, we suggest you set your creativity free. If you plan to gift your work to the prompter, we do ask that you take the prompter’s squicks and special requests into consideration.

Lastly, not a rule but merely an encouragement for you to dream big. As Albert Einstein once said, ‘creativity is seeing what others see and thinking what no one else ever thought.’

Submissions:

For written contributions, we strongly encourage you to have your work beta-read prior to submitting it.

Once you’re done creating and editing, please submit your work to the mods team.

Submissions are due by 13th October, 2023, but if you’re finished early, we encourage you to submit before that date.

The mods will create a dedicated AO3 collection for the fest.

Once you’re ready to submit your work, please complete the below header and email it to capriccfest@gmail.com.

Your email subject line should read: Fic Submission: (Title)(Artist)

All creations must be posted directly to the AO3 Collections page here.

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[mysticstronomy]

WHAT IS THE BLACK HOLE INFORMATION PARADOX??

Blog#256

Saturday, December 24th, 2022

Welcome back,

A black hole’s event horizon is the ultimate last-chance saloon: beyond this boundary nothing, not even light, can escape. But does this “anything” include information itself? Physicists have spent the best part of four decades grappling with the “information paradox”, but a group of researchers from the UK thinks it can offer a solution.

The researchers have created a theoretical model for the event horizon of a black hole that eschews space–time altogether. Their work also supports a controversial theory proposed in 2010 suggests that gravity is an emergent force rather than a universal fundamental interaction.

The information paradox first surfaced in the early 1970s when Stephen Hawking of Cambridge University, building on earlier work by Jacob Bekenstein at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, suggested that black holes are not totally black.

Hawking showed that particle–antiparticle pairs generated at the event horizon – the outer periphery of a black hole – would be separated. One particle would fall into the black hole while the other would escape, making the black hole a radiating body.

Hawking’s theory implied that, over time, a black hole would eventually evaporate away, leaving nothing. This presented a problem for quantum mechanics, which dictates that nothing, including information, can ever be lost. If black holes withheld information forever in their singularities, there would be a fundamental flaw with quantum mechanics.

The significance of the information paradox came to a head in 1997 when Hawking, together with Kip Thorne of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in the US, placed a bet with John Preskill, also of Caltech. At the time, Hawking and Thorne both believed that information was lost in black holes, while Preskill thought that it was impossible. Later, however, Hawking conceded the bet, saying he believed that information is returned – albeit in a disguised state.

At the turn of this century, Maulik Parikh of the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands, together with Frank Wilczek of the Institute of Advanced Study in Princeton, US, showed how information could leak away from a black hole. In their theory, information-carrying particles just within the event horizon could tunnel through the barrier, following the principles of quantum mechanics. But this solution, too, remained debatable.

Now, Samuel Braunstein and Manas Patra of the University of York in the UK think they have formulated a tunnelling theory that looks rather more attractive than Parikh and Wilczek’s theory.

“We cannot claim to have proven that escape from a black hole is truly possible,” they explain, “but that is the most straightforward interpretation of our results.

Normally, theorists dealing with black holes have to wrestle with the complex geometries of space–time arising from Einstein’s theory of gravitation – the theory of general relativity. In their model, Braunstein and Patra say that the event horizon is purely quantum mechanical in nature, with bits of quantum “Hilbert” space tunnelling through the barrier.

Originally published on physicsworld.com

COMING UP!!

(Wednesday, December 28th, 2022)

"WHAT IS THE BOOTSTRAP PARADOX??"

[todaysjewishholiday]

27 Tammuz 5784 (1-2 August 2024)

The centuries of the crusades were brutal for the Jewish population of Christian Europe, as both the Catholic Church and civil government whipped up a frenzy of xenophobia and antisemitism to promote their so-called holy wars in eretz yisroel and surrounding lands. Many of the central myths of European antisemitism, from that of the Jewish moneylender to the blood libel were developed in this era, and Christian monarchies often sought to fill their treasuries and boost their popularity and their favor with the church by forcibly expelling Jewish residents and seizing their property. When Jews were permitted to settle it was under onerous restrictions and exploitative taxation.

Between 4958 and 5155, the Jews of France were forcibly expelled four times, with the third expulsion taking place on the 27th of Tammuz 5082.

The first expulsion was announced near Pesach, and went into effect on the 24th of Tammuz 4958. The crown seized Jewish property and converted Frances’s synagogues into Catholic churches. When Jews were permitted to return, it was as serfs of the crown, with incredibly limited legal rights and freedom of movement. Despite Jewish moneylending (which was the result of legal prohibitions on Jewish involvement in numerous other trades) forming one of the French crown’s claimed justifications for their expulsion, the restrictions based on Jewish return to France even more deeply restricted Jews from engaging in other professions and very clearly tied their permission to return to the crown’s ability to extort revenue from Jewish banking activity.

While suffering significant discrimination, the Jews of France were at least not forced into exile for just over a century following their return from exile in 4958. Then, in 5066, the king of France ordered the entire Jewish population arrested and expelled on the 10th of Av. This was again a blatant cash-grab. Not only did the royal treasury once again seize Jewish property upon their expulsion, the crown claimed the right to collect all outstanding debts owed by his other subjects to Jewish moneylenders, insisting on repayment of loans that had been made by the very people he had forced out of his realm. A year later, he would repeat this successful strategy of extortion against the Knights Templar, arresting them on charges every bit as spurious as those he had leveled against his Jewish subjects and seizing the order’s wealth to fill his coffers.

This time the exile of the Jews lasted only nine years before another monarch, desperate for loans, allowed the Jews of France to return. But the return lasted only seven years before the third expulsion on the 27th of Tammuz 5082. The fourth expulsion, in 5155, was maintained for over two hundred years.

Now, France has the third largest Jewish population in the world, after Israel and the United States. But the legacy of antisemitism remains. French gentiles have not fully reckoned with the ways in which antisemitism still shapes French society.

The 27th of Tammuz this year is also Erev Shabbat. Shabbat HaMalka will join us eighteen minutes prior to sunset as we light the candles and welcome her. May you feel the peace of Shabbat.