#would really force the two of them to confront the unrest in their relationship

[tizeline]

Who becomes the closest with splinter after they decide “hey maybe we shouldn’t kill humanity?”

I'm not sure, honestly. I guess Leo? He's already on the Lou Jitsu hypetrain, something he feels a lot of guilt about considering he views Splinter as evil. So when he figures out that Splinter isn't actually a terrrible person he'd be pretty excited to get to know him better. And while Leo isn't exactly neglected by Draxum, he still doesn't usually get quite all attention he needs from his dad (middle child lol) so he might be quicker to seek out an extra father figure.

Raph and Mikey would eventually get closer to Splinter as well, though!

[neverlearnedtoread]

A Vow So Bold and Deadly

⭐⭐⭐; SHOUTOUT TO LILLITH FOR COMING THRU WITH THE TORTURE!!!! we love a heinous one-dimensional bitch who brings the drama and drives the plot forward with all the force of a charging bull

Oh?? 👌😉😏

cringefail!rhen is back from 2nd book purgatory in full force. ive said it before and i will always say it again: cringefail men are the cornerstone of good romance! the more desperate, hopeless, and despairing the man, the more impact it makes when his lover stands by his side to help him solve the plot, and i will love it every. single. time.

i really liked the scenes where rhen is alone in the castle being held captive by [redacted]. something about the muted horror and rhen's strength as a trauma survivor really gets me

character conflict that i can actually understand and believe in (eventually), without feeling the hand of the author concocting the drama, plus dynamic, interesting action scenes!

No.. ❌🤢🤮

not necessarily a dealbreaker, but the trauma survivor experience of rhen did make me feel like a content warning would have been appreciated (better safe than sorry!). there's also a spicy scene (with fade-to-black) where the characters sort of gloss over how sexual trauma might make things more complicated. there is enthusiastic verbal consent , but i do feel like the whole scene could have been taken as an opportunity to explore that topic at length instead of wriggled around to keep the sexiness going

i speedread all the grey and lia mara pov chapters up until the very very end when all the pov characters are in the same place. they were SO. BLAND. the fairytale of their romance was too boring!! like caricature cutouts of 'morally correct prince and princess who Want to Do the Right Thing and Still Be Monarchs'

Spoilers under the cut - this is the third book of the series!!

Summary: In fair Emberfall, we set the scene: two brothers who don't want to go against each other, reluctantly moving to go against each other and dragging two neighbouring countries into it. It's a whole thing! On one side of the border, Rhen waits for the axe to fall as Grey's ultimatum to give up Emberfall's throne to him as the rightful ruler draws ever closer; on the other side, Grey struggles to garner enough support in a foreign country that's dragging their feet over their new queen's calls for gentle kindness over harsh obedience, and find themselves thoroughly disgusted by the idea of a magesmith king. But the worst part of all this isn't the brewing unrest in both kingdoms, or the threat of brother-on-brother violence - the worst part is that Lillith isn't dead, and she's about to make that everyone else's problem.

Concept: 💭 It was clear to me by the middle of the second book that we were engineering Rhen and Grey to be ~in conflict~, and that was the stage the third book needed to open on. At this point, I was mostly just pulling myself to the finish line to know how the trilogy ended. The disappointment was real and I was ready to skim-read.

Execution: 💥💥💥 For better or worse, I definitely understand what Kemmerer was going for with Grey vs. Rhen, though I don't feel it was well-executed at all, and certainly not enough for me to get invested in it. Rhen and Harper's chemistry while rebuilding their trust and relationship with each other, however! I enjoyed the nuance of them pushing and pulling until they reached an equilibrium; it was heartfelt and well-earned. I also liked the buildup to and the actual action scenes at the climax very, very much - Kemmerer's craft shines best, I feel, when it comes to describing scenes of physical confrontations and building short-term tension.

Personal Enjoyment: ❤❤❤❤ (Harper/Rhen POVs); ❤❤ (Grey/Lia Mara POVs) Like I said Harper+Rhen as a couple (and as individual characters) appealed to me so much more than Grey+Lia Mara, mostly because I found their interactions and character conflicts much more interesting. Giving Grey and Lia Mara no conflict to overcome beyond 'golly gosh its hard to be monarchs', which, neither of them had to figure out anyway in this book, really stalled their development and left them feeling secondary in a book where they were POV characters. Arguably, the most important thing they did was have sex and (major spoilers!!) get pregnant. which, like, good for them! but not enough to hold my attention.

Favourite Moment: because they happen right after each other I'm picking two scenes for this: Harper dicking Rhen down and Lilith immediately showing up post-fade-to-black PISSED TO HIGH HEAVEN. the way she got so heated!! Now, do I think Rhen deserves to suffer traumatic unending torture at the hands of a vicious evil fairy? No. (am i vaguely squicked out over the way he and harper have sexytimes largely for the sake of YA plot over his own character's very understandable aversion to sex? yeah.) But does the plot becomes so much better when Lillith shows up? YOU FUCKING BET!! It perfectly showcased my favourite aspects of both characters - Harper's 'fuck it we ball' energy jumping out in Rhen's defense and Rhen's quick-thinking + selflessness to protect Harper in turn. no matter what else, we have Lillith's jealousy jumping out to thank for that.

Favourite Character: What's this?? It's Harper coming up with a steel chair to steal the top spot in the last round!! This book, to me, really drove the point home on why Harper was the girl to break Rhen's curse, out of all the others; she cuts through the heart of his fear and acts when he freezes in panic. she brings a knife to a fairy fight and gets a hit in! While I appreciate Rhen (my cringefail son) wholeheartedly for engineering those situations where Harper truly shines, she always rises to the occasion with gusto and never lets me down (cough, cough, grey). Honorary mention to Rhen, though: there is truly no romantic lead I appreciate more in fiction than a pathetic guy, and Rhen comes prepackaged already on his knees.

[mbti-notes]

Hi mbti-notes, I hope you're doing well. I am an INFP young black American and the past few weeks have been such a nightmare. I obviously support the protests that have been taking place but I feel so hopeless at the same time. I've never been a fan of this country but the past few weeks have at least provided me with more clarity and conviction that there is nothing to be salvaged here. I have a friend who's also black but lives in europe and even we're at a loss for what to say to each (con't)

[con’t: other. I feel so angry and disgusted. I remember learning that as a part of anti-US propaganda during the Cold War, they’d show how black people have been treated in America and be like “this is how they treat their own people”. I’m not saying I support the USSR of course but it surprised me to hear that in the eyes of other countries, we’re as American as anyone else. It never felt that way. People can’t even protest police brutality without being faced with more police brutality. I’ve donated to bail funds, signed petitions, contacted my representatives about a piece of legislation that would help combat the issue of missing and murdered indigenous women but...I think the closest thing there is to a solution is for another Great Migration but this time, we just leave America. I feel bad saying that because obviously so many people don’t have the means to do so and it shouldn’t have to come to this but nobody wants us here. If the black panthers...]

It seems that tumblr disappeared the rest of your message, but I've read enough to detect some problematic thinking. It’s not about whether you’re “wanted”, it’s about the fact that you have a right to exist and be treated as human, equal to every other human under the law. It is beyond the scope of this blog to address politics and write political commentary. This blog primarily addresses individuals and how they cope with their circumstances. I won’t be able to understand all the experiences that you’ve had as a black American given such a short message from you. All I can do is bring to light your attitude and beliefs and how they affect your ability to cope and thrive in life. 

Developmentally, irrational pessimism is always something that INFPs should be vigilant about due to Fi-Si loop and the struggle to develop Ne big-picture thinking skills. There is certainly lots of injustice in the world, but this doesn't mean that there isn't also a lot of good in the world. There are many good people out there doing good things, otherwise, you’d have nothing to donate money to. There are also a lot of decent people who understand that racism is a big problem but don’t know what to do about it. Yet your mind is only ever trained on the pain and suffering - this indicates Fi extremes. I have a longstanding habit of observing how different people respond to challenges in life. For example, I see some black Americans out there protesting, some are educating people, some are attacking people, some are sowing anarchy, some are running for office, some are giving up, some are hiding, some are writing, some are leading legislative initiatives. Black Americans as a group share the burden of racism, but each person handles it in their own way. What is your response and why?

You focus on the problems, drowning in negative feelings, and perhaps even look for evidence to reinforce the belief that everything is irredeemable (misuse of Si), which means that you lack a big picture perspective. For your own well-being, perhaps you need to make wiser decisions about how you spend your time, where you focus your energy, and with whom you associate. Otherwise, you are only ever a victim of circumstance, bending and breaking with every gust of wind. If there are things/people in your life that exacerbate your tendency to be negative, it's up to you to adjust your decision making so that you are not always surrounded by the negative. Just as you keep physically healthy by not eating crap food, you should keep mentally healthy by not feeding yourself a constant diet of emotional negativity. For example, people tend to be much more pessimistic when they spend too much time on social media or consuming political commentary that is designed to be emotionally provocative. Perhaps there are healthier ways to spend your time. Whether you followed this or that tweet is of little significance if it only ends up with you feeling miserable.

With respect to moving: There are a variety of methods to measure the health and well-being of a society, and it's natural to think about how your country stacks up against others. Different societies have their own character and excel at different things. However, it's important to remember that there is no society without problems. Some countries are better at hiding their problems than others. Europe is no paradise, as there have been long running problems with colonialist and xenophobic attitudes. American society tends to be very extraverted and media driven, so its problems are often hanging out there for all to see, which might make them seem a lot worse than they really are.

Each aspect of society, whether you think it is positive or negative, is the result of a trade-off. For example, people often respect the U.S. for its staunch commitment to free speech, which allows for marginalized voices to be heard. But the trade-off is that you may get a more noisy and toxic social environment, as all voices get elevated and amplified. The question for you, as an individual, is whether the trade-offs are worth it for the kind of life that you would like to live. With the example of free speech, I’d rather have free speech, so I’m willing to tolerate all the noise and accept it as the cost of doing business. Nobody can make these sorts of judgments for you, as you are the best person to decide what's best for you. Thus, I'm not sure what to tell you. I only remind people that the decision making process works best when you give proper consideration to EVERY side of an issue, as opposed to being myopic, extreme, or one-sided.

Right now, there is a lot of frustration and anger floating around. Being so emotional basically means being myopic, as you are hyperfocused on the things that make you sad or angry. This will blind you to everything else. When you lose sight of the positive, Ne might start to believe that the grass is greener elsewhere. There's no denying that the problem of racism against black people runs very deep in American society, all the way back to the founding of the nation on the backs of slaves. But are you denying that progress has been made?

When people use the word "progress" in relation to history, they mainly refer to how things changed for the better. I think people too often forget that progress almost always comes at a steep COST. Society doesn’t change because people miraculously get “enlightened” en mass. No. People suffer, things get mangled, blood is shed, and there is a period of intense pain and sacrifice - these details tend to get glossed over in history classes as hindsight and nostalgia take over. Creation and destruction are two sides of the same coin. Thinking that you can create something new and better without destroying what is old and obsolete is wishful thinking. To be clear, I'm not advocating destruction; I'm only saying that, in reality, you cannot escape destruction, as it is a necessary stage in the process of creation. If you are unlucky, you get to live during "interesting" times. But, viewed from a bigger perspective, it also means that you get to live during a time when you have a chance to make a difference and what you do matters. From this perspective, being alive right now is better than living during a time of being forced into accepting the status quo, is it not?

What is society other than the people comprising it? Societal problems are analogous to psychological problems in that they are deep-seated, long-running, festering, recurring, and difficult to resolve. I believe that there is a qualitative shift in attitude right now. It doesn't mean that racism will suddenly get fixed once and for all, but I've not seen such widespread attention and commitment to the problem in a long time. It actually gives me hope. I have older friends who've remarked that they suddenly feel transported back to the unrest of the 1960s. IMO, it means that another period of progress is on the horizon, but it also means that a time of intense turmoil is here. It seems that you focus on the turmoil and miss seeing the openings and opportunities for change.

Another thing that INFPs should always be vigilant about is a shaky relationship to reality and/or being unable to tackle problems in a realistic way (i.e. poor Ne and Te development). Reality contains everything, including the good and the bad, so it’s no use to try to pretend that one or the other doesn’t exist. You will always make better decisions by taking BOTH the good and the bad into consideration. Some INFPs get stuck in trying to wish away the bad, and some drown in the bad and disconnect from everything good. 

Just as a child picks up a mix of psychological issues from their parents, as a member of society, your identity is forged through your relationship to your society's (problematic) history. I don't see how a "great migration" is any solution. Don’t forget that technology has made our world significantly smaller, so it’s a lot harder to distance from these problems. As long as you carry the scars of your home, no matter where you go, unresolved pain will continue to haunt you and hurt you. There is historical evidence that utopian thinking never leads to anything resembling a utopia. Utopian thinking is what people resort to when they are incapable of confronting the problems of reality. When it comes to human psychology, there is no way to wipe the slate completely clean without confronting and addressing the mistakes and sins of the past - this is what social unrest is meant to achieve. To believe that you can/should “start from scratch” is often a sign of Te grip in INFPs, as they want to violently wipe out the accumulated burdens of Si loop. 

Perhaps there are benefits for you, as an individual, to move away, as you might find happiness in a different sort of life. But what happens when the advocates give up and walk off? At the societal level, good people moving away only leaves the bad actors to wreak havoc on the poor and innocent. Certainly, some individuals do move away and successfully build a better life for themselves. However, some people move away only to discover that they miss home dearly, and they end up roaming aimlessly, lonely, miserable, bitter, or disappointed. What separates the two groups? You will find a better life when you know exactly what you're looking for and you're realistic about whether the new place will meet those terms and conditions. You will NOT find a better life if you're merely running away from unhappiness, fueled by wishful thinking that the grass is greener "anywhere but here". It's up to you to be honest about what's happening with you.

[ayakashiramblings]

The Dawn and Twilight with a Vampire AND Assassin MC

I’m going to clear up somethings that had plagued me while writing this because it really made them both hard to do unless addressed.

General 

The only people technically worthy of being assassinated would be Toichiro and Koga, the only nobles/super-rich men in the faction. 

The rest are otherwise just leading a supremely normal job/jobless existence 

(Squints at Kuya, Yura and Oji). 

Even if we could say that they could be targeted for their Ayakashi nature, it wouldn’t make sense for it to be super sneaky when the whole government is against their very beings but doesn’t want to alert the citizens. 

Too many of them disappearing all at once would just set the whole Capital in a state of unrest. 

I’m going to stick to Asian vampires but admittedly, some Western traces are going to be found. 

Out of all of them, Oji is going to be the most OCC I believe.

I’m going to be honest and say that I have been getting kind of tired of doing these headcanons especially after receiving a few... messages that were a bit insulting. So that’s why I closed the ask box. That said, Nonnie who sent this request, if this is unsatisfactory, do feel free to PM me. I’m really sorry if I sound irritable, I’m just really upset at some of the things in my inbox. 

Ginnojo

Honestly, this could be the start of something new.

A relationship fraught with sexual tension. 

Yes, even for this blushing Dragon.

No, seriously, imagine this. 

During the events of Book 1, and amidst all the chaos of being an Onmyoji…

On top of your other supernatural powers AND… unique job, you find yourself in the alleys, securing a target of yours. 

His scrutinizing gaze settled on your lips, which were pulled up with a teasing smirk.

Finally, a challenge.

He stood like stone, barely eroding even when you had started to show off your floating powers. You had to give it to him, he really was a warrior defending the Capital. 

And apparently, your best opponent. You may have easily snatched away his daggers, but he had easily grabbed your wrist and targeted the vein that should have been pumping with blood if you were alive. 

So why did you suddenly crumple to the ground?

The number of smokescreens between you two was seriously enough to choke everyone in the room. 

You did try to make sure though it did not affect any of the factions, and surprisingly, it had worked.

Seemed that there was an unspoken agreement that you were both looking out for the Capital, except his was more of a freestyle form while yours was conscripted. 

He could respect that. 

What was really hard was completely forgetting your beliefs and loyalties.

Suddenly gravitates towards the Mythology section of his bookshop.

And then... you talk. 

It’s a long talk. It may or may not have been about life, someone’s life you had to take, and everything about order. 

You guys end up working together to bring down a lot of opponents or threats and wow, what a tag team you both are.

Aoi

Finally, a gun-wielding AND sharp-tongued senpai!

… I’m joking, please don’t teach him any more violent/sassy stuff. 

And yes, technically, you’re not sharp-tongued, that’s more of your fangs just gleaming.

You, despite having been in this service and becoming a literal creature of the night, had made the most rookie mistake ever. 

Leaving. Your. Papers.

With all of your bloody targets.

Pun intended because the few red splotches scattered across the parchment certainly wasn’t just a teacher’s pen.

The thing is, Aoi at first hadn’t bothered looking at the content when he had first spotted them. 

He was only focused on just returning your ‘homework’ for Finishing School.

Even though he usually refused to look into anyone, his Seer powers couldn’t exactly tune out the presence of a heart. 

Except, apparently, you did not have one. 

Honestly, you were surprised he never called you out for it. He could have easily unravelled the whole situation.

"Trust me, I know you don’t have one. But you still feel. How can I hate someone who’s always considering her actions every time?”

Now, how to respond to a man so understanding as him?

Why by showing that you were JUST as tsundere as him.

Koga Kitamikado

He feels that he has no right to judge you for killing because at least you have determined if your intended victim was worth spilling blood over. 

He didn’t with Masanobu’s brother.

Honestly, you were always just the slightest bit worried that one day he would pay you to kill him should he ever submit to carnage. 

You and Kuya both want to shake this man so hard.

But for now, you stay. 

Sometimes, you even make sure the area is vacated if it looks like the illness is acting up again. 

For that, he is grateful and makes sure that you are properly covered as well. 

And I don’t mean just hiding your tracks from the public eye. 

This man will get you equipped to deal with ANYTHING.

Heck, even if you had turned human all of a sudden, you could fight an army in the sun thanks to the umbrellas, sunscreens and whatnot. 

It helps that thanks to your line of work, you HAVE to go to parties so while he finally has a companion to secretly diss the questionable crowd, you can gather intel on your next target and see if they were worth it, with inside info from him as well.

You both spend as much time together as you can, even if it’s just sitting in his office doing different things.

Ironically, he never says what you are aloud through it all.

Because the only thing that mattered was who was living at that moment.

Kuya

The boy is smart. He can tell something… 

That you were a bit too familiar with flying. 

At first, he had chalked it up to you being nervous about heights but with how you waved your wand around and almost seemed to be stabbing enemies mid-air, he knew something was… up. 

And he just confronts you the most easily out of everyone here. 

“So, are you a vampire who kills for literally and figuratively a living?”

A bit too morbidly fascinated with it. He’s already obsessed with wraiths, he needs to know how someone like you could battle it all. 

And now he knew.

Don’t expect him to read up. He WILL ask questions that are borderline uncomfortable and really make you question the nature of what you were doing and if there were really no alternatives. 

Always touching your dagger when you’re not looking and then looks like a startled crow when you catch him… before just outrightly asking to touch your fangs. 

Sweet goodness, Kuya, why?

Essentially, imagine him with Koga. 

Because he feels that you torturing yourself to kill just to survive was really not worth it. 

Yura

How he finds out is even more stupid than Aoi. 

You had smiled. 

Like, really smiled because how can you not smile at this pure jelly bean… 

Oh shoot, your fangs had been fully retracted. 

Again, one of those who feels that he is in no position to question your actions.

You even take pity on him by quickly removing all of the animals that he is forced to kill. 

Somehow, not seeing their carcasses alleviates his pain. 

Barely. 

What really made him relieved was that they also acted as a sort of substitute to 

At one point, you had wondered if there was any cure to you being a vampire.

Unfortunately, like with Koga, the most he can produce is a sort of potion to reduce your bloodlust. 

It does help you lower your hit list, thank god.

Maybe one day, the two of you will actually have time to clean those bloodstained hands.

Gaku

Are you here to harm his brother? 

What, you found his scent to be too saccharine? 

How Bloody Dare You. 

You better get diabetes. 

Gaku, not the point.

He found out thanks to Yura confessing. 

Sure, it had taken sheer effort to finally corner the both of you, especially since Yura knew more hiding spots in the forest than Gaku. 

When he did though, the first thing he did was to raise his drums for an attack.

Not surprisingly, he was more concerned with how you would be either against Yura rather than himself. 

Surprisingly though, he is the one giving you weapons much later. 

And I mean much, much later. Yura needed time to work his brotherly magic, after all.

He would rather you not even be doing this at all, it reminded him too much of the path Yura was forced to take. 

Only somehow worse because yours was directly related to your newfound nature. 

Still, if it helped you, he would make sure the kill is at least clean-cut and efficient.

Toichiro Yuri

Good, more resources for the Kitsune clan. 

Seriously, you don’t think there’s a bit of dirty work involved in ruling a bunch of Ayakashi, no?

He already knew of your kind thanks to not just his Western connections, but also because most vampires were related to ancient nobles. 

You had to be bloody pathetic to have not accumulated SOME form of wealth after 100 years.

Especially since your diet was literally JUST blood.

It would be no stretch to assume that Toichiro made use of his silver tongue to inveigle his questionable business partners.

That you were about to become a part of. 

And somehow even more well-hidden than the rest.

Will bug you at night on purpose just because he knows you will be up.

Asshole. 

Truly though, he does value your opinion, especially if whoever he needs info on is a potential victim.

Shizuki

Well, you could have at least told him of your dietary preferences before he had brewed up that pot of milk tea. 

And why you always seemed to struggle with meeting him on the midnight patrols. His schedule was literally thrown up thanks to YOUR secret one.

He somehow isn’t so thrown off at the fact you’re a vampire. It’s what you’re doing that gets him on guard. 

You’re going to have to work to prove that you are NOT a threat to Toichiro. 

So... good luck. 

You may even have to literally swallow your pride... in the form of milk tea. 

Low-key salty he is one of the few who didn’t figure it out and had to be told by Toichiro. 

And yet, you still did. You even tolerated his master’s jokes with an almost inhuman level of patience.

Oh, wait...

Sometimes wonder if freezing blood would help you keep it so that you won’t have to constantly hunt. 

Although you better do whatever Toichiro does ask you to do still.

Just that... he may or may not be slightly concerned with the other non-human in the manor.

Kuro 

Honestly, he is disappointed. 

It’s not about you being a vampire.

He’s probably thought his species was the worst and shameful enough not to reveal at all. 

No, it was the fact you had to murder people. 

Yes, he was glad that you had some sort of say in deciding who to kill.

The thing is, he already has one loose ex-Shinsengumi member risking everything for a few servings of justice.

He was hoping not to have a chance to lose you too.

Did try to accompany you the first few times but you were a bit too fond of the dark. 

For obvious reasons. 

Begins to stock up on random medicine he uses for physical training as an acrobat before wondering if they would even work on a vampiric body.

Still better than you not going to a hospital just because you would be tempted by the blood donors.

Hugs you tight before every mission that he knows he can’t take part in.

Someone’s gotta look after Nachi.

Oji 

For the first time, you will hear what Aoi calls ‘The Dead Voice’. 

For the longest time, you thought it was just one of his ways of covering up his affectionate slip up of calling Oji a ‘Dad’.

Now, you know. You heard right.

Strangely, he is the most aggressive. But remember, he has to consider someone. 

While Aoi may technically accept you, Oji has seen him completely vulnerable after losing all faith in humanity. 

He can’t imagine the state his ward would be in if you were to ever take it too far. 

Not only that, the resurgence of Asian Vampires started around his era so he had to grow up with the worst lot. 

Not the best memory to look back on. And he knows you can’t represent a whole species. 

Doesn’t stop him from having one or three eyes peeled open.

It takes some convincing from Koga to finally Aoi himself to reassure him that you wouldn’t do anything to harm the rest. 

And finally, you get back the adorkable manager(?) who is a bit too busy coming up with vampire puns, always offering a ‘bite’ for you.

Epilogue

After parting with your beloved, you flew. 

“Good job, my doll. I’m proud that you told him.”

With that, you smiled at the one who had turned your blood to one that lusted after another’s. Your daggers met not as an attack, but a sworn oath.

“Yes, Professor.”

[beatrice-otter]

Longfic Recs, Part III

The Rich Are Always Respectable:  Rosemary (13571 words) by Elizabeth Chapters: 9/9 Fandom: Pride and Prejudice Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Darcy/OFC, Georgiana/OMC, Bingley/Jane Characters: Fitzwilliam Darcy, Georgiana Darcy, OFC, OMC Additional Tags: Angst, Alternate Universe - Canon Series: Part 1 of The Rich Are Always Respectable

Summary:

Without Lady Catherine's interference, a family catastrophe throws Darcy and Elizabeth down wildly different paths.

So We Meet at Last (758 words) by thisbluespirit Chapters: 1/1 Fandom:Miss Marple - Agatha Christie,Dracula & Related Fandoms,Dracula (TV 1968) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Jane Marple, Count Dracula, Abraham Van Helsing, John Seward Additional Tags: Community: fan_flashworks, Crossover, Women Being Awesome, miss marple is awesome, The Author Regrets Nothing, Alternate Universe

Summary: Two genre legends meet.  The outcome is inevitable.  Someone really should have warned the Count never to trifle with fluffy old ladies. Hearts'-ease, by theficklepickle Henry V, AU, Henry/Montjoy. What infinite hearts'-ease must kings neglect That private men enjoy?

Whispers In Corners, by Esama. Harry Potter/Sherlock, AU, Harry/Mycroft. Everything started with a stumble - his new life in a new world as well as his surprisingly successful career as a medium. Realizations, by wishweaver. Harry Potter AU Harry returns to Privet Drive after 4th year and finds it...empty!  What do you do when you can't go to your friends for help? Of Muggles and Magic, by Aurette Harry Potter Regency AU, Hermione/Snape A witch struggles to conform in a society that restricts her.  A wizard   thinks he has nothing to offer anyone but his duty and, ultimately, his life. Maria, by Judith Brocklehurst Mansfield Park futurefic, But the outstanding question for Mrs. Rushworth's connections was: where   could she be placed? What could be done with a woman who, at twenty-two years old, had so disgraced her family, so alienated her friends, that no-one, except her doting Aunt Norris, wanted even to see her, let alone  house her?  Maria, now divorced, starts a new and independent life. Letters from a Smallville School Nurse, by Russell Saunders Superman, humor, outsider perspective, short All But Name, by Mirror And Image Star Wars, AU, Anakin and Obi-Wan, "You will be a Jedi, Anakin. I promise you. In all but name."

5 Times the Raptors Tried to Kill Miriam, and 1 Time They Didn’t (22937 words) by JulisCaesar Chapters: 6/6 Fandom:Jurassic Park (Movies) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Characters: Original Female Character(s), Original Male Character(s) Additional Tags: Blood, Minor Character Death, Science, Like a lot of science, Dinosaurs, Period-Typical Homophobia, AIDS mention, Antisemitism, Asexual Character, medical shenanigans, I beat up the MC a lot ok

Summary: Miriam thought the job working for InGen sounded perfect. Tropical island, good pay, first dibs on publications… At least, she thought so until she found out that she was the only behaviorist on staff. Once the eggs hatched, it became all she could do to keep up–with the dinosaurs, the science, and her health.

Maggie Fitzgerald and the Saltwater Drip (79626 words) by antistar_e Chapters: 1/1 Fandom:The Amazing Spider-Man (Movies - Webb) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Peter Parker/Gwen Stacy Characters: Gwen Stacy, Peter Parker, Mary Jane Watson, Flash Thompson, Miles Morales, Harry Osborn Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies

Summary: Google politely tells her there are no poisonous spiders in Manhattan. Judging by her symptoms -- fever, superstrength, newfound desire to shove herself into small dark spaces, and sudden reputation as a masked vigilante -- Gwen would beg to differ. [Spider!Gwen AU.]

Enigma (11297 words) by Yahtzee Chapters: 1/1 Fandom:X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom,X-Men - All Media Types Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death Relationships: Erik Lehnsherr/Charles Xavier Characters: Erik Lehnsherr, Charles Xavier, Logan (X-Men), Mystique, Edie Lehnsherr, Original Female Character, Sebastian Shaw, Emma Frost Additional Tags: Alternate Reality, Fix-It, Kink Meme, World War II

Summary: Written for the following prompt: Erik dies, or finds a reversey-time mutant, or a magical time travelling device, and wakes up in the past. This time, though, it's before he ever met Charles - in fact, it's before his mother died.

He can save his mother that one time (thanks to his mastery over powers carrying back), but what does Erik do after that? Does he stick around, or escape and run to find Charles again (and hope everything doesn't go wrong)?

Je vois ma vie en rose (79404 words) by lilacsigil Chapters: 10/10 Fandom:X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage Relationships: Erika Lehnsherr/Charlotte Xavier, Harriet McCoy/Raven (X-Men) Characters: Erika Lehnsherr, Charlotte Xavier, Harriet McCoy, Raven (X Men), Alex Summers, Amparo Muñoz, Angelo Salvadore, Sabrina Shaw, Emory Frost, Marcus MacTaggert, Azazel (X-Men), Jana Quested, Shannon Cassidy Additional Tags: Genderbending, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Big Bang Challenge

Summary: "Je vois la vie en rose" is a full-cast gender change. Canon male characters become female, and canon female characters become male or genderqueer. The only exceptions are real people and background military/government characters.

The CIA's Marcus MacTaggert attempts to recruit Doctor Charlotte Xavier and her sibling Raven to assist in the capture of suspected Communist Sabrina Shaw and her unusual associates. Thrilled at the thought finding of more mutants, Charlotte and Raven agree, but are soon put off by the CIA's misogynist attitude and decide to track down these other mutants by themselves. They do find more mutants, but not the ones they were expecting.

Charlotte starts to build a community of mutants but Raven finds that many of them can't even accept themselves, let alone someone who doesn't belong within familiar definitions of gender. Erika's determination to kill Shaw, Shaw's quest to recruit more mutants, and world-threatening political brinkmanship collide with deadly consequences: Charlotte, Raven and Erika must decide what kind of world it is that they want to create.

Unalienable (65554 words) by Basingstoke Chapters: 38/38 Fandom: Highlander (1986 1991 1994 2000 2007),X-Men (Movies),Highlander: The Series Rating: Explicit Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Duncan MacLeod/Methos, Jean Grey/Scott Summers, Erik Lehnsherr/Charles Xavier, Jean-Paul Beaubier/Piotr Rasputin, Bobby Drake/Rogue, Remy LeBeau/Rogue Characters: Charles Xavier, Logan (X-Men), Duncan MacLeod, Methos, Scott Summers, Ororo Munroe, Rogue (X-Men), Piotr Rasputin, Tony Stark, Yuriko Oyama, Kenny (Highlander), Kurt Wagner, Jean-Paul Beaubier, Jeanne-Marie Beaubier, Warren Worthington III, Grace Chandel, Arclight, Elektra Natchios, Connor MacLeod, Jubilation Lee, Artie, Joe Dawson, Kitty Pryde, Mirage, Bobby Drake Additional Tags: Crossover, Kid Fic, Decapitation, Medical Trauma Series: Part 26 of Author’s Favorites Summary: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

D'Ancanto (49868 words) by xenokattz Chapters: 8/8 Fandom:X-Men (Movies) Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Characters: Rogue (X-Men), Charlotte Jones, Remy LeBeau, Ororo Munroe, Logan (X-Men), Warren Worthington III Additional Tags: Cast of dozens, Samuel L Jackson-level strong language & also violence, GQBAMF in a line behind me bitches, Old enough to remember Charlotte Jones Series: Part 1 of D'Ancanto

Summary: Drugs. Multi-state gangs. Mutant-killing virus. Civil unrest. Plot to assassinate a racist senator. Just another Tuesday for Marie D'Ancanto, NYPD detective in the country's first Mutant Crimes Task Force.

If We Never Got This Second Chance (50419 words) by Pookaseraph Chapters: 1/1 Fandom:The Losers (2010),Marvel (Movies),Marvel Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark Characters: Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Jake Jensen, The Losers - Character, The Avengers - Character Additional Tags: Romance, Time Travel, Surprise Family, Father-Son Relationship, Happy Ending, Angst, Internalized Homophobia, Alternate Universe - Canon, Character Death, Many Worlds Time Travel, Terrorism

Summary: When Tony and Steve’s son from the future, Jake Jensen, arrives at Avenger’s Tower, the two of them are forced to confront some hard truths: Tony that he might not actually become a horrible father, and Steve that he might not be able to set aside his discomfort with sharing a child with another man. When they both get a second chance at a first try at fatherhood, it’s up to the two of them to learn from their own future's past.

Freezer Burn (194186 words) by Domenika Marzione Chapters: 28/28 Fandom:The Avengers (2012),The Avengers - All Fandoms,Captain America,Captain America (Comics),Marvel Cinematic Universe,Captain America (Movies),The Avengers (Marvel Movies),The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Characters: Steve Rogers, Nick Fury, Tony Stark, Maria Hill, Bruce Banner, Peggy Carter, Natasha Romanov, Clint Barton, Thor (Marvel), Pepper Potts, Red Skull, MODOK, Maya Hansen, Hydra Agents, The Wrecking Crew (Marvel) Additional Tags: sorta comicsverse sorta movieverse it's all getting jossed anyway right?, hail HYDRA, Steve Rogers as chorus girl and company-grade officer, Clint and Natasha think they're hilarious, Action/Adventure, Thor is an alien prince and not an idiot, Peggy Carter can still kick your ass, barf cannon, superhero foodies, Tony Stark Has Issues, Tony's really not that bad at the business thing, Team, Team Dynamics Series: Part 2 of Freezer Burn

Summary: The adventures of Steve Rogers, defrosted soldier, who is missing time but not really all that lost. He's got a surprisingly broad knowledge of lettuces, a working grasp of modern technology, and may or may not be using both to mess with his teammates and save the world.

Exclusive (30833 words) by copperbadge Chapters: 3/3 Fandom:Marvel,The Avengers (2012) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Pepper Potts/Tony Stark Characters: Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Natasha Romanov, Clint Barton, Bruce Banner, Thor (Marvel), Pepper Potts Additional Tags: POV Outsider, News Media, Slice of Life, Interviews, Snipers Series: Part 1 of Magazineverse

Summary: Heroes In Manhattan: From Captain America's Hidden Talents To The Truth About The Hulk, We Debunk The Myths And Expose The Daily Lives Of The Avengers.

I (created from fantasies) exist solely for you (62917 words) by Mizzy Chapters: 1/1 Fandom:The Avengers (2012),Marvel Cinematic Universe Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark Characters: Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, Don Blake, Thor (Marvel), Natasha Romanov, Clint Barton, Pepper Potts, Maria Hill, Phil Coulson, Nick Fury, Norman Osborn Additional Tags: Identity Porn, Alternate Universe, marvel-bang, Podfic Available, Comic book office au

Summary: Six years ago, without the Avengers Initiative there to save the day, scientist Dr. Eric Selvig sacrificed himself to save the world, the almighty demi-god Thor was lost to a terrible storm, and vigilante Iron Man – spotted with a nuclear weapon trying to take advantage of the situation – was forever labelled an enemy of SHIELD.

This is a comic book office AU, where Steve is defrosted a year too late, Thor has forgotten who he is, and no one knows Tony is Iron Man.

Also includes: office pranks, inappropriate post-it notes, and superheroes who like pina coladas and getting caught in the rain.

Widow's Weeds (4333 words) by Mhalachai Fandom:The Avengers (2012) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanov, Tony Stark Additional Tags: Steve/Natasha friendship, It happened in a graveyard, Trust Series: Part 1 of A Widow's Tale

Summary: Their secrets have secrets. Steve's starting to figure this out.

Mountains, Molehills (1175 words) by lalaietha Chapters: 1/1 Fandom:Lilo & Stitch (2002) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: David Kawena/Nani Pelekai Characters: Nani Pelekai, Lilo Pelekai, David Kawena, Jumba Jookiba, Pleakley

Summary: Technically, David doesn't live here, but that "technically" is starting to get real thin, and he knows it. Which is why he chokes a bit when Lilo puts her elbows on the table, her chin in her hands, and says, "Are you going to ask my sister to marry you, or what?"

Here, where the world is quiet (6408 words) by busaikko Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling Rating: Explicit Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Remus Lupin/Severus Snape Characters: Remus Lupin, Severus Snape Additional Tags: Child Death, Character Death, Werewolves, Boarding School, Post-Canon, Zine Chocolate and Asphodel

Summary: After the war, Severus became head of the Scrimgeour Lycanthrope Academy.  His mandate was simple: Provide them with Wolfsbane and daily occupation.  Teach them as you see fit.   Report any violent outbursts.  Keep them away from regular people.

Dudley's Memories (11650 words) by Paganaidd Chapters: 5/5 Fandom:Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Dudley Dursley/Undisclosed Characters: Harry Potter, Ginny Weasley, Lily Luna Potter, James Sirius Potter, Albus Severus Potter, Dudley Dursley, Original Characters Additional Tags: Canon Compliant Series: Part 1 of Memories and Dreams Summary: Minerva needs help delivering another letter to #4 Privet Drive. At forty, Dudley is not at all what Harry expects. A long overdue conversation ensues. DH cannon compliant, but probably not the way you think. Prologue to "Snape's Memories".

You'll Get There in the End (It Just Takes a While) (33437 words) by seperis Chapters: 1/1 Fandom:Star Trek (2009) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: James T. Kirk/Spock, Spock/Nyota Uhura Characters: James T. Kirk, Spock, Nyota Uhura, Leonard McCoy, Christopher Pike, Spock Prime Additional Tags: First Time, Pon Farr, Telepathy Series: Part 1 of The Reboot Series

Summary: "Spock.  Just say 'I don't trust Starfleet not to mess up the only captain in the fleet who I can train up to my expectations and enjoys running into danger wearing a blindfold as much as I do'."

Qui Habitat (133190 words) by domarzione Chapters: 20/? Fandom:Stargate Atlantis,Stargate SG-1 Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Characters: John Sheppard, Elizabeth Weir, Rodney McKay, Cameron Mitchell (SG-1), Jonas Quinn, Teyla Emmagan, Ronon Dex, Steven Caldwell, Radek Zelenka, Evan Lorne, Original Characters Additional Tags: Apocalyptic, Alternate Universe - Dark, Ori, Religious Themes & References, Atlantis Alone, Action/Adventure, Alien Invasion, Colonialism Series: Part 2 of Qui Habitat

Summary: An SGA/SG-1 AU that spins off from the Ori arc that runs through Seasons Nine and Ten of SG-1 by changing one simple thing: the Ori don't lose. Earth is the last significant planet to fall in the Milky Way, but fall it does. Hard.

After Earth's fall, a large resistance movement was active, utilizing the Daedalus, the only surviving SGC carrier, as it's main instrument. Running raids in the Milky Way and bringing refugees and supplies to Atlantis, the Daedalus was the only lifeline between the two galaxies. Eventually her luck ran out and she was nearly destroyed by an Ori armada; after limping back to Atlantis, she is no longer flight-worthy and Atlantis is finally truly alone.

Over in Pegasus, Atlantis was first a long-distance witness and then a rear echelon for the escalating fight with the Ori over the Milky Way galaxy before becoming the final retreat for those who survived. Cut off from Earth and forced to revert to its (Season One) status as isolated outpost responsible for its own needs, Atlantis still has the responsibilities it has assumed in Pegasus -- defeating the Wraith and protecting those who can't help themselves -- while also awaiting the inevitable arrival of the Ori.

Rock Happy (141680 words) by ArwenLune Chapters: 31/31 Fandom: Generation Kill,Stargate Atlantis,Stargate SG-1 Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Brad Colbert, Nate Fick, Laura Cadman, Evan Lorne, Sam Carter, John Sheppard, Teal'c (SG-1), OC: Darren Avery, OC: Dr Fournier, OC: Lee Brittner, OC: Will Meyers, Daniel Jackson, Dusty Mehra, Tony Espera, Timothy Bryan, Ray Person, Mike Wynn, Nathan Christopher, Gabriel Garza Additional Tags: Crossover, Whole lotta fuckin' swearing, You want to recruit me for WHAT?, I wanna be there when they tell Ray about the space vampires, Daily life on Atlantis, original characters of colour, Women Being Awesome, POV Outsider, Brad Colbert has adventures IN SPACE, Team, Marine Corps, Wordcount: Over 50.000, Wordcount: 100.000-150.000, Women in the Military Series: Part 3 of Rock Happy 'verse

Summary: "You want to recruit me for what? You want me to go where?"

Sgt. Brad Colbert has been on a lot of strange missions, but this promises to be his most out there yet: Atlantis

This is not a story about falling in love. This is a story about falling in team.

Out of Season (26987 words) by Elizabeth Culmer Chapters: 1/1 Fandom:Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Shezan Tolkheera (OFC), Marigold Beaver (OFC), Axartha Tarkaan, Prince Rabadash, Ilgamuth Tarkaan, Hkreegah the Gull (OFC), the Tisroc, Ahoshta Tarkaan, Malindra Takhun (OFC), Peridan (Narnia), Susan Pevensie Additional Tags: Slavery, planned sacrifice of a sentient being (Talking Beast), Religion, Religious Themes & References, Worldbuilding, Canon Character of Color, once you create the rest of the world it has to count as much as your special country Mr. Lewis, POV Outsider, Calormen, Women Being Awesome, Female Protagonist, Narnia Fic Exchange 2011, Fictional Religion & Theology Series: Part 1 of Out of Season

Summary: In the fourteenth year of Rishti Tisroc's reign, a demon in the shape of a beaver is captured and brought to Tashbaan.  Shezan Tolkheera, high priestess of the goddess Achadith, is given the responsibility of guarding the demon until its sacrifice at the Spring Festival.   Complications ensue.

Carpetbaggers (119268 words) by cofax Chapters: 10/10 Fandom:Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Peter Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, OFC Series: Part 1 of Carpetbaggers

Summary: The day after Aslan left, taking the magic with him, just about everyone else left, too.

After the coronation festivities, the real work begins.  During/post "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe".

Play It Again (63206 words) by metisket Chapters: 3/3 Fandom: Teen Wolf (TV) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Stiles Stilinski & Laura Hale, Scott McCall & Stiles Stilinski Characters: Stiles Stilinski, Derek Hale, Scott McCall, Laura Hale, Sheriff Stilinski, Peter Hale, Allison Argent, Lydia Martin, Danny Mahealani, Erica Reyes, Isaac Lahey, Vernon Boyd, Talia Hale, Chris Argent, The Hale Family - Character, The Argent Family - Character, Alan Deaton Additional Tags: Pre-Slash, Magical Stiles Stilinski, derek's mad planning skillz, magical objects and their insufficient warning labels, laura's in charge, making the most of your afterlife, oh look here's a lower place, Alternate Universe, Dimension Travel Series: Part 1 of play it again

Summary: In which Stiles goes along with one of Derek’s plans and ends up in an alternate universe as a result. He should’ve known better. He did know better, actually, and that means he has no one to blame but himself.

“Laura wants to lure the kid in with food and kindness and make a pet of him, like a feral cat. Derek wants to have him arrested for stalking. They’re at an impasse. (And the rest of the family is staying emphatically out of it in a way that suggests bets have been placed.)”

Coming Undone (57618 words) by KouriArashi Chapters: 11/11 Fandom:Teen Wolf (TV) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Stiles Stilinski, Scott McCall, Sheriff Stilinski, Derek Hale, Allison Argent, Chris Argent, Lydia Martin, Gerard Argent Additional Tags: Stilinski feels, Hurt Stiles, Hurt/Comfort, all the feels, Pack Dynamics, PTSD, Plot sneaks in, BAMF Stiles Stilinski, Mystery Series: Part 1 of The Sum of Its Parts

Summary: Stiles deals with the aftermath of being abducted by Peter Hale and left for dead. It's harder than he would have thought to accept his place in the pack when he's convinced that he's the 'weak one' and can't protect himself. Fortunately, Scott and Sheriff Stilinski are there to help, and to nag Derek until he helps, too.

Locked Inside the Facade (60245 words) by Dragonbat Chapters: 8/8 Fandom: Batman (Comics),Nightwing (Comics) ating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Relationships: Barbara Gordon/Dick Grayson Characters: Bruce Wayne, Renee Montoya, Crispus Allen, Jason Todd, Alfred Pennyworth, Dick Grayson, Tim Drake, Barbara Gordon, Thomas Elliot, Roman Sionis, Rachel Green, Romy Chandler, Michael Akins, Jim Gordon, Roy Harper, Grace Choi, Michael Holt, Helena Bertinelli, Connor Hawke, Dinah Lance Additional Tags: Character Death, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Tragedy, Angst Series: Part 1 of Locked-Verse

Summary: A sudden shock in Batman's life leads to his apprehension at the hands of the GCPD.

Victory  Bonds (39617 words) by copperbadge Chapters: 6/6 Fandom:DCU Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Clark Kent/Lois Lane Characters: Clark Kent, Superman, Bruce Wayne, Batman, Alan Scott, Green Lantern, Lois Lane, Diana (Wonder Woman), Robin (DCU), Perry White, Lex Luthor Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, 1940s, Alternate Universe - 1940s, PostWar, Nazis, Daily Planet, Spies & Secret Agents

Summary: The year is 1947, and Daily Planet front-pagers Clark Kent and "Louis" Lane are about to get the story of their careers, courtesy of the fledgling Justice League: the enigmatic Superman, the spy-turned-vigilante codenamed Bat, intelligence agent and newly minted Green Lantern Alan Scott, and Ambassador Diana, Princess of Themyscira.

Some Friendlier Sky (124800 words) by Hammie, AMarguerite Chapters: 24/24 Fandom:Les Misérables - All Media Types,Les Misérables - Victor Hugo Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Courfeyrac/Cosette, Cosette/Courfeyrac, Joly/Musichetta Characters: Cosette, Courfeyrac, Valjean, Combeferre, Joly, Bossuet, Enjolras, Jehan, Feuilly, Marius, Toussaint, Bahorel, Bahorel's Laughing Mistress, Javert Additional Tags: Hijinks & Shenanigans, Romanticism, lots of musings on popular Romantic literature

Summary: Courfeyrac falls through the roof of no. 7 Rue de l'Homme Armé, taking down not only the ceiling, but the carefully built walls Valjean has constructed around himself and Cosette. Wacky hijinks ensue. Thanks to Hammie for beta-ing.

Poster Boy (8162 words) by Sarah1281 Chapters: 1/1 Fandom:Les Misérables - All Media Types,Les Misérables - Victor Hugo Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Cosette/Enjolras Characters: Jean Valjean, Enjolras (Les Misérables), Euphrasie "Cosette" Fauchelevant Additional Tags: Crack Pairings, Happy Ending, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence

Summary: Valjean knows that he must confess the truth of his past to his new son-in-law and he thought he had prepared  himself for all possible reactions. He was mistaken, however. Enthusiastic condemnations of the old regime and praise for his 'revolutionary spirit' were not something he knew what to do with.

A Deeper Season (117605 words) by lightgetsin ,sahiya Chapters: 19/19 Fandom:Vorkosigan Saga - Bujold Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Gregor Vorbarra/Miles Naismith Vorkosigan Characters: Gregor Vorbarra, Miles Naismith Vorkosigan, Ivan Vorpatril, Cordelia Naismith Vorkosigan, Aral Vorkosigan Additional Tags: First Time, Romance, Action/Adventure, a deeper season, Alternate Universe, Don't copy to another site Series: Part 5 of A Deeper Season

Summary: Take one Miles, a hapless cousin, Cetagandan social politics, a galactic conspiracy, a scientific discovery, a lot of firepower, and an unexpected declaration. Mix well and step back quickly.

The Long Road Home (95516 words) by Scribblesinink Chapters: 22/22 Fandom:Lord of the Rings (2001 2002 2003),Lord of the Rings (Novel) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Faramir, Aragorn, Boromir, OFC, OMC Additional Tags: Adventure, bookverse, movieverse, Future Fic, What-If, Alternate Universe, Boromir!Lives AU Series: Part 1 of Long Road Home (LotR)

Summary: Against all odds, Boromir survives Amon Hen. Ashamed and filled with remorse, he goes on a quest for redemption. Bound by his promise to a sick man, Faramir keeps the secret of his brother's survival. But as secrets are wont to do, the truth comes out eventually and Aragorn journeys north to bring Gondor's prodigal son home.

The Price of Freedom by Erin Lasgalen Lord of the Rings, Eowyn, post-series. AU/Adventure. In the aftermath of the War of the Ring, Eowyn comes to the painful realization that the wounds of the heart she still bears cannot be healed by going back to the cage, however gilded, however loving the master. Four years and hundreds of leagues later, her past is about to catch up with her in more ways than one.

Charmed Life (95300 words) by Fyre Chapters: 85/85 Fandom:Once Upon a Time (TV) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Mr Gold/Mary Margaret Blanchard Characters: Rumpelstiltskin | Mr. Gold, Snow White | Mary Margaret Blanchard, Emma Swan, Evil Queen | Regina Mills, Prince "Charming" James | David Nolan, Abigail | Kathryn Nolan, Henry Mills Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Complete Summary: When Regina toyed with the lives and memories of the people of Storybrooke, she was especially careful with the people who had been her bane in the the Enchanted Forest

Don't You Shake Alone (62189 words) by Dira Sudis Chapters: 1/1 Fandom:Generation Kill Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Brad Colbert/Nate Fick Characters: Brad Colbert, Nate Fick, Ray Person Additional Tags: Kid Fic, Babies, Cuddling & Snuggling, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, First Time

Summary: Nate looked exactly like Brad always pictured him: exhausted in the full life-in-a-combat-zone sense of the word.  (Don't forget the sequel)

Performance In a Leading Role (156714 words) by Mad_Lori Chapters: 21/21 Fandom: Sherlock (TV) Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson Characters: Sherlock Holmes, John Watson, Irene Adler, Harry Watson, Greg Lestrade, Sally Donovan, Molly Hooper Additional Tags: AU, Meta, Hollywood, Real Person Cameos, Romance, Show Business, Coming Out, Secret Relationship, Behind the Scenes Series: Part 1 of Performance in a Leading Role

Summary: Sherlock Holmes is an Oscar winner in the midst of a career slump. John Watson is an Everyman actor trapped in the rom-com ghetto. When they are cast as a gay couple in a new independent drama, will they surprise each other? Will their on-screen romance make its way into the real world?

[goodbyecringe]

(Un)Natural Selection Chapter 16

Enjolras

When The Selection hit its six-month mark there were still twenty girls in the running and the public was relatively satisfied at its progress. 2 girls had been sent home after the garden party for getting inexcusably drunk. After all the guests had left I discovered they had stolen a few bottles of wine before the party started and had been drinking since they woke up. In the last two months since the party, I sent home three more girls due to a simple lack of chemistry. Courfeyrac, who had bet money that I would have finished The Selection by now was rather proud and rather broke. However, my Father remained disappointed that I still had yet to find someone I knew would win.

“During my Selection, I knew it was your Mother after 3 months,” my Father chastised after the girls left the Banquet Room after breakfast.

“I would like to make sure that I can tolerate the person I’m going to spend the rest of my life with,” I stated in defense.

“Julien, your Father just means that he’s surprised you don’t have feelings for any of these girls,” Mother argued.

“That’s ridiculous, of course, I have feelings for some of them. There are several girls that I would consider to be my equal. Each girl has something individual to her that another girl doesn’t have, which forces me to weigh the pros and cons,” I explained.

“I don’t give a damn who you pick or what her pros and cons are as long as she comes from a respectable family,” my father boomed.

Even though he said respectable family I knew he meant a higher caste.

“Yes well, there have been several girls from respectable families that would never survive to be my wife,” I mumbled, thinking about some of the girls I had sent home.

“If you're even thinking about Teresa, stop it this instance! Her family has been in the public eye since before you were born. They have been relatively scandal-free and have friends in the press,” he argued, exposing his alternative motives.

Everything concerning The Selection was a political campaign in preparation for my rule. If the press, the citizens, or my advisors disapproved of my choices then I would never have a chance to change the government of Illeá.

“Well lucky for you I can tolerate Teresa, even though she only ever talks about herself,” I said, getting up to leave.

“Julien,” I heard my mother cry from behind me.

“Your father and I only want what’s best for you. You know that whenever there is a lot of Selection coverage the crime rates and protests are much lower. Our citizens need this during these difficult times of unrest. Twelve Sevens were killed by a hate group in Carolina yesterday and until we can determine a way to handle this discreetly our citizens need to look to The Selection for hope and entertainment ”

“Our citizens need to be provided for and protected from the prejudice that their government has created in the caste system. They don’t need to watch a group of girls in fancy dresses fight for my attention,” I snapped.

“Then go ahead and announce the Elite tonight! Since you want to be done with this so badly we should at least get a special Report out of it,” my father yelled as I stormed out of the room.

This was ridiculous. I had to find a solution that would make this elimination seem fair, but I had no idea where to start. As I made my way to the Men’s Room I noticed a small figure sitting on the floor.

“Éponine?” I noticed, mostly by the signature grey dress she wore.

She looked up at me with a neutral expression on her face and I noticed several letters in her hands.

“Sorry, I just couldn’t wait to read these. Monsieur Marius sent me pictures from all over Paris and this is the first letter my sister has sent me,” she said, holding up the piece of paper.

“So Pontmercy is still writing to you?” I confirmed, deciding to sit next to her in the hallway.

“Yes,” she blushed. “He’s been kind enough to send me information concerning universities in France. I think after all of this is done I’d like to go to school and receive a degree. I could take ‘Zelma with me and we could leave Illeá for the first time,” she smiled.

This wasn’t the first time I had noticed how Éponine had changed since the Garden Party. Ultimately Éponine had become far less cynical and more confident in herself from what I had seen and heard. She was excelling in her etiquette and history classes and even spending more time in the Women’s Room with the other girls. However, she had missed several meetings in the Musain so I had seen less of her than usual. It seemed like she spent more and more time writing to Pontmercy and I wondered if her feelings toward him were strictly platonic. If things continued I would be forced to confront her about Pontmercy, but that was lower on my list of priorities. “This is the first time you’ve heard from your sister?” I asked, opting to change the subject since this was surprising.

“Yeah. Before I left she made me promise that I wouldn’t write to her so when we meet again I’ll never run out of new things to tell her,” she said, looking at the floor.

“That was brave of her,” I noted, remembering several of the stories Éponine told me about her parents.

Éponine had never gone in-depth about anything in her life back in Allens except for her sister. However, from the few, personal stories she told me I could infer that her relationship with her parents was strained to some degree. Both of her parents appeared to struggle with addiction and managing money, which led me to believe Éponine came from a family that was a Five or lower.

“It was brave of her, but that’s Azelma,” she said smiling.

“Well, I will leave you to your letters. I have something very important I need to sort out by lunch,” I said standing up.

“Just promise me you’ll eat lunch,” she scolded.

“I wouldn’t dare skip lunch and face the wrath of the Great ‘Ponine,” I laughed, helping off the floor.

“Did you just call me ‘Ponine?” she asked.

My eyes widened to the size of saucers.

“I’m sorry, I should have asked for your permiss-”

“No Enjolras, I’m not offended or anything. Good luck with your problem solving,” she said, turning to walk down the hall.

I watched her confidently walk down the hall in her high heels as she would smile at maids and butlers. I wanted to chase after her to congratulate her on all of her improvements as a person during this competition but I couldn’t. I needed to get to my friends so I could determine the best way to eliminate half of the girls.

“I know that look anywhere,” Courfeyrac declared as I walked into the Men’s Room.

“That’s his post parental argument face,” Bossuet explained to Grantaire.

“I’m announcing The Elite on the Report tonight,” I said.

“Excellent, who are they?” Combeferre asked.

“I don’t know. I want this to be a fair opportunity for each girl so they aren’t completely blindsided.”

“Is this because of what that caste supremacist group did?” Grantaire asked from his place near the door.

“Unfortunately yes, and my strong desire to end this ridiculous affair.”

“Enjy, Illeá is angry right now, are you sure more coverage on the Selection is what they need? Don’t you think there should be some sort of memorial Report?” Ferre asked.

“I would much rather fly out to Carolina myself to meet with the affected families, but my parents are demanding I give the Report more Selection coverage. Apparently it will distract Illeá for long enough for their advisors to come up with a solution,” I sighed.

“Do you really not have ten girls in mind for The Elite?” Joly asked.

“I can really only think of three I care enough about, four if I count my Father’s favorite.”

“Excuse me but have we all forgotten the end goal of the Selection?” Jehan Prouvaire said standing up from his chair.

“Peace among Illeá?” Feuilly asked.

“A time for Les Amis to organize allies?” Bahorel called out.

“Entertainment?” Courfeyrac guessed.

“You’re all idiots,” he scoffed. “At the end of this whole competition, Enjolras has to marry the last girl standing. He has to see her every day for the rest of his life and produce an heir with her.”

“Your point?” Bossuet asked.

“What does Enjy love more than anything else?” Prouvaire asked.

“Patria,” several men said in unison.

“So his future Queen should also be passionate about Patria, or something along those lines. At some point, the Elite are required to do a presentation on their desired philanthropies so Enjy doesn’t want to pick someone that isn’t passionate about anything. Just bring them all in individually and ask them what they’re passionate about,” Prouvaire finished.

The men were quiet for a few moments before erupting into praise because Jehan was completely right. This idea provided a reason to eliminate the girls without having to dig too deep. Politics were a central part of life as a royal and if any of these girls were here under the assumption that their duties were to sit around and look pretty they were mistaken. Les Amis agreed that each girl should be brought to the Men’s Room individually and asked what they would change about Illeá. After lunch, all of the girls would be separated to ensure that cheating would be impossible and a photographer needed to be arranged.

The first girl called was Iris who immediately began to explain her passions towards reconstructing the Illeán education system so that it could compete with New Asia. As she explained her idea I recalled that Iris had several relatives in New Asia that served in government positions, which could be beneficial for trade. And even though Adele was the youngest in the competition, she gave an intense speech about mandatory school volunteering so that empathy could be instilled in children as they grew up. Cosette stated that she wished there were more laws in place that protected endangered species and that wildlife conservation should be a higher priority in Illeá.

Liberty said that there should be more laws requiring businesses and schools to accommodate the disabled. Even Teresa, who I had marked as a pompous and self-absorbed stated that the minimum wage for lower castes should be raised and there should be more opportunities for certain levels of education. While it wasn’t my favorite, she came up with something that could benefit a group of people. Harley and May both said there should be more funding for the caste relief programs and Keliah wished there were more labor laws in place to protect factory workers. Overall, several girls surprised me with multiple ideas that would benefit the people of Illeá.

However, not all girls were able to quickly come up with an answer. For example, Charlotte simply began to panic under the pressure and cried until Joly could get her to follow some breathing exercises. Some girls were simply incorrect or blatantly prejudiced like Hazel and Ashely, who both stated that the hate groups made of caste extremists shouldn’t be subject to the law because they were doing God’s work. And unfortunately, Natalie stated that hate crimes should be illegal as she wasn’t aware that they were already against the law.

The final girls called were Musichetta, who believed there should be more funds going to programs that provide free birth control and other Women’s Services, and Éponine, who blatantly stated that the caste system should be abolished.

“That’s quite a radical statement, Éponine. How do you defend it?” Combeferre asked.

“Well, most of this country's problems come from the caste system in the first place. It limits the quality of life for members of the lower castes and provides for those in the upper castes.”

I couldn’t help but let a grin escape onto my face.

“Thank you Éponine, you can continue this argument at the next meeting,” I said before she and the photographer left the room.

“Taking what we all just observed, who should stay, and who should go?” I asked, organizing my stack of notes.

“I think we should just end the Selection right now so you can marry Éponine,” Courfeyrac smiled.

“Why would I do that?”

“Because you loooove her Enjy,” Joly laughed, spinning around in his chair.

“That is a wildly incorrect statement because I’m not in love with any of these girls. Thank you for your time and assistance but I have a speech that is going to crush the hearts of ten girls that I need to prepare,” I said before making my way to my office.

[hellyeahheroes]

Best Ongoing Team Books of 2018 - In text because I cannot make it in video

Okay, so my mic is broken, I have barely time to make it work with how many ever hours I’m working recently, so screw it. Last part of my promised list is long overdue anyway, so I’ll just drop it as a text. Apologies for this but yeah, sometimes stuff just piles up. I hope you’ll still enjoy my picks and check the 3 parts that made it to the video

Welcome to Best Books of 2018, the long-awaited final part. I’m terribly sorry it took me so, so terribly long but I had been forced to take many over hours at my day job and it just ate in my time. The rules are as before. The book must still be ongoing in 2018, even if only for a single issue. It also must have more than two issues published in two thousand eighteen. However, if a book got relaunched as effectively the same title, they count as one. This time we’re doing team books. So if you can, go check those titles out at your local store.

Number Ten: Super Sons and its continuation, Adventures of the Super Sons. Work of writers Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason with artwork by Carlo Barberi with issue twelve of the first series draw by Tyler Kirkham. Super Sons continue to be an absolute joy. The greatest asset of this story is that Jon and Damian are written as a pair of actual kids, with behavior we would find too childish with other people but appropriate with them. Which only adds charm to an already book that captures joys of being a kid and going on adventures and that embraces silver age weirdness with all kinds of strange stuff, from a bunch of alien kids idealizing Earth supervillains and modeling themselves after them to an alien versions of Cain and Abel and their House of Secret Mysteries. It is a book that you can just pick up, relax and enjoy, lose yourself in fluffy fun. Its time is limited as Adventures is just a mini but I think if there is one title on this list that is just pure escapism, bar themes touched in an issue where our heroes meet their future selves, it is this one.

Number Nine: House of Whispers by writer Nalo Hopkins and artist Domonike Stanton. One of my favorite out of the new Sandman Universe books, it tells a story of a spell gone wrong that results in the tied fate of goddess Erzulie from Vodou religion and girl named Latoya. The former ends up trapped in the Dreaming, cut from her worshippers and desperately needing to come back before she starves without worship. The latter loses her soul in the same accident and now is affected by Cotard’s delusion, a mental disorder that makes a living person believe they’re dead and worse, she can spread it like an infection. While absolutely fantastic with the weaved narrative I will say that at the time it might be even too heavy as the parts that deal with people affected by the delusion, especially Latoya and her girlfriend Maggie, often feel so outright depressing I had to put the book down and take a break. It is not a bad thing, not every comic book has to just make you feel entertained, especially not one aiming at evoking different emotions. But I need to recommend this one with a warning it is not for everyone as people who already feel down might only feel worse. Still, if you are looking for a book either heavily using themes from religion by far underexplored by literature and pop culture in a respectful way or for a book that might leave you shaken and made think, appreciate your life even, this is a book for you.

Number Eight is a tie: Justice League Dark by writer James Tynion the Fourth and artists Alvaro Martinez and Daniel Sampere as well as Justice League Odyssey by writer Joshua Williamson and artists Stjepan Sejic and Philipe Briones. Two of the new Justice League titles have their problems, I’ll admit it. The main villain in Justice League Dark comes off as invincible for the sake of it and the establishment of the Sisterhood of the Sleight hand only to destroy it rubs me the wrong way and Odyssey feels to have missed its impact moment due to delays and artist change. However, both books are still excellent in what they set to do, opening this new age in Justice League books and bringing them back to the flagship role. Be it dark atmosphere of JLD that isn’t mitigated by inclusion of either Detective Chimp or Wonder Woman, in fact it is a stroke of genius to have her confront the darker side of magic, or the outlandish space opera of Odyssey, with super likable cast playing game of cat and mouse with Darkseid himself, the books do bring new to the table and truly make the Justice League currently one of the strongest if not the strongest lines in the big two.

Number Seven: Rogue & Gambit and its continuation Mr & Mrs. X by writer Kelly Thompson and artist Pere Perez on the former and Oscar Balduza and David Lopez. I’m counting it as one book even if an important part, the wedding, took place in a different title and was fairly controversial. But Kelly Thompson has really shown that she feels the two and their relationship and uses as much of their history as possible to build on and inform said relationship. It is in how natural it comes off as, how strong their bond is but also how unafraid of testing it through their adventures Kelly Thompson is that really makes this book so unique. With the cancellation of X-Men: Red and Exiles and with how Uncanny X-Men and Age of X-Man seem in a contest who can drop more balls, this book is now the best ongoing in the X-Line and you will be doing yourself a disservice if you won’t check it out.

Number Six: Justice League by writers Scott Snyder and James Tynion the Fourth and artists Jim Cheung, Jorge Jimenez, Doug Mankhe, Mike Janin, Francis Manapul, Fazer Irving and Guillem March. This book decided to bring the Justice League back to its greatness and to my great surprise, it succeeded. Scott Snyder’s over the top imagination is a perfect fit for this title and in just a few issues he proved he is not afraid of breaking established boundaries and showing us that cosmology of DC Universe is much greater and more amazing than we might have thought, that everything we thought we know hides more secrets and there is always a new adventure right behind the corner. It asks important questions that, while not intended to be political, by Snyder’s own admission, I feel are still questions about life, a current state of the world and our expectations and ourselves. Upon seeing how flawed the world is, how flawed other people are, how flawed, in the end, we ourselves are, what is a correct course of action? Deny it and try to grind yourself into the idea of perfection you want to be even if it is impossible? Embrace your worst and care only about yourself? Or accept you have flaws, that you feel pain and trauma and realize you can still be a good person regardless? That is the theme of Justice League that makes me enjoy this book so much.

Also, they have hired Ferdinand the Minotaur to work at their cafeteria, that’s awesome.

Number Five: The Dreaming by writer Simon Spurrier and artist Bilquis Evely. The Dreaming is in peril. Dream of Endless has left his dominion, there is a hole in it through which strange things come, citizens find themselves in state of unrest and all beloved characters, from Lucien and Matthew to Merv Pumpkinhead and Eve to Cain and Abel are set on a course that will challenge them and will change them in unexpected ways, all while old faces like Glob and Brute come back and new ones like mysterious Dora and merciless Judge Gallows leave their mark on the place. The Dreaming plays with obvious political undertones but on a meta sense, it is another case of what Simon Spurrier is driven to do, to deconstruct the darker corners of comics and try to explore questions of responsibility and morality through it like he did with Legion and X-Force. This new, heavier, darker take on the Dreaming sucked me in instantly and I really hope the ride Spurrier has prepared for us is a long one.

Number Four: Exiles by writer Saladin Ahmed and artists Javier Rodrigues, Rod Reis and Joe Quinones. Exiles had another short-living comeback and it saddens me to see that it has already been cancelled, though not before qualifying on this list. I love Exiles as a series and a concept and the return with all-new cast and Blink was a welcome one. With adventures that are in equal parts fun and serious and characters with such amazing charm as a cartoon kid Wolverine or Valkyrie. What’s more is that the book had such amazing creative artwork, with Rodriguez especially giving it his all and creating some amazing visuals that truly matched increasingly crazier visions that Ahmed has weaved in front of him through the script. This was a top-notch creative team that I sure hope we’ll see them team-up once again on another project in the future. Meanwhile, while brief it it was still a pleasure to come back to this team of weirdos and outcasts hopping between dimensions, one crazier than the other.

Number Three: Wild Storm by writer Warren Ellis and artist John Davis Hunt. Now here is a book that benefits from its stated twenty four issues run. Wild Storm is a slow burn. But it is by far one of the most glorious slow burns in the history of comics. Ellis continues to create a gritty narrative that combines aliens, conspiracies, secret agencies, technological inventions and movie-like decompressed storytelling into a chilling, dark story that absolutely dominates with the atmosphere. The vision of Wildstorm Universe Ellis and Hunt created for us is absolutely captivating and the feel of the world at the verge of total war between two agencies that long time ago stopped caring for common folk, while Jacob Marlowe, Jenny Sparks, and John Lynch, each in their own way, race to stop them or deal with problems they unleash, is unlike any other. There is plain and simply no other book like this on the shelves right now and it is very unlikely there will be such a book soon after it ends.

Number Two: The Terrifics by writer Jeff Lemire and artists Ivan Reis, Evan Doc Sharner, Joe Bennett, Dale Eaglesham. Out of all New Age of Heroes Books this is undeniably the best one. A loving tribute to the original Fantastic Four stories that finds a new quality through use of characters that may fill similar archetypes but are different enough that each brings their own thing to the table, creating new dynamics that liven up known narratives while at the same time the artists manage to get creative, especially the issue that divides each page into a sort of camera following each of the four protagonists one panel per person and uniting them and dividing as they join together or split up, pushing the very boundaries of graphic storytelling as we know it. It is also a book full of warmth and joy and optimism we often do not see in books like that. It is truly a title that has a heart and imagination on its side and it is using them to their full potential.

Honorable Mentions: West Coast Avengers, Champions, Teen Titans

And our Number One is Runaways by writer Rainbow Rowell and artists Kris Anka and David Lafuente. It couldn’t be anything else. Runaways this year was plain and simply the best book on the shelves. Kris Anka’s beautiful art brings to life Rainbow Rowell amazing heart for these characters as she lets them face new challenges in their lives, creating story if teenagers at the verge of adulthood as they try to wrestle less with supervillains and more with their own fears and insecurities and this feeling of childhood and innocence lost for superhero life they never wanted, all as they try to rebuild and maintain their family. It is a story where greatest victories are not supervillain battles, which they seem to win by a fluke most of the time anyway, but to take a step forward, overcome your fear and doubt and admit to yourself that yes, you are worthy of happiness and you will be happy. In that Runaways is without a doubt the book that speaks to me the most and one I wait for every month. I cannot recommend this book enough.

So here are my final picks. I’m exhausted. I will say that recently all stuff in my life made working on the videos harder, especially now that i’m trying, against any better reason to record myself  and I might not be able to do it as regularly. I might think of reinventing the format and maybe relegate the channel to a different role in relation to my blog, which I think is by now much more popular. I still have learned a lot in that time of doing these videos and I wish to continue, maybe with a more focused vision. Thank you all for being so long with me and putting up with my nosense and rest assured, I shall return.

- Admin

[forkanna]

[AO3 LINK] [EF LINK]

NOTE: This is the end of part II, and part III will be the last. Stay tuned for that soon!

Happy Christmas Eve to all!

"...and what about my penonias?!"

For the hundredth time that morning, Glinda felt like she wanted to do nothing more than crawl off to bed and pretend the day had never occurred. A large percentage of the "grievances" had nothing to do with the new law forbidding mistreatment of Animals. The citizenry seemed to have taken this as their golden opportunity to complain about any pointless little thing in their lives. Nessa had tried to warn them that this was what would be awaiting them, but they had both scoffed at the idea; surely, the good people of Emerald City wouldn't be nearly so petty and mundane!

Except, apparently, they were.

"Your penonias are no concern of mine," Elphaba droned, leaning heavily against her arm. "Now then, Miss Minkos, could you be so kind as to give the stage over to someone who…" A yawn interrupted her. "Who isn't trying my patience? Not to mention my ability to stay awake."

With a huff and a "WELL!", the Minkos woman stalked off the dais and into the gathered crowd. There was some murmuring of unrest, so Glinda decided she had better do her job of smoothing things over.

"Wonderful!" she called out, clapping her hands together. "That's quite a lot of you taken care of! I'm not even sure there are any left out there; we addressed the worries about how to take care of transportation, and fair wages for Animals who wish to enter employment in their previous servitudity rather than search for new employment. Very good, very good, we're really making progress!"

She overheard Nessa muttering, "I don't know how she stays so perky all the time," and saw Elphaba nodding, but chose to pretend neither of them existed for that brief moment.

"Next up…" Jellia looked down the sign-in list, having to unfurl the last bit of the scroll. At least they were nearing the end. "A man named… Wooglebug? Do I have that right?"

"That's Wogglebug," an overly-refined voice called out as he approached the dais. And he was, indeed, an insect, though overgrown to be nearly as tall as Glinda. "Professor H.M. Wogglebug, T.E., if you please. And I should like to talk about the state of your educational system. For many years now…"

The proceedings stretched on and on. By the time they finished with the grievances for the day — which had booked up their time completely, and there were a few names on the spillover scroll for the following week — they needed to break for a belated lunch. As they fed, glad for the chance to replenish their energy and mental stamina, Glinda asked a highly pertinent question.

"The eyepatch? Ah… well, I've tried it again, but either Dorothy has her necklace shut away in a box, or the spell has stopped working."

"What? Oh no, so you have no idea how she's doing now?"

"Sorry, but I don't. She'll just have to get along without us. We sent her back to her precious Kansas; now it's up to her if she can survive there."

"Just awful," Polychrome sighed, nursing the single droplet of morning dew on her saucer. "I was very fond of Dorothy, and wish I could go and see her. But I'm afraid that without being able to catch a rainbow… I will not be able to do so."

Curiosity piqued, Glinda asked, "Didn't you ever learn how to do that? Y'know, what your father can do?"

"Summon rainbows? Goodness, no. A sky fairy must study for many years to learn how to move the rainbows and clouds, and I just had no head for that work. Now I wish I had tried harder! Ohhh, will Father ever find me? What will I do if he does not?"

"Then we'll shoot you into the sky out of a cannon," Elphaba threatened. Glinda swatted her arm.

In no time at all, they were back to address the final matter of the day: Tippetarius. Glinda really found herself dreading this confrontation, given that he was such a young boy and really seemed to believe in what he felt was right. But that didn't mean they could let him keep speaking out against their rule; it would only stir up stronger resistance.

"You have been accused of attempting to ambush the Throppland Council," Elphaba read out from her scroll once the boy was brought to the dais in front of their seats. He looked no worse for wear, and his hair was stuffed up into his cap once more. Glinda did have to wonder why he grew it out so long only to hide it away. "And of disorderly conduct outside during the original address. How do you plead?"

"Not guilty! By reason of… of my love for the Land of Oz!" There were a few murmurs of agreement from the crowd.

"That's enough hyperbole. Explain your reasons for being outside the palace."

"To find out what you were up to. You said you were going to give us audience in a week, but what if you didn't? What if it was part of some… scheme to distract everyone while you filled the streets with soldiers, turned us into slaves?"

Nessa had had enough. "Your imagination is very colourful. But we're here to speak about specific charges, alright? Please, don't make up all these stories and try to stick to the facts."

That seemed to upset the boy a little more; he looked as if they had slapped him across the face and insulted his parentage. "But I am! You asked why I was outside, and… and I answered! I was keeping watch on the Palace to make sure nothing crazy happened, and if it did, I might alert someone!"

"Who would you alert?"

"Well… I hadn't figured out that part." There was a slight ripple of quiet laughter from the audience. After a few seconds, he went on as his cheeks pinkened, "You still haven't answered some of my questions."

"You're the one on trial!" Elphaba burst out in exasperation.

"How can we know that we're in the best hands? How do we know the truth of what you told us about the Wizard? You just… showed up here, after being fugitives for years, and tell us all to take you at your word!"

"You've forgotten the trial of Madame Morrible. We already gave her water from the Truth Pond, so every word out of her mouth was genuine. And she admitted that she had coerced everyone into believing we were responsible for the winged monkeys, we were trying to 'attack' the Wizard instead of being tricked into- why am I re-explaining this?"

Glinda sighed as the murmurs rose in the audience. "Y'know, some people just really don't care about who's right. They only care about who seems like the victim, and if it's the Wizard or this little boy, they're more ready to believe it."

"Men really are babies," Nessa muttered. Likely her opinion wasn't entirely objective, due to how the situation with Boq had failed to be resolved, but Glinda had to admit she found herself agreeing from time to time.

A little late, Tippetarius grumbled, "I'm not little."

"Children always say that."

"Alright, alright," Elphaba sighed wearily. "If you agree to taking a drink from the Truth Pond, we can cut through this a little faster, but you won't have it forced upon you because you haven't attempted murder. Entirely voluntary; it's up to you."

He hesitated. It was actually highly conspicuous, and stretched on long enough for a cough to be heard in the nearly-silent room.

"What's the matter? Suddenly you're the one with too many secrets, hmmm?"

"No, no! Just… I don't want to answer just anything in front of all these people." He pointed up at the council seats. "You promise just to ask about my duel and things related to that, and not a bunch of gossipy secrets? You know how women are."

Even while a tick flared up in Elphaba's jaw, and she gripped the bench in front of her a little tighter, Glinda hurried to answer, "Of course not, dear. We have no interest in gossip, just in getting this matter settled."

The translucent green glass of Truth Pond water was already prepared. After the success of using it against Morrible, they had all unanimously agreed that it should be of great use in further trials. Although it was expensive, given that the Truth Pond was in a far-off corner of the Vinkus, they could always fly down and gather another jug of it themselves. That was Elphaba's reasoning, at least.

The accused regarded it warily, lip curling. Drinking pond water of any kind certainly didn't sound appealing, but realising that it was either that, or going back and forth with mistrust, he raised the glass. And paused.

"Boy, we haven't all day," Elphaba prodded him.

"Why don't you have to drink it, too?"

"I've had just about enough of-"

"No, really! If I have to be honest, then so do you! Unless you're really afraid of what you'll say, which sounds to me like you're not any less of a humbug than the Wizard!"

It was actually a pretty smart argument. Not that Elphaba enjoyed that it was; she growled under her breath, and Glinda slid a hand behind the bench to alight on her thigh, since she was reasonably sure her roommate had been about to shoot to her feet and possibly conjure a fireball to rid the boy of his stupid hat.

"I'll agree to the same terms," she said, glancing at the two sisters, who were a little surprised. "You can ask me about things that apply to being a Councilwoman of Oz, or your trial. We'll both take a sip. And Elphie and Nessie don't have to do any such thing, because they are not on trial. Jellia?"

In short order, Glinda had taken a sip. There were things about her relationship with Elphaba that she would rather not mention in front of a full audience, but otherwise, she would only be too glad to explain some of what the three of them had been through without anyone being able to question her honesty. With a shaky sigh, she handed it back to Jellia, who took it over for their prisoner. This time, he took a large swig, even larger than Glinda's, without any hesitation whatsoever.

"Good," Elphaba said, turning to her. "What is your name?"

"Glinda Upland, of the Upperuplands. Formerly Galinda."

The slight smile on her love's lips made her stomach flutter, but she was already asking, "And your age?"

"I… it's twenty-two, now. Isn't it?" That was her honest answer; she had sort of lost track somewhere along the way. They didn't celebrate birthdays in the cave.

"And your weight?"

"Probably about eight… and a half stone." Her cheeks were colouring now; she knew she had put on a little weight, and that made it one of the worst questions Elphaba could have asked her. But it was also a relatively inconsequential way of confirming that she was telling the truth.

"Alright. Now…" Turning back to the dais, she said, "What is your name?"

Something was already different about the boy. His voice was a little different in the same way Glinda's was, devoid of any societal nicety or bravado or any of those other trappings. Earnest and sincere. But that wasn't the most remarkable thing about his answer, even though it had been such a mundane question.

"Ozma."

"What? What did you say?"

"Ozma." He looked very confused by his own words, but he kept on, "But currently Tippetarius Mombi."

There was a startled murmuring all around the room. That one word, Ozma, had stirred up a thousand emotions in all gathered; they knew the power it held. But how preposterous for a boy to be named Ozma at all! Even Elphaba looked incensed, but also quite curious; it really was the water of the Truth Pond, and they had watched it slide down his throat. Even some droplets ran down his chin, so even if he hadn't truly swallowed, there would likely be some compulsion to avoid falsehoods.

"How old are you?"

"I'm… nineteen, as far as I know."

"As far as you know?"

"I haven't had a birthday party that I can ever remember."

Elphaba could sympathise, and Glinda could sympathise with all three of them, so she didn't contribute. As long as she was compelled to tell the truth, she felt more comfortable letting anyone else helm this interrogation. "Fine, fine. Why did you come to the Emerald City?"

"To get away from Mombi."

"But that's your name."

"It's my adoptive mother's name. But she was a bad woman." He slapped a hand over his mouth.

"Oh? Tell us about her. Just the short version; in what ways was she bad?"

"She locked me up and told me my name was Tippetarius Mombi, and that I was her slave. Eventually when I didn't run away, she let me do the chores without being chained up, but… she… would beat me if I disobeyed. Told me that little boys deserved it for being rowdy. And she always told me to cut my hair but I hated cutting it."

"About that," Glinda couldn't help asking. "Why do you keep it so long?"

"Because it feels more natural," he admitted… and his voice was a touch higher in pitch. The way it sounded, the timbre and inflection, Glinda was almost positive that he had been deepening it intentionally before now. "Mombi always wanted me to cut it but I told her 'no'. She would whip me, or send me to bed without supper."

Completely at a loss, and distracted from their goal of finding out what Tip was doing in the Emerald City, Elphaba leaned forward and asked, "What's happening to you right now?"

"I don't know. My voice sounds higher." That much was obvious, but of course, he couldn't tell a lie — and even a pithy joke about it such as "Why don't you tell me?" would have been a sort of lie, after a fashion.

"Why did you say your name is Ozma?" Nessa asked, wanting to get to the heart of that right away. She looked keenly interested, in a way that even Elphaba didn't, who was also leaning forward intently.

"Because it is." He still looked quite shocked to hear his own voice, including the words it was forming, and he was beginning to tremble. "Because… it was the name I had when I was a baby. But I barely remember it, I mostly remember Mombi telling me 'Your name is no longer Ozma, it's going to be Tippetarius from now on'. So now it is."

"But it isn't really?"

"No. It's Ozma."

Silence reigned in the courtroom, even though there had been some mutterings before; everyone was too fascinated to hear what would come next. Elphaba pushed a hand into her mouth, and Glinda could tell her mind was racing; she always got that same look in her eyes. Perhaps Mombi had simply been lying to the boy, but if there was any - any possibility that he had been told the truth, then a decades-old mystery was about to be solved. Glancing at the other two women behind the bench, neither of whom had the slightest idea of what to say, she looked not at Tip, but at Jellia.

"Remove the prisoner's hat."

Tippetarius did flinch back at first, but then seemed embarrassed that he had and let the hat be removed. Instantly, the dark red hair fell down in gentle curls… and seemed to be a little longer than before. With this out in the light, he definitely looked more bashful, the freckles on his cheeks darkening. The effect was unmistakeable.

Almost as one, the entire crowd looked over the door to the courtroom at the portrait of Ozma the Warrior. Perhaps because of her being the most powerful and striking of the Ozma line, the similarities between she and the ragamuffin boy before them were impossible to deny.

"Boy…" Glinda wished she had a less clumsy way to ask, but she couldn't think of one. "Are you a girl?"

This was the first time Tip seemed to fight against the compulsion of the Truth Pond's water. To no avail. "Y-yes."

"Then why are you dressed as a boy?"

"Mombi transformed me into a boy with her powers," he went on, and even while speaking, his body seemed to be changing subtly, his voice lightening, escalating in pitch. There was still a mixture of panic and disbelief in his eyes, even if his tone was absolutely certain. "She figured no one would ever think to look for me if I were a scruffy boy instead of a girl."

Elphaba had a sudden thought. "And… did you know any of this before today?"

"No, ma'am. I knew I was being hidden, but couldn't remember why."

"Are you Ozma, descended from Ozma the Billious?"

"I don't know that. I only can remember growing up with Mombi. But I remember her telling me that my name was no longer Ozma, and that I was a boy, and… and that she would kill me if I ever said otherwise." The last seemed to cost him something to admit, because he shivered.

"Would you be more comfortable if we call you Ozma?" Glinda asked.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't remember that I was Ozma before just now. I'm Tip." Tears were streaming down his cheeks by now.

"Would you rather be called Ozma?" Nessa asked, head tilted very slightly. Glinda had to admit that she would never have thought to change the phrasing of the question in that way. "Does that sound more correct to you than Tippetarius?"

"I… I don't know. I don't know!"

Unable to help herself, Glinda stepped out from behind the bench. "I'm not going to hurt you," she said when he flinched. "And you know that's the truth, don't you?"

"I do."

"You seem like a nice… boy." She wasn't sure which to pick now, but decided to stick with the previously-accepted pronoun until it was proven otherwise. As she continued, she walked to the dais and stepped up onto it with him, which caused fresh mutterings to break out in the crowd; that was highly unusual in the middle of a trial. "I'm sorry we asked about all this in here, where you had to tell everyone the truth. We didn't mean to make you embarrassed, but we had to make sure you weren't going to interfere with our plans."

"And what are your plans?" he asked smoothly.

"To help the Animals. And to remove the Wizard and Morrible from positions of power, so they couldn't keep hunting us and corrupting the government." She hadn't meant to say the last bit, but it came tumbling out because of the water.

"And how long have you been planning this?"

"Not very long. I didn't want anything to do with that at first; Elphie was the one who wanted to help the Animals the most. But after being chased around Oz for two years, it seemed like we either stopped them, or we would be killed or put in prison. So we had to plan a way to get in here and capture them."

The crowd muttered a little about that, as well, and she cast a helpless frown over at Elphaba. For her part, she was completely unflustered.

"Did you plan to kill the Wizard?"

Even as she was trying to keep her mouth shut, it was already saying, "Yes, if he didn't listen to reason or try to negotiate with us. After all, he'd already sent an innocent little girl to kill us; he would have deserved it." Before that moment, she hadn't been entirely certain she believed the Wizard did deserve a death sentence. Apparently, deep down, she did.

"Guess I can understand that," Tip said — and with every passing second, he looked less like a "Tip" and more like an "Ozma". Still rather stout and toned, quite strong, but his hips were a little wider, his neck a little more slender. The Adam's apple had more or less vanished. That confirmed something Glinda had been wondering: this Mombi character had definitely cast a spell on the baby, not just stuck her in boys' clothes and told her that her name was Tip.

For she was Ozma. There was no sense in pretending now that the magic of the Pond had revealed her.

She put an arm around Ozma's shoulders and leaned in close. "I'm sorry. This must be very strange. But… I think we have to call you 'Ozma' now, because you're definitely she who was descended from the throne of Oz."

"I must be," she replied with a lopsided smile. "It doesn't sound like a very common name."

"Actually, it's illegal to name a common child Ozma, and considered to be in very poor taste besides," Nessa supplied. "Disrespectful to the throne. Well… it was before the Wizard's reign, at least."

"Oh."

Glinda lowered her voice. "But you're really a very sweet looking, um, young lady. I thought so when you were still Tip." She hadn't meant for that to pop out, and cursed the water in her belly yet again. "A-anyway… do you still think we're trying to pull a fast one on the whole Land of Oz?"

"No." The answer seemed to surprise the younger woman, as if she hadn't realised it before that moment. "Well… you can't lie if I can't lie."

"Exactly. So are you going to keep challenging us to duels and other preposterosities?"

Even while Ozma-nee-Tip was shaking her head, looking thoroughly ashamed of being so hasty and reckless, Jellia cleared her throat. When both Pond-influenced women turned to her, she ducked her green tinted head.

"Begging your pardon, Councilwoman… but I think you have something else to consider."

"Hmm?"

A highly stunned Nessa answered for her. "She's Princess Ozma. We… I mean, I know she wasn't raised to take the throne, but…"

"The rightful heir has appeared," Elphaba finished. Her face was a lighter shade of green than Glinda could ever remember seeing it, as were the faces of every member of the gathered observers. Ozma was trying not to look like she wanted to sink down into the dais due to a roomful of stares. "This changes literally everything."

                                             END OF PART TWO

[theadmiringbog]

We had one thing that Blockbuster did not: a culture that valued people over process, emphasized innovation over efficiency, and had very few controls.

--

The Netflix Culture Deck, a set of 127 slides originally intended for internal use but that Reed shared widely on the internet in 2009.                

--

Quite apart from the question of whether it is ethical to fire hardworking employees who don’t manage to do extraordinary work, these slides struck me as pure bad management. They violate the principle that Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson calls “psychological safety.” In her 2018 book, The Fearless Organization, she explains that if you want to encourage innovation, you should develop an environment where people feel safe to dream, speak up, and take risks. The safer the atmosphere, the more innovation you will have.                 

Apparently, no one at Netflix read that book. Seek to hire the very best and then inject fear into your talented employees by telling them they’ll be thrown back out onto the “generous severance” scrap heap if they don’t excel? This sounded like a surefire way to kill any hope of innovation.                 

“Honesty sometimes” we can all get behind. But a blanket policy of “honesty always” sounds like a great way to break relationships, crush motivation, and create an unpleasant work environment. Overall, the Netflix Culture Deck struck me as hypermasculine, excessively confrontational, and downright aggressive—perhaps a reflection of the kind of company you might expect to be constructed by an engineer with a somewhat mechanistic, rationalist view of human nature. 

Yet despite all this, one fact cannot be denied . . . NETFLIX HAS BEEN REMARKABLY SUCCESSFUL                

--

If you give employees more freedom instead of developing processes to prevent them from exercising their own judgment, they will make better decisions and it’s easier to hold them accountable.                

--

Steve Jobs said: 

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something—your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”                 

The point is to encourage people to question how the dots are connected. In most organizations, people join the dots the same way that everyone else does and always has done. This preserves the status quo. But one day someone comes along and connects the dots in a different way, which leads to an entirely different understanding of the world.                

--

FIRST STEPS TO A CULTURE OF FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY 

First build up talent density . . . 

1 ▶ A Great Workplace Is Stunning Colleagues 

Then increase candor . . . 

2 ▶ Say What You Really Think (with Positive Intent) 

Now begin removing controls . . . 

3a ▶ Remove Vacation Policy 

3b ▶ Remove Travel and Expense Approvals 

--

Talent density: Talented people make one another more effective

--

Every employee has some talent. When we’d been 120 people, we had some employees who were extremely talented and others who were mildly talented. Overall we had a fair amount of talent dispersed across the workforce. After the layoffs, with only the most talented eighty people, we had a smaller amount of talent overall, but the amount of talent per employee was greater. Our talent “density” had increased.                

--

We learned that a company with really dense talent is a company everyone wants to work for. High performers especially thrive in environments where the overall talent density is high.                

--

If you have a team of five stunning employees and two adequate ones, the adequate ones will sap managers’ energy, so they have less time for the top performers, reduce the quality of group discussions, lowering the team’s overall IQ, force others to develop ways to work around them, reducing efficiency, drive staff who seek excellence to quit, and show the team you accept mediocrity, thus multiplying the problem.                

--

If you have a group with a few merely adequate performers, their performance is likely to spread, bringing down the performance of the entire organization.                

--

A fast and innovative workplace is made up of what we call “stunning colleagues”—highly talented people, of diverse backgrounds and perspectives, who are exceptionally creative, accomplish significant amounts of important work, and collaborate effectively. What’s more, none of the other principles can work unless you have ensured this first dot is in place.                

--

TAKEAWAYS FROM CHAPTER 1 

Your number one goal as a leader is to develop a work environment consisting exclusively of stunning colleagues. 

Stunning colleagues accomplish significant amounts of important work and are exceptionally creative and passionate. 

Jerks, slackers, sweet people with nonstellar performance, or pessimists left on the team will bring down the performance of everyone.                

--

At Netflix, it is tantamount to being disloyal to the company if you fail to speak up when you disagree with a colleague or have feedback that could be helpful. After all, you could help the business—but you are choosing not to.                

--

If you would like to develop a culture of candor in your own organization or on your own team, you can take several steps. First, get employees to give candid feedback to the boss.   

--              

Your behavior while you’re getting the feedback is a critical factor. You must show the employee that it’s safe to give feedback by responding to all criticism with gratitude and, above all, by providing “belonging cues.” As Daniel Coyle, author of The Culture Code, describes them, such cues are gestures that indicate “your feedback makes you a more important member of this tribe” or “you were candid with me and that in no way puts your job or our relationship in danger; you belong here.”                

--

Ted is not a typical media mogul. He didn’t finish college, and he acquired his film education working in Arizona video stores.                

--

Giving Feedback 

AIM TO ASSIST: Feedback must be given with positive intent. Giving feedback in order to get frustration off your chest, intentionally hurting the other person, or furthering your political agenda is not tolerated. Clearly explain how a specific behavior change will help the individual or the company, not how it will help you. “The way you pick your teeth in meetings with external partners is irritating” is wrong feedback. Right feedback would be, “If you stop picking your teeth in external partner meetings, the partners are more likely to see you as professional, and we’re more likely to build a strong relationship.” 

ACTIONABLE: Your feedback must focus on what the recipient can do differently. Wrong feedback to me in Cuba would have been to stop at the comment, “Your presentation is undermining its own messages.” Right feedback was, “The way you ask the audience for input is resulting in only Americans participating.” Even better would have been: “If you can find a way to solicit contributions from other nationalities in the room your presentation will be more powerful.”                

--

Receiving Feedback 

APPRECIATE: Natural human inclination is to provide a defense or excuse when receiving criticism; we all reflexively seek to protect our egos and reputation. When you receive feedback, you need to fight this natural reaction and instead ask yourself, “How can I show appreciation for this feedback by listening carefully, considering the message with an open mind, and becoming neither defensive nor angry?” 

ACCEPT OR DISCARD: You will receive lots of feedback from lots of people while at Netflix. You are required to listen and consider all feedback provided. You are not required to follow it. Say “thank you” with sincerity. But both you and the provider must understand that the decision to react to the feedback is entirely up to the recipient.                

--

TAKEAWAYS FROM CHAPTER 2 

With candor, high performers become outstanding performers. 

Frequent candid feedback exponentially magnifies the speed and effectiveness of your team or workforce. 

Set the stage for candor by building feedback moments into your regular meetings. 

Coach your employees to give and receive feedback effectively, following the 4A guidelines. 

As the leader, solicit feedback frequently and respond with belonging cues when you receive it. 

Get rid of jerks as you instill a culture of candor.                

--

SECTION TWO NEXT STEPS TO A CULTURE OF FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY 

Fortify talent density . . . 

4 ▶ Pay Top of Personal Market Pump up candor . . . 

5 ▶ Open the Books Now remove more controls . . . 

6 ▶ No Decision-making Approvals Needed 

In the coming section, we’ll take the process of implementing a culture of Freedom and Responsibility to a deeper level.                 

--

According to a study by Michael Slepian, a professor of management at Columbia Business School, the average person keeps thirteen secrets, five of which he or she has never shared with anyone else. A typical manager, I would suggest, has even more.  

According to Slepian, if you are anything like an average person, there’s a 47 percent chance that one of your secrets involves a violation of trust, a 60-plus percent chance that it involves a lie or a financial impropriety, and a roughly 33 percent chance that it involves a theft, some sort of hidden relationship, or unhappiness at work.                

--

SOS (Stuff Of Secrets) information at work might be things like the following: 

You are considering a reorganization and people might lose their jobs. 

You’ve fired an employee but explaining why would hurt his reputation. 

You have “secret sauce”: information you don’t want to leak out to your competitors. 

You made a mistake that could hurt your reputation, maybe ruin your career. 

Two leaders are in conflict, and if their teams knew, it would lead to unrest. 

Employees could go to jail if they share certain financial data with a friend.                

--

TECHNIQUES TO REINFORCE A CULTURE OF FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY 

Max up talent density . . . 

7 ▶ The Keeper Test Max up candor . . . 

8 ▶ A Circle of Feedback And eliminate most controls . . . ! 

9 ▶ Lead with Context, Not Control 

This section focuses on practical techniques you can implement in your team or organization in order to reinforce the concepts we’ve covered in the first two sections.                

--

With our dispersed decision-making model, if you pick the very best people and they pick the very best people (and so on down the line) great things will happen. Ted calls this the “hierarchy of picking” and it’s what a workforce built on high talent density is all about.                

--

To achieve the highest level of talent density you have to be prepared to make tough calls. If you’re serious about talent density, you have to get in the habit of doing something a lot harder: firing a good employee when you think you can get a great one. 

One of the reasons this is so difficult in many companies is because business leaders are continually telling their employees, “We are a family.” But a high-talent-density work environment is not a family. 

A FAMILY IS ABOUT STAYING TOGETHER REGARDLESS OF “PERFORMANCE”                

--

A professional sports team is a good metaphor for high talent density because athletes on professional teams: Demand excellence, counting on the manager to make sure every position is filled by the best person at any given time. Train to win, expecting to receive candid and continuous feedback about how to up their game from the coach and from one another. Know effort isn’t enough, recognizing that, if they put in a B performance despite an A for effort, they will be thanked and respectfully swapped out for another player. On                

--

WE ARE A TEAM, NOT A FAMILY                

--

THE KEEPER TEST                

To help managers on the judgment calls, we talk about the Keeper Test: 

IF A PERSON ON YOUR TEAM WERE TO QUIT TOMORROW, WOULD YOU TRY TO CHANGE THEIR MIND? OR WOULD YOU ACCEPT THEIR RESIGNATION, PERHAPS WITH A LITTLE RELIEF? IF THE LATTER, YOU SHOULD GIVE THEM A SEVERANCE PACKAGE NOW, AND LOOK FOR A STAR, SOMEONE YOU WOULD FIGHT TO KEEP.                 

--

Leslie Kilgore was incredible for us as chief marketing officer, and she was instrumental in our culture, our battle with Blockbuster, and our growth overall. She was, and is, a great business thinker. But with House of Cards launching, and a future of marketing titles rather than making offers, I knew we needed someone with deep Hollywood studio experience, partially to make up for my own lack of showbiz knowledge. So I let go of Leslie, but she was willing to serve on our board, so she has become one of my bosses and has been a great company director for many years.                

--

I tell my bosses, the board of directors, that I should be treated no differently. They shouldn’t have to wait for me to fail to replace me. They should replace me once they have a potential CEO who is likely to be more effective. I find it motivating that I have to play for my position every quarter, and I try to keep improving myself to stay ahead.                

--

There is one Netflix guideline that, if practiced religiously, would force everyone to be either radically candid or radically quiet: “Only say about someone what you will say to their face.”

[wonderlyshyah1995]

How To Save Your Marriage By Yourself Eye-Opening Tips

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[historybehindassassinscreed]

In Game:

Richard I, commonly known as Richard the Lionheart, was the King of England from 1189 until his death in 1199. He was the second monarch of the House of Plantagenet. He was also the commander of the Crusader army during the Third Crusade and was considered a great military leader and warrior.

Prompted by Saladin's recapture of Jerusalem, Richard vowed to go on crusade. He was crowned king in September 1189 and, after remaining in England for only six months, set off for the Holy Land. During his journey, Richard scored a series of successes, notably conquering Sicily and retaking Acre.

In 1191, Richard departed from Acre with his army to move south, and left William of Montferrat as Regent Lord of Acre, unaware that William was secretly a member of the Templar conspiracy who intended to betray him. Fortunately for the oblivious Richard, William was killed by the Assassin Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad soon after Richard had left Acre.

Under Richard, the Crusaders eventually reached Arsuf, where they engaged Saladin's army. Here they were approached by Altaïr, the Assassin responsible for killing not only William of Montferrat, but also the leaders of the Knights Hospitalier, Garnier de Naplouse, and of the Knights Teutonic, Sibrand.

Altaïr then claimed that Robert de Sablé, Grand Master of the Knights Templar and one of the generals working alongside Richard, intended to betray the king. However, Robert insisted that Altaïr's story was merely a ruse to keep Richard from interfering in the Assassin's mission.

Unsure on who to believe, Richard left the decision in the hands of God, declaring that Robert and his Templars were to fight Altaïr in a trial by combat. Altaïr proved the victor, and so Richard accepted the Assassin's version of events. Richard and Altaïr then discussed the philosophies of war and peace, with Richard admitting that he was not yet ready for peace with Saladin. As Altaïr left, saying that he needed to confront the faults of his Master, Richard reminded him that Al Mualim was merely human, just as he was.

The revelation that his conflict with the Saracens had been exploited by the Templars eventually led Richard to make peace with Saladin. He would then head back home in 1192.

In Real Life:

Richard I of England was born on September 6th, 1157 in Oxford, England to King Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. He was a younger brother of Count William IX of Poitiers, Henry the Young King and Duchess Matilda of Saxony. As the third legitimate son of King Henry II, he was not expected to ascend the throne.

In 1169, King Henry and King Louis VII of France agreed that Richard should be wed to Louis's daughter Alice. This engagement was to last for some time, although Richard never showed any interest in her; Alice was sent from her home to live with the court in England, while Richard stayed with his holdings in France.

Brought up among the people he was to govern, Richard soon learned how to deal with the aristocracy. But his relationship with his father had some serious problems. He possessed considerable political and military ability. However, like his brothers, he fought with his family, joining them in the great rebellion against their father in 1173. He displayed considerable military skill and earned a reputation for courage (the quality that led to his nickname of Richard the Lionheart), but he dealt so harshly with the rebels that they called on his brothers to help drive him from Aquitaine. Now his father interceded on his behalf, fearing the fragmentation of the empire he had built (the "Angevin" Empire, after Henry's lands of Anjou). However, no sooner had King Henry gathered his continental armies together than the younger Henry unexpectedly died, and the rebellion crumpled. In 1183 his brother Henry died, leaving Richard heir to the throne. Henry II wanted to give Aquitaine to his youngest son, John. Richard refused and, in 1189, joined forces with Philip II of France against his father, hounding him to a premature death in July 1189.

(Image source)

As the oldest surviving son, Richard the Lionheart was now heir to England, Normandy, and Anjou. In light of his extensive holdings, his father wanted him to cede Aquitaine to his brother John, who had never had any territory to govern and was known as "Lackland." But Richard had a deep attachment to the duchy. Rather than give it up, he turned to the king of France, Louis's son Philip II, with whom Richard had developed a firm political and personal friendship. In November of 1188 Richard paid homage to Philip for all his holdings in France, then joined forces with him to drive his father into submission.

They forced Henry -- who had indicated a willingness to name John his heir -- to acknowledge Richard as heir to the English throne before hounding him to his death in July, 1189.

Ever since Saladin had captured Jerusalem in 1187, Richard's greatest ambition was to go to the Holy Land and take it back. His father had agreed to engage in Crusade along with Philip, and a "Saladin Tithe" had been levied in England and France to raise funds for the endeavor. Now Richard took full advantage of the Saladin Tithe and the military apparatus that had been formed; he drew heavily from the royal treasury and sold anything that might bring him funds -- offices, castles, lands, towns, lordships.

In less than a year after his accession to the throne, Richard the Lionheart raised a substantial fleet and an impressive army to take on Crusade.

Philip and Richard agreed to go to the Holy Land together, but not all was well between them. The French king wanted some of the lands that Henry had held, and that were now in Richard's hands, which he believed rightfully belonged to France. Richard was not about to relinquish any of his holdings; in fact, he shored up the defenses of these lands and prepared for conflict. But neither king really wanted war with each other, especially with a Crusade awaiting their attention.

In fact, the Crusading spirit was strong in Europe at this time. Although there were always nobles who wouldn't put up a farthing for the effort, the vast majority of the European nobility were devout believers of the virtue and necessity of Crusade. Most of those who didn't take up arms themselves still supported the Crusading movement any way that they could. And right now, both Richard and Philip were being shown up by the septuagenarian German emperor, Frederick Barbarossa, who had already pulled together an army and set off for the Holy Land.

(Image source)

In July of 1190 the Crusaders set off. They stopped at Messina, Sicily, in part because it served as an excellent point of departure from Europe to the Holy Land, but also because Richard had business with King Tancred. The new monarch had refused to hand over the bequest the late king had left to Richard's father, and was witholding the dower owed to his predecessor's widow and keeping her in close confinement.

This was of special concern to Richard the Lionheart, because the widow was his favorite sister, Joan. To complicate matters, the Crusaders were clashing with the citizens of Messina.

Richard resolved these problems in a matter of days. He demanded (and got) Joan's release, but when her dower was not forthcoming he began taking control of strategic fortifications. When the unrest between the Crusaders and the townfolk flared into a riot, he personally quelled it with his own troops.

Three days out of Messina, Richard the Lionheart and his fleet ran into a terrible storm. When it was over, about 25 ships were missing. In fact the missing ships had been blown further on, and three of them (though not the one Richard's family were on) had been driven aground in Cyprus. Some of the crews and passengers had drowned; the ships had been plundered and the survivors were imprisoned. All of this had occurred under the governance of Isaac Ducas Comnenus, the Greek "tyrant" of Cyprus, who had at one point entered into an agreement with Saladin to protect the government he'd set up in opposition to the ruling Angelus family of Constantinople.

Richard the Lionheart successfully invaded the island, then attacked against the odds, and won. The Cypriots surrendered, Isaac submitted, and Richard took possession of Cyprus for England. This was of great strategic value, since Cyprus would prove to be an important part of the supply line of goods and troops from Europe to the Holy Land. Before Richard the Lionheart left Cyprus, he married Berengaria of Navarre on May 12th, 1191.

Richard's first success in the Holy Land, after having sunk an enormous supply ship encountered on the way, was the capture of Acre. The city had been under siege by Crusaders for two years, and the work Philip had done upon his arrival to mine and sap the walls contributed to its fall.

(Image source)

However, Richard not only brought an overwhelming force, he spent considerable time examining the situation and planning his attack before he even got there. It was almost inevitable that Acre should fall to Richard the Lionheart, and indeed, the city surrendered mere weeks after the king arrived. Shortly afterward, Philip returned to France.

Although Richard the Lionheart scored a surprising and masterful victory at Arsuf, he was unable to press his advantage. Saladin had decided to destroy Ascalon, a logical fortification for Richard to capture. Taking and rebuilding Ascalon in order to more securely establish a supply line made good strategic sense, but few of his followers were interested in anything but moving on to Jerusalem. And fewer still were willing to stay on once, theroretically, Jerusalem was captured.

Matters were complicated by quarrels among the various contingents and Richard's own high-handed style of diplomacy. After considerable political wrangling, Richard came to the unavoidable conclusion that the conquest of Jerusalem would be far too difficult with the lack of military strategy he'd encountered from his allies; furthermore, it would be virtually impossible to keep the Holy City should by some miracle he manage to take it. He negotiated a truce with Saladin that allowed the Crusaders to keep Acre and a strip of coast that gave Christian pilgrims access to sites of sacred significance, then headed back to Europe.

Bad weather forced Richard's ship to put in at Corfu, in the lands of the Byzantine Emperor Isaac II Angelos, who objected to Richard's annexation of Cyprus, formerly Byzantine territory. Disguised as a Knight Templar, Richard sailed from Corfu with four attendants, but his ship was wrecked near Aquileia, forcing Richard and his party into a dangerous land route through central Europe. On his way to the territory of his brother-in-law Henry the Lion, Richard was captured shortly before Christmas 1192 near Vienna by Leopold V, Duke of Austria, who accused Richard of arranging the murder of his cousin Conrad of Montferrat. Moreover, Richard had personally offended Leopold by casting down his standard from the walls of Acre.

Duke Leopold kept him prisoner at Dürnstein Castle under the care of Leopold's ministerialis Hadmar of Kuenring. His mishap was soon known to England, but the regents were for some weeks uncertain of his whereabouts. While in prison, Richard wrote Ja nus hons pris or Ja nuls om pres ("No man who is imprisoned"), which is addressed to his half-sister Marie de Champagne.

The detention of a crusader was contrary to public law, and on these grounds Pope Celestine III excommunicated Duke Leopold.

(Image source)

The emperor demanded that 150,000 marks (100,000 pounds of silver) be delivered to him before he would release the king, the same amount raised by the Saladin tithe only a few years earlier, and 2–3 times the annual income for the English Crown under Richard. Eleanor of Aquitaine worked to raise the ransom. Both clergy and laymen were taxed for a quarter of the value of their property, the gold and silver treasures of the churches were confiscated, and money was raised from the scutage and the carucage taxes. At the same time, John, Richard's brother, and King Philip of France offered 80,000 marks for the Emperor to hold Richard prisoner until Michaelmas 1194. The emperor turned down the offer. The money to rescue the King was transferred to Germany by the emperor's ambassadors, but "at the king's peril" (had it been lost along the way, Richard would have been held responsible), and finally, on February 4th, 1194 Richard was released.

In Richard's absence, his brother John revolted with the aid of Philip; amongst Philip's conquests in the period of Richard's imprisonment was Normandy. Richard forgave John when they met again and named him as his heir in place of their nephew, Arthur.

Richard began his reconquest of Normandy. The fall of the Château de Gisors to the French in 1196 opened a gap in the Norman defences. The search began for a fresh site for a new castle to defend the duchy of Normandy and act as a base from which Richard could launch his campaign to take back the Vexin from French control.

In the early evening of March 25th, 1199, Richard was walking around the castle perimeter without his chain mail, investigating the progress of sappers on the castle walls. Missiles were occasionally shot from the castle walls, but these were given little attention. One defender in particular amused the king greatly—a man standing on the walls, crossbow in one hand, the other clutching a frying pan he had been using all day as a shield to beat off missiles. He deliberately aimed at the king, which the king applauded; however, another crossbowman then struck the king in the left shoulder near the neck. He tried to pull this out in the privacy of his tent but failed; a surgeon, called a "butcher" by Howden, removed it, "carelessly mangling" the King's arm in the process.

The wound swiftly became gangrenous. Richard asked to have the crossbowman brought before him; called alternatively Pierre (or Peter) Basile, John Sabroz, Dudo, and Bertrand de Gourdon (from the town of Gourdon) by chroniclers, the man turned out (according to some sources, but not all) to be a boy. He said Richard had killed his father and two brothers, and that he had killed Richard in revenge. He expected to be executed, but as a final act of mercy Richard forgave him, saying "Live on, and by my bounty behold the light of day", before he ordered the boy to be freed and sent away with 100 shillings. It is unclear whether the King's pardon was upheld following his death. Richard then set his affairs in order, bequeathing all his territory to his brother John and his jewels to his nephew Otto.

Richard died on April 6th, 1199. Richard's heart was buried at Rouen in Normandy, his entrails in Châlus (where he died), and the rest of his body at the feet of his father at Fontevraud Abbey in Anjou. In 2012, scientists analyzed the remains of Richard's heart and found that it had been embalmed with various substances, including frankincense, a symbolically important substance because it had been present both at the birth and embalming of the Christ.

In the historiography of the second half of the 20th century much interest was shown in Richard's sexuality, in particular whether there was cogent evidence of homosexuality. The topic had not been raised by Victorian or Edwardian historians, a fact which was itself denounced as a "conspiracy of silence" by John Harvey (1948). The argument primarily drew on accounts of Richard's behavior, as well as of his confessions and penitences, and of his childless marriage. Richard did have at least one illegitimate child (Philip of Cognac), and there are reports on his sexual relations with local women during his campaigns. Historians remain divided on the question of Richard's sexuality, although many have concluded that he was, in fact, bisexual.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_I_of_England

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/richard_i_king.shtml

https://www.thoughtco.com/richard-the-lionheart-1789371

http://themiddleages.net/people/richard_lionheart.html

[sataniccapitalist]

It’s Pretty Much Inevitable That Trump Will Try To Stage A Coup And Overthrow Democracy, An Interview With Timothy Snyder, Yale Historian

Oct 25, 2017 | Articles, civil liberties, Civil Unrest, Collapse of Industrial Civilization, Empire, Resistance, Tyranny

Reposted from Salon

American democracy is in crisis. The election of Donald Trump feels like a state of emergency made normal.

Trump has threatened violence against his political enemies. He has made clear he does not believe in the norms and traditions of American democracy — unless they serve his interests. Trump and his advisers consider a free press to be enemies of his regime. Trump repeatedly lies and has a profoundly estranged relationship with empirical reality. He uses obvious and naked racism, nativism and bigotry to mobilize his voters and to disparage entire groups of people such as Latinos and Muslims.

Trump is threatening to eliminate an independent judiciary and wants to punish judges who dare to stand against his illegal and unconstitutional mandates. In what appears to be a violation of the emoluments clause of the Constitution, Trump is using the office of the presidency to enrich himself, his family and his inner circle by peddling influence and access to corporations, foreign countries and wealthy individuals. Trump and his representatives also believe that he is above the law and cannot be prosecuted for any crimes while in office.

What can the American people do to resist Donald Trump? What lessons can history teach about the rise of authoritarianism and fascism and how democracies collapse? Are there ways that individuals can fight back on a daily basis and in their own personal lives against the political and cultural forces that gave rise to Trump’s movement? How long does American democracy have before the poison that Donald Trump and the Republican Party injected into the country’s body politic becomes lethal?

In an effort to answer these questions, I recently spoke with Timothy Snyder, a professor of history at Yale University. He is the award-winning author of numerous books including the recent “Black Earth: The Holocaust as History and Warning” and “Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin.” Snyder’s new book, “On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century,” explores how the American people can fight back against Donald Trump’s incipient authoritarian regime.

Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity. A longer version can be heard on my podcast, available on Salon’s Featured Audio page.

The election of Donald Trump is a crisis for American democracy. How did this happen?

We asked for it by saying that history was over in 1989 [with the end of the Cold War]. By saying that nothing bad could [ever] happen again, we were basically inviting something bad to happen.

Our story about how nothing could [ever] go wrong was a story about how human nature is the free market and the free market brings democracy, so everything is hunky-dory — and of course every part of that story is nonsense. The Greeks understood that democracy is likely to produce oligarchy because if you don’t have some mechanism to get inequality under control then people with the most money will likely take full control.

With Trump, one sees the new variant of this where a candidate can run by saying, “Look, we all know — wink, wink, nudge, nudge — that this isn’t really a democracy anymore.” He doesn’t use the words but basically says, “We all know this is really an oligarchy, so let me be your oligarch.” Although it’s nonsense and of course he’s a con man and will betray everyone, it makes sense only in this climate of inequality.

In my writing and interviews, I have consistently referred to Donald Trump as a fascist. I have received a great deal of resistance to that claim. Do you think this description is correct? If not, then what language should we use to describe Donald Trump?

One of the problems with American discourse is that we just assume everybody is a friendly democratic parliamentarian pluralist until proven otherwise. And then even when it’s proven otherwise we don’t have any vocabulary for it. He’s a “dictator.” He’s an “authoritarian.” He’s “Hitler.” We just toss these words around.

The pushback that you are talking about is 95 percent bad. Americans do not want to think that there is an alternative to what we have. Therefore, as soon as you say “fascism” or whatever it might be, then the American response is to say “no” because we lack the categories that allow us to think outside of the box that we are no longer in.

Is this a function of American exceptionalism?

Yes, it is. We made a move towards intellectual isolationism in a world where no kind of isolationism is possible. The fact that democracies usually fail is a rule which can’t apply to us. If you examine American society, there are high points and low points. But there is certainly nothing which puts us in a different category than other people who have failed, whether it’s historically or whether it’s now.

I don’t want to dodge your question about whether Trump is a fascist or not. As I see it, there are certainly elements of his approach which are fascistic. The straight-on confrontation with the truth is at the center of the fascist worldview. The attempt to undo the Enlightenment as a way to undo institutions, that is fascism.

Whether he realizes it or not is a different question, but that’s what fascists did. They said, “Don’t worry about the facts; don’t worry about logic. Think instead in terms of mystical unities and direct connections between the mystical leader and the people.” That’s fascism. Whether we see it or not, whether we like it or not, whether we forget, that is fascism.

Another thing that’s clearly fascist about Trump were the rallies. The way that he used the language, the blunt repetitions, the naming of the enemies, the physical removal of opponents from rallies, that was really, without exaggeration, just like the 1920s and the 1930s.

And Mr. [Steve] Bannon’s preoccupation with the 1930s and his kind of wishful reclamation of Italian and other fascists speaks for itself.

How did the news media and others get this so wrong? Why did they underestimate the threat posed by Donald Trump and his movement?

What we ended up with, from Bill Clinton onward, is a status quo party and an “undo the system” party, where the Democrats became the status quo party and the Republicans became the “undo the system” party. In that constellation it’s very hard to think of change because one party is in favor of things being the way they are, just slightly better, and the other party has this big idea of undoing everything, although it’s unclear what that really means in practice. So no one is actually articulating how you address the problems of the day, the greatest of which would be inequality. When neither party is creative, then it’s hard for scholars to get their ideas into meaningful circulation.

Why is Trump not being held accountable for all of his failures, scandals and incompetence?

Mr. Trump is primarily a television personality. As such, he is judged by that standard. This means that a scandal does not call forth a response; it calls forth the desire for a bigger scandal. It just whets the appetite for a bigger scandal because a television serial has to work on that logic. It’s almost as though he has to produce these outrageous things because what else would he be doing?

I think another part of it has to do with attention span. It’s not so much a lack of outrage; people are in fact outraged. But in order for a scandal to have political logic, the outrage has to be followed by the research. It has to be followed by the investigation. It has to be followed by an official finding.

In your book you discuss the idea that Donald Trump will have his own version of Hitler’s Reichstag fire to expand his power and take full control of the government by declaring a state of emergency. How do you think that would play out?

Let me make just two points. The first is that I think it’s pretty much inevitable that they will try. The reason I think that is that the conventional ways of being popular are not working out for them. The conventional way to be popular or to be legitimate in this country is to have some policies, to grow your popularity ratings and to win some elections. I don’t think 2018 is looking very good for the Republicans along those conventional lines — not just because the president is historically unpopular. It’s also because neither the White House nor Congress have any policies which the majority of the public like.

This means they could be seduced by the notion of getting into a new rhythm of politics, one that does not depend upon popular policies and electoral cycles.

Whether it works or not depends upon whether when something terrible happens to this country, we are aware that the main significance of it is whether or not we are going to be more or less free citizens in the future.

My gut feeling is that Trump and his administration will try and that it won’t work. Not so much because we are so great but because we have a little bit of time to prepare. I also think that there are enough people and enough agencies of the government who have also thought about this and would not necessarily go along.

What can citizens do? What would your call to action be?

The whole point of my new book, “On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century,” is that we have a century of wisdom and very smart people who confronted situations like our own — but usually more demanding — and that wisdom can be condensed.

What my book does is it goes across the arc of regime change, from the beginning to the end, and it provides things ranging from simpler to harder that people can literally do every day.

The thing that matters the most is to realize that in moments like this your actions really do matter. It is ironic but in an authoritarian regime-change situation, the individual matters more than [in] a democracy. In an authoritarian regime change, at the beginning the individual has a special kind of power because the authoritarian regime depends on a certain kind of consent. Which means that if you are conscious of the moment that you are in, you can find the ways not to express your consent and you can also find the little ways to be a barrier. If enough people do that, it really can make a difference — but again only at the beginning.

What are some of the more difficult and challenging things that people can do?

The last lesson in “On Tyranny” is to be as courageous as you can. Do you actually care enough about freedom that you would take risks? Do individuals actually care about freedom? Think that through. I think if enough of us take the little risks at the beginning, which aren’t really that significant, this will prevent us from having to take bigger risks down the line.

We are still at a stage where protest is not illegal. We’re still at a stage where protest is not lethal. Those are the two big thresholds. We are still on the good side of both of those thresholds and so now is the time you want to pack in as much as you can because you could actually divert things. Once you get into a world where protest is illegal, then the things that I recommend like corporeal politics, getting out on the streets — they have to happen but they are much riskier. It’s a much different kind of decision.

How much time does American democracy have left before this poison becomes lethal and there is no path of return?

You have to accept there is a time frame. Nobody can be sure how long this particular regime change with Trump will take, but there is a clock, and the clock really is ticking. It’s three years on the outside, but in more likelihood something like a year. In January 2018 we will probably have a pretty good idea which way this thing is going. It’s going to depend more on us than on them in the meantime. Once you get past a certain threshold, it starts to depend more on them than on us, and then things are much, much worse. It makes me sad to think how Americans would behave at that point.

Then Trump and his forces have the momentum because again we the American people are up against the clock.

I hate to sound like a self-help person but I’m going to. Every day you don’t do something, it makes it less likely that you will ever do something. So you’ve got to get started right away. “On Tyranny” is a suggestion of things that everyone can do. There are plenty of other great ideas from people coming from other traditions, but the basic thing is you have to change your protocol of daily behavior now.

Don’t obey in advance because you have to start by orienting yourself against the general drift of things. If you can manage that, then the other lessons — such as supporting existing political and social institutions, supporting the truth and so on — those things will then come relatively easily if you can follow the first one, which is to get out of the drift, to recognize that this is the moment where you have to not behave as you did in October 2016. You have to set your own habits now.

http://carolynbaker.net/2017/10/25/its-pretty-much-inevitable-that-trump-will-try-to-stage-a-coup-and-overthrow-democracy-an-interview-with-timothy-snyder-yale-historian/

[lodelss]

Livia Gershon | Longreads | September 2019 | 9 minutes (2,264 words)

Andrew Yang, presidential candidate, serial entrepreneur, and icon of Silicon Valley futurism, has a vision. As you know if you’ve ever heard his name, Yang supports a universal basic income, $1,000 a month paid by the government to every American citizen, from part-time baristas to millionaire bond traders. To Yang, the UBI, as it’s called, is the answer to nearly every question about the economy. For out-of-work machinists, it’s a cushion that would make it possible to reorient to a new job. For would-be entrepreneurs, it’s the cost of ramen and a bed while they hustle to get off the ground. For stay-at-home parents, it’s recognition and support for crucial unpaid labor. For down-on-their-luck towns, it’s an economic stimulus plan.

“This is the trickle up economy from our people, families, and communities—up,” Yang told Face the Nation in August. “It will create over two million new jobs in our communities because the money will go right into local mainstream businesses, to car repairs, daycare expenses, Little League sign-ups.”

The plan is ambitious. Yang estimates that it will cost $1.3 trillion, more than a quarter of the current federal budget. That’s probably part of its appeal to the mismatched collection of libertarians, former Bernie Sanders supporters, and tech guys who have helped put Yang within the top ten candidates in a crowded Democratic field.

The plan is also deeply flawed. Yang’s diagnosis of the problems that exist in the U.S. economy pits successful people against “normal” ones, preserves the status of the wealthiest Americans, and fits into a vision for federal spending that isn’t all that progressive. Yang’s campaign is doing an effective job of introducing the idea of universal basic income to millions of people, but it’s not showing how transformative a guaranteed stipend can really be.

***

Over and over in debates and TV appearances, Yang has described automation as the key driver of economic change. “A wave of automation and job loss is no longer a dystopian vision of the future—it’s well under way,” Yang writes in The War on Normal People (2018). “There’s a growing mass of the permanently displaced. Automation is accelerating to a point where it will soon threaten our social fabric and way of life.”

For the moment, the trouble most people face isn’t being replaced by a robot, it’s being exploited by powerful companies.

In service of his argument, Yang showers readers with statistics and anecdotes: a devastating decline in factory jobs since 2000 and a rise in the number of potential workers who aren’t in the labor force; a computer program that can write a financial brief as well as a human can and a machine that can 3D print a passable pizza. “Right now some of the smartest people in the country are trying to figure out how to replace you with an overseas worker, a cheaper version of you, or, increasingly, a widget, software program, or robot,” Yang writes. “There’s no malice in it. The market rewards business leaders for making things more efficient. Efficiency doesn’t love normal people. It loves getting things done in the most cost-effective way possible.”

But Yang’s warnings about automation don’t stand up against much scrutiny. The unemployment rate is remarkably low right now, and many of the workers who left the labor force in recent years have since reentered it. For all the jobs that have disappeared from factories, others have opened up in health care and food service, and there’s little sign of 3D printers and robots replacing line cooks and nurses any time soon. Even Yang’s go-to example, self-driving trucks replacing decently paid drivers, is less clear-cut than it might seem. No one really knows how long it will take to get vehicles driving themselves safely on all kinds of roads in all kinds of conditions. Even if technology advances rapidly, self-driving trucks will still need human support for quite a while—a driver on board monitoring the AI or someone watching the truck remotely, and maybe a human to take the wheel once the truck gets off the highway and has to deal with cyclists and potholes on city streets.

The end-of-jobs rhetoric isn’t completely implausible in the long term. It could be that advances in machine learning and robotics will eventually transform the human relationship to work. But for the moment, the trouble most people face isn’t being replaced by a robot, it’s being exploited by powerful companies. The drop in manufacturing jobs matters because it represents a shift: from work that unions spent decades improving to service positions, which employers have largely managed to ward off from labor-organizing. Journalists aren’t being replaced by story-writing AIs, they’re being squeezed out by Facebook and Google, which maintain a stranglehold on ad revenue. Drivers may have to worry about autonomous vehicles someday, but their biggest problem at the moment is companies like Amazon that demand high-speed deliveries but deny employees the pay, benefits, and protections that union companies like UPS traditionally provided.

At times, Yang acknowledges that automation isn’t, in fact, destroying all jobs. He notes that there are growing opportunities for home health care aides but writes that “former truck drivers will not be excited to bathe grandma,” particularly since these jobs are low-paid and offer few benefits. He offers no suggestions about who should do this necessary work—which is performed mostly by women of color—and he presents no proposals to raise salaries or interest in domestic labor.

By talking about disappearing jobs rather than stagnant wages and degrading working conditions, Yang plays into the grandiose self-image of Silicon Valley. Technology only solves problems, according to this view, it doesn’t cause them. Per Yang, the “smartest people in the country” aren’t maliciously exploiting workers for profit. They’re simply creating a better, more exciting world that, unfortunately, leaves “normal” people behind.

His plan takes care not to offend his friends and colleagues in the investor class: it would be funded with a value-added tax, of the kind imposed on goods and services to fund social programs in many European countries. People who receive benefits like food stamps or disability payments would have to give them up if they want to opt into Yang’s UBI. Ultimately, his message isn’t so much a challenge to economic inequality as it is a claim to offer non-ideological assistance. One of his campaign t-shirts reads, “Not left. Not right. Forward.”

***

The notion of universal basic income has a long history. In 1795, Thomas Paine, inspired by his encounters with the Iroquois, wanted to give a one-time payment to every 21-year-old, followed by a lower payment each year after they turned 50. Around the same time, leaders of Berkshire County, England, met in the village of Speenhamland, where they decided to confront civil unrest and destitution by providing a universal stipend for the poor. The Speenhamland system, designed to make sure everyone could afford bread (whether they were considered “deserving” or “undeserving”), quickly spread across communities in southern England. The system shut down three decades later, however, after a government commission linked it to public ills such as idleness and overpopulation. Writers from Thomas Malthus to Karl Marx decried Speenhamland as a symbol of the evils that undermine work ethic. But in the 1960s and 70s, historians began reconsidering Speenhamland’s impact, and found that the commission had reached its damning conclusions based on preconceptions about labor rather than evidence.

Since then, the notion of income support has bubbled up all over. In the United States, in the 1960s, a guaranteed basic income or negative income tax—essentially topping off the earnings of anyone whose pay fell below a certain threshold—was a mainstream concept embraced by free-market lovers such as Milton Friedman and Richard Nixon; Martin Luther King, Jr. was a fan, too. Today, the idea attracts appeal across the political spectrum: libertarians like Matt Zwolinski, a philosopher at the University of San Diego, argue for replacing existing public welfare programs with an income guarantee to reduce bureaucracy and loosen the government’s control over people reliant on social services. Liberals like Andy Stern, a former president of the Service Employees International Union, say that a UBI would give workers more bargaining power by letting them turn down exploitative labor.

By talking about disappearing jobs rather than stagnant wages and degrading working conditions, Yang plays into the grandiose self-image of Silicon Valley.

Recently, governments and nonprofits have rolled out UBI trials around the world. In Finland, a pilot program gave a randomly selected group of unemployed people a basic income of $632 a month between 2017 and 2019. It found that the extra cash gave people a greater sense of happiness and security, even if it didn’t significantly improve their job prospects. In Ontario, a pilot program ended prematurely after a new government came to power. In the U.S., small local programs have been rolling out in cities including Stockton and Oakland, California and Jackson, Mississippi. So far, anecdotal evidence suggests that these trials are reducing participants’ stress and improving their sense of well-being.

The idea of an income stipend has been part of the mainstream political debate in southern Africa for years. Since 1998, South Africa has had a large and growing child grant program—essentially a near-universal basic income for anyone under 18—which helps support more than 12 million kids. From 2007 to 2009, Namibia had a promising basic income pilot program. Botswana has a longstanding program of cash and in-kind transfers that is one of the most extensive in the developing world.

In Give a Man a Fish (2015), James Ferguson, an anthropologist at Stanford University, argues that the appeal of income supplements in southern Africa is related to its history with colonial exploitation and appropriation of mineral wealth. A politician speaking to poor youth will declare that South Africa is a rich country and ask, “To whom does it belong?” The answer is that it belongs to South Africans, the politician says. “And if it’s ours, then why do we not see any of the benefits?” Ferguson argues that this line of reasoning makes sense even in places where exploitation is less visible, and where wealth comes not from mineral extraction but capital-intensive production. “In fact,” Ferguson writes, “a high-tech factory is today not so different from an oil rig—a huge piece of capital investment that, once in place, pumps out unimaginable amounts of valuable stuff with only small amounts of supervisory labor.” When it comes to profit, he continues, “The key claim here belongs not to the wage laborers but to the members of society, the true originators of economic value.”

***

That way of looking at wealth—as a product of society, not of individual tech entrepreneurs—could lead us to a different UBI model. Matt Bruenig, founder of the People’s Policy Project, has sketched one out. Where Yang’s plan takes off from the questionable assumption that automation is killing jobs, Bruenig’s begins with a proposition that’s already true: the richest one percent of Americans owns more wealth than the bottom 95 percent combined. Meanwhile, only 60 percent of American income comes as compensation for labor, which means that 40 percent is earned by virtue of owning stocks, real estate, and other things that don’t involve clocking in. “There’s a small class of people at the top of society, and they own almost everything,” Bruenig told me. “You have a group of people that is able to dominate others.”

Breuenig’s plan builds on an idea conceived by socialist economists in the twentieth century, which Sweden tried out in the 1980s. The plan was to gradually transfer ownership of corporate stock to public funds. Sweden’s initiative succeeded in buying up seven percent of corporations’ stock, but was shut down after a few years, when a more conservative government took over the country.

In the United States, Bruenig proposes creating a national fund that would buy stocks, bonds, and other assets, possibly by using a big tax on capital to raise the initial investment. All adult citizens—perhaps excluding seniors, who already receive Social Security—would have a share in the fund and receive dividends from it each year. As owners, individuals would have the same rights to help steer their course as any other shareholder. To make that work, Bruenig suggests, people could vote by proxy—for example, by assigning their rights to an environmental nonprofit or labor group. In this way, Americans could have influence over corporate leaders just as they do over elected officials.

Nothing quite like this exists now, though Bruenig draws comparisons to the Alaska Permanent Fund, which puts some of the state’s oil royalties toward an annual check to all state residents, and to a similar, much larger, program in Norway. He also notes that the United Kingdom’s Labour Party has endorsed the concept of an “Inclusive Ownership Fund,” which, like his plan, brings the idea of shared wealth solidly into the mainstream. “It’s not totally pie-in-the-sky,” he said.

Looking at wealth as a product of society, not individual tech entrepreneurs could lead us to a different UBI model.

Universal basic income still isn’t particularly popular among Americans, even with a high-profile advocate in Yang. At least in the short term, there are more promising ways to address inequality and corporate misbehavior, including the old standbys: regulating companies, taxing the rich, and encouraging the growth of unions. In the longer term, we might continue to develop the idea.

Ferguson, for one, hopes to someday distribute money across national borders through a global UBI. “If the proverbial ‘man’ were to receive neither a fish nor a fishing lesson but instead a binding entitlement to some specified share of the total global production,” he writes, “then (and only then) would he really be fed for a lifetime.” If AI-based automation really does eventually take all our jobs, or if capitalists continue apace in concentrating wealth, that proposal may gain wider appeal.

***

Livia Gershon is a freelance journalist based in New Hampshire. She has written for the Guardian, the Boston Globe, HuffPost, Aeon and other places.

Editor: Betsy Morais

Fact-checker: Samantha Schuyler

[thisdaynews]

Pompeo set to unveil US "Plan B" to confront Iran

New Post has been published on https://www.thisdaynews.net/2018/05/21/pompeo-set-to-unveil-us-plan-b-to-confront-iran/

Pompeo set to unveil US "Plan B" to confront Iran

Pompeo set to unveil US “Plan B” to confront Iran-

of State Mike Pompeo will unveil the administration’s “Plan B” for countering Iran on Monday, an idea that some critics call a “pipe dream,” while others question whether the administration is coming clean on its goals for the country.

The plan, administration officials say, is to assemble a global coalition to pressure Iran into negotiations on “a new security architecture” that goes beyond its nuclear program. Pompeo’s address, his first major foreign policy speech as secretary, will take place at 9 a.m., ET, at the conservative Heritage Foundation policy group.

“We need a new framework that’s going to address the totality of Iran’s threats,” Brian Hook, the State Department’s director of policy planning told reporters Friday. “This involves a range of things around its nuclear program – missiles, proliferating missiles and missile technology, its support for terrorists, and its aggressive and violent activities that fuel civil wars in Syria and Yemen.”

But many former officials, foreign diplomats and analysts are skeptical, both of the chances a broader pact can come together, and of the administration’s interest in diplomacy with Iran.

“A pipe dream”

“A bigger, better deal is a pipe dream,” said Robert Einhorn, a former State Department official and non-proliferation expert who is now a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. Speaking at a Brookings event on Iran, Einhorn argued that, “the real objective is not really a bigger, better, deal, the real objective is to put immense pressure on Iran” to weaken the regime.

Einhorn added that, “the not so hidden objective of certain members of the administration is regime change.”

US officials say the White House will aim to roll back Iran’s influence in the region through this new maximum pressure campaign. But people close to the administration say the end goal of the new plan seems to vary depending on who is doing the talking.

Officials such as national security adviser John Bolton would be happy to see a pressure campaign end in regime change, while Pompeo belongs to a camp that has felt it might be too soon for that, said a source familiar with the secretary’s thinking. What they hope for, this person and others said, is that a pressure campaign could force Iran to pull back from regional activities in Syria, Yemen and elsewhere, to focus on domestic stability.

Pompeo will flesh out the administration’s vision for Iran almost two weeks after President Donald Trump pulled the US out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Agreement, as the deal is formally known, re-imposed sanctions that had been lifted under the pact, and announced new ones against Iran’s Central Bank.

Hook, in previewing Pompeo’s speech, emphasized the role those sanctions will play in pushing Iran back to the table.

“By reimposing the sanctions that were lifted under the JCPOA, that will bring economic pressure to bear on Iran,” said Hook. “It was economic pressure that brought the Iranians to the table a few years ago.”

But the decision to pull out of the deal, along with the Trump administration’s approach to Europe, means sanctions might not be as effective this time, making it all the harder to realize the goal of a broader deal, many analysts said.

A maximum pressure campaign requires a unified coalition, they argue. Russia and China aren’t particularly inclined to help out with a second Iran nuclear deal, having voiced their displeasure at the US decision to leave the original agreement.

And Trump’s rejection of the JCPOA has left close allies in Europe angry and alienated, particularly as he has told them that the US will sanction their companies should they continue to honor contracts with Iranian businesses.

European unease

That declaration has deepened European uneasiness about the administration’s commitment to the trans-Atlantic relationship, particularly as Trump is already threatening tariffs against key European industries, a decision due June 1.

And it has created resentment due to a perception of US bullying, as Trump administration officials explain that when faced with the prospect of US sanctions, Europe will buckle under and choose the US over small agreements with Iran.

Einhorn predicted that, “new sanctions won’t be as crippling as those put in place in 2012,” when the Obama administration was working on the Iran deal, in part because other countries “strongly oppose” Trump’s decision to abrogate the deal.

“Other countries will defy or ignore sanctions, and look for work arounds,” Einhorn said.

Indeed, European leaders have already said they are working on enacting a statute that protects European companies that continue to do business with Iran. They are also looking at having the European Investment Bank provide a funding stream for Iran’s Central Bank.

“It’s hard to overstate how angry and resentful the Europeans are,” said Suzanne Maloney, deputy director of the Brookings’ program on Foreign Policy.

Hook told reporters that, “people are overstating the disagreements between the US and Europe,” and that these reports are overblown. “We agree with the Europeans on much, much more than we disagree on,” he insisted.

Many analysts have asked why Iran, Europe, or countries such as North Korea should trust the US in general or this administration in particular to be a reliable interlocutor if it is willing to walk away from established agreements.

Others, such as Maloney, and former Obama administration officials and foreign diplomats involved in the Iran talks, say it would have been impossibly unwieldy to negotiate a deal that encompassed all the issues the US and Europe had with Iran.

Hook was asked why the administration thought it could convince Tehran to engage again, particularly at a time when its officials – Pompeo, Trump, Bolton and US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley – have been excoriating the country’s leaders.

Hook spoke generally about Iranian dissatisfaction with their regime and “with a lot of the policies of the regime which have not helped the Iranian people.”

Maloney, an Iran expert, says that internal unrest in Iran, partly due to the struggling economy, means that it is “an incredibly explosive time” in the country right now. But she adds that Trump’s decision to leave the deal means Iranian people now “have an address for their problems” and that people will likely “rally around the flag.”

Some observers, such as Trita Parsi, the president of the National Iranian American Council, don’t believe the administration is negotiating in good faith, particularly as Bolton is on the record, speaking a year ago to an Iranian dissident group, advocating an overthrow of Iran’s government.

“What I’m seeing is a strategy to drive this toward a major confrontation,” Parsi said. “What I think the Trump administration is doing is putting the pieces into place to have a major confrontation with Iran.”

Others say that regardless of the administration’s goals, the chances of miscalculation, especially with Israel and Saudi Arabia urging Trump to confront Tehran, are high.

“We could very easily see ourselves in a military confrontation in the near future,” said Bruce Riedel, director of Brookings’ Intelligence Project.

[writemarcus]

ELEANOR BURGESS  (Special Recognition)     The Niceties

Zoe, a black student at a liberal arts college, is called into her white professor’s office to discuss her paper about slavery’s effect on the American Revolution. What begins as a polite clash between fellow liberals explodes into an urgent debate about race, history, power, and the things we don’t say.    eleanorburgess.com

LINDSAY JOELLE (Special Recognition)     A Small History of Amal by Amal, Age 7

On the day of the 2006 Mumbai train bombings, Amal, a seven-year-old boy in a public hospital, lives a smaller history. He meets doctors, patients, and a food service worker with dreams of Bollywood. He writes a letter to the Prime Minister, and falls in love for the first time. But when the hospital struggles beyond capacity to treat the survivors, Amal gets lost in the shuffle. Now, it’ll take an explorer’s heart and a little Bollywood magic to defeat the god of death.    lindsayjoelle.com

AMONTAINE AURORE     Don’t Call it a Riot!It is 1968, and Reed, a member of Seattle’s Black Panther Party must juggle the demands of a new marriage and being six months pregnant, yet still finds time to fight for liberation and dream of creating a better world. When her best friend, Marti, moves in, there is yet one more thing on her plate. Reed has no clue of the forces at work that will eventually destroy the Party, nor the ones that threaten her own happy home. It will take twenty-nine years before she will finally discover the betrayal that was at the root of a dream deferred.  

newplayexchange.org/users/13403/amontaine-aurore

BENJAMIN BENNE     Q u e r e n c i a: an imagined autobiography about forbidden fruits

Milo’s favorite fruit are bananas; also, he just turned 13 and is grappling with his sexual identity. If that weren’t complicated enough, his estranged aunt has just been released from jail and the gym class bully has picked him as the new target. Having never left his neighborhood in L.A., he dreams about what it would be like to escape…but in the mean time, at least he has his neighbor Zoe, who has sworn to be his BFF with a drop of blood. And, in their world, blood is supposed to be the strongest bond.    newplayexchange.org/users/5676/benjamin-benne

KARI BENTLEY-QUINN     The Worst Mother in the World

New mom Nina has a healthy baby boy, a loving husband…and is struggling with terrifying nightmares and anxiety attacks. Her therapist, Bonnie, is trying to help her discover how she can be a better mother to her infant son. In the meantime, Bonnie’s estranged daughter, Mary, arrives home with some life changing news. When Nina and Mary become friends, Bonnie’s professional and personal life gets a lot more complicated.     newplayexchange.org/users/737/kari-bentley-quinn

ANGELICA CHERI     BERTA, BERTA

After committing an unforgivable crime, Leroy retreats to his long lost lover Berta’s house to take refuge and make amends. Their electrifying reunion swells from an agitated argument about the past to an impassioned plot to escape fate and start a new life. The play is inspired by the prison chain gang song “Berta, Berta” that originated on Parchman Farm, Mississippi State Penitentiary. It is an imaginary origin story. angelicacheri.com/berta-berta/.

GINA FEMIA     Annie and the Fat Man

Annie is anorexic and Tiny is obese. They’re best friends, Brooklynites through and through. When they each embark on new romantic relationships, will their relationship break or strengthen?   newplayexchange.org/plays/45949/annie-and-fat-man

WILLIAM GLICK     The Bigot

When Simon Levinson accuses his father of bigotry, he must confront a series of larger challenges, including the polarization of American politics, the rise of a controversial Presidential candidate, and how to make his boyfriend love him. Taking place over the course of the Obama years, the play explores what we gain and lose as society makes progress and asks the question, “Who in this play is actually ‘The Bigot?'”    williamglick.com (E-mail: wglick1@gmail.com)

MARY ELIZABETH HAMILTON     One of the Women

boxkiteinc.wixsite.com/maryhamilton

CANDRICE JONES     Crackbaby

Crackbaby is a satirical critique of the Public Education School System of the United States of America and the Reagan Administration’s War on Drugs. Theoretically, the play questions the politics of visibility as well as the danger of accepting a version of a single story narrative (the crackbaby myth). Taking place from the early to late 90’s, Crackbaby follows the journey of Emarytus Brown from kindergarden to eighth grade. The granddaughter of a drug dealer and master of Black Panther rhetoric, with each grade Emarytus learns a new lesson eventually shedding her innocence.   newplayexchange.org/users/8068/candrice-jones

CARSON KREITZER     CAPITAL CRIME!

CAPITAL CRIME! is set in New York in the Gilded Age, the time of highest levels of income inequality in this country… until now. This is a tale of lust, murder, greed, unfettered capitalism, and the consumption of young girls. A play with songs, in Brecht-meets-Riot Grrrl fashion.    newplayexchange.org/users/12896/carson-kreitzer

ERIC REYES LOO     Death and Cockroaches

When Eric moves home to take care of his dying father, he runs from his sadness right into a Wall of Dicks. An irreverently honest story, told from the POV of a playwright in his own play.     newplayexchange.org/plays/74749/death-and-cockroaches

BRIAN DANIEL OGLESBY     Small Steps

When Skip Powers realizes that no one will ever love him, he volunteers to go to Mars — and the Principal of NASA says, “Yeah, sure. You’ll do.” Skip is super gay and isn’t really a participant in the gene pool, so it just makes sense to send him millions of miles on the the spaceship Atlantis on a mission that will, in all likelihood, kill him. And after crappy experiences on gay hookup apps, he’s more than prepared for the training with the Abstinence Coach — but a little less prepared when the Love of His Life tries to keep him on earth. This play about what it means to attempt to live your life in the pursuit of great things spans a million years and fifty-five million miles.     newplayexchange.org/users/2354/briandaniel-oglesby

STACY AMMA OSEI-KUFFOUR     HANG MAN

newplayexchange.org/users/5348/stacy-amma-osei-kuffour

ALICE PENCAVEL     PIE SHOP PLAY

Agnes and Kitty — the pie shop sisters — have big dreams. But when the pipes in their shop burst, leaking toxic unknowns that rob them of coherent speech, they are forced to contend with the bleak reality that their past still haunts them, divides them, and contagiously invokes havoc on any who work in the name of pie.     newplayexchange.org/users/9645/alice-pencavel

GREGORY RAMOS     Cuentos de Josefina (Josephine’s Tales)

A heartfelt memory tale that follows the story of young Josefina and her brother Ignacio’s journey from Mexico to the United States after the Mexican revolution. The play explores what it means to leave one land in search of another, and the value in maintaining ties to our past. Based on true Mexican family tales, Cuentos de Josefina (Josephine’s Tales) weaves together a series of stories that can be told with various theatrical devices, including story theatre, movement, music, shadow and puppetry.    gregoryramos.com/

DENEEN REYNOLDS-KNOTT     BATON

BATON, introduces Ava and Tim, a black couple on a date interrupted by news of unrest in Baltimore after Freddie Gray’s funeral. Ava and Tim grapple with differing feelings about the case. Ava reveals a past engagement to a white cop, detonating a night of accusations, interrogations and confessions.  newplayexchange.org/users/13496/deneen-reynolds-knott

RITI SACHDEVA     The Rug Dealer When Raba Zacharai suddenly passes away, his daughter Shiraz inherits the Persian rug shop he built in New Haven on leaving Iran in 1979. As an unexpected love affair develops with a dangerously beautiful customer and her mother’s secret longing to return to Iran after decades of exile grows more urgent, Shiraz must negotiate the costly business of carpets, family, duty, and love.   newplayexchange.org/users/630/riti-sachdeva

MARCUS SCOTT     Tumbleweed

Tumbleweed is a slice-of-life American comedy-drama following a cosmopolitan interracial family and their pre-teen black sheep Willow, off-putting natural hair combined with both her family’s open acceptance of it and lack of maintenance causes controversy. Tensions stir even more so when they get a visit from the patriarch’s estranged no-nonsense mother, a former affiliate of the Black Panther party. The play explores beauty standards both in and out of the black community, ethnic relations, the mixed race family, coming of age, interracial marriage and parenting, relationships, womanist identity and the visibility of black men in the family dynamic.    writemarcus.tumblr.com

CHERRY LOU SY     paper swag

paper swag is about two teen boys who go to Stuyvesant High School looking for what to write about in their college application essay. As they go through their daily lives, they discover that their mothers’ journeys are a big part of who they are.     howlround.com/authors/cherry-lou-sy

[lodelss]

What Should Universal Basic Income Look Like?

Livia Gershon | Longreads | September 2019 | 9 minutes (2,264 words)

Andrew Yang, presidential candidate, serial entrepreneur, and icon of Silicon Valley futurism, has a vision. As you know if you’ve ever heard his name, Yang supports a universal basic income, $1,000 a month paid by the government to every American citizen, from part-time baristas to millionaire bond traders. To Yang, the UBI, as it’s called, is the answer to nearly every question about the economy. For out-of-work machinists, it’s a cushion that would make it possible to reorient to a new job. For would-be entrepreneurs, it’s the cost of ramen and a bed while they hustle to get off the ground. For stay-at-home parents, it’s recognition and support for crucial unpaid labor. For down-on-their-luck towns, it’s an economic stimulus plan.

“This is the trickle up economy from our people, families, and communities—up,” Yang told Face the Nation in August. “It will create over two million new jobs in our communities because the money will go right into local mainstream businesses, to car repairs, daycare expenses, Little League sign-ups.”

The plan is ambitious. Yang estimates that it will cost $1.3 trillion, more than a quarter of the current federal budget. That’s probably part of its appeal to the mismatched collection of libertarians, former Bernie Sanders supporters, and tech guys who have helped put Yang within the top ten candidates in a crowded Democratic field.

The plan is also deeply flawed. Yang’s diagnosis of the problems that exist in the U.S. economy pits successful people against “normal” ones, preserves the status of the wealthiest Americans, and fits into a vision for federal spending that isn’t all that progressive. Yang’s campaign is doing an effective job of introducing the idea of universal basic income to millions of people, but it’s not showing how transformative a guaranteed stipend can really be.

***

Over and over in debates and TV appearances, Yang has described automation as the key driver of economic change. “A wave of automation and job loss is no longer a dystopian vision of the future—it’s well under way,” Yang writes in The War on Normal People (2018). “There’s a growing mass of the permanently displaced. Automation is accelerating to a point where it will soon threaten our social fabric and way of life.”

For the moment, the trouble most people face isn’t being replaced by a robot, it’s being exploited by powerful companies.

In service of his argument, Yang showers readers with statistics and anecdotes: a devastating decline in factory jobs since 2000 and a rise in the number of potential workers who aren’t in the labor force; a computer program that can write a financial brief as well as a human can and a machine that can 3D print a passable pizza. “Right now some of the smartest people in the country are trying to figure out how to replace you with an overseas worker, a cheaper version of you, or, increasingly, a widget, software program, or robot,” Yang writes. “There’s no malice in it. The market rewards business leaders for making things more efficient. Efficiency doesn’t love normal people. It loves getting things done in the most cost-effective way possible.”

But Yang’s warnings about automation don’t stand up against much scrutiny. The unemployment rate is remarkably low right now, and many of the workers who left the labor force in recent years have since reentered it. For all the jobs that have disappeared from factories, others have opened up in health care and food service, and there’s little sign of 3D printers and robots replacing line cooks and nurses any time soon. Even Yang’s go-to example, self-driving trucks replacing decently paid drivers, is less clear-cut than it might seem. No one really knows how long it will take to get vehicles driving themselves safely on all kinds of roads in all kinds of conditions. Even if technology advances rapidly, self-driving trucks will still need human support for quite a while—a driver on board monitoring the AI or someone watching the truck remotely, and maybe a human to take the wheel once the truck gets off the highway and has to deal with cyclists and potholes on city streets.

The end-of-jobs rhetoric isn’t completely implausible in the long term. It could be that advances in machine learning and robotics will eventually transform the human relationship to work. But for the moment, the trouble most people face isn’t being replaced by a robot, it’s being exploited by powerful companies. The drop in manufacturing jobs matters because it represents a shift: from work that unions spent decades improving to service positions, which employers have largely managed to ward off from labor-organizing. Journalists aren’t being replaced by story-writing AIs, they’re being squeezed out by Facebook and Google, which maintain a stranglehold on ad revenue. Drivers may have to worry about autonomous vehicles someday, but their biggest problem at the moment is companies like Amazon that demand high-speed deliveries but deny employees the pay, benefits, and protections that union companies like UPS traditionally provided.

At times, Yang acknowledges that automation isn’t, in fact, destroying all jobs. He notes that there are growing opportunities for home health care aides but writes that “former truck drivers will not be excited to bathe grandma,” particularly since these jobs are low-paid and offer few benefits. He offers no suggestions about who should do this necessary work—which is performed mostly by women of color—and he presents no proposals to raise salaries or interest in domestic labor.

By talking about disappearing jobs rather than stagnant wages and degrading working conditions, Yang plays into the grandiose self-image of Silicon Valley. Technology only solves problems, according to this view, it doesn’t cause them. Per Yang, the “smartest people in the country” aren’t maliciously exploiting workers for profit. They’re simply creating a better, more exciting world that, unfortunately, leaves “normal” people behind.

His plan takes care not to offend his friends and colleagues in the investor class: it would be funded with a value-added tax, of the kind imposed on goods and services to fund social programs in many European countries. People who receive benefits like food stamps or disability payments would have to give them up if they want to opt into Yang’s UBI. Ultimately, his message isn’t so much a challenge to economic inequality as it is a claim to offer non-ideological assistance. One of his campaign t-shirts reads, “Not left. Not right. Forward.”

***

The notion of universal basic income has a long history. In 1795, Thomas Paine, inspired by his encounters with the Iroquois, wanted to give a one-time payment to every 21-year-old, followed by a lower payment each year after they turned 50. Around the same time, leaders of Berkshire County, England, met in the village of Speenhamland, where they decided to confront civil unrest and destitution by providing a universal stipend for the poor. The Speenhamland system, designed to make sure everyone could afford bread (whether they were considered “deserving” or “undeserving”), quickly spread across communities in southern England. The system shut down three decades later, however, after a government commission linked it to public ills such as idleness and overpopulation. Writers from Thomas Malthus to Karl Marx decried Speenhamland as a symbol of the evils that undermine work ethic. But in the 1960s and 70s, historians began reconsidering Speenhamland’s impact, and found that the commission had reached its damning conclusions based on preconceptions about labor rather than evidence.

Since then, the notion of income support has bubbled up all over. In the United States, in the 1960s, a guaranteed basic income or negative income tax—essentially topping off the earnings of anyone whose pay fell below a certain threshold—was a mainstream concept embraced by free-market lovers such as Milton Friedman and Richard Nixon; Martin Luther King, Jr. was a fan, too. Today, the idea attracts appeal across the political spectrum: libertarians like Matt Zwolinski, a philosopher at the University of San Diego, argue for replacing existing public welfare programs with an income guarantee to reduce bureaucracy and loosen the government’s control over people reliant on social services. Liberals like Andy Stern, a former president of the Service Employees International Union, say that a UBI would give workers more bargaining power by letting them turn down exploitative labor.

By talking about disappearing jobs rather than stagnant wages and degrading working conditions, Yang plays into the grandiose self-image of Silicon Valley.

Recently, governments and nonprofits have rolled out UBI trials around the world. In Finland, a pilot program gave a randomly selected group of unemployed people a basic income of $632 a month between 2017 and 2019. It found that the extra cash gave people a greater sense of happiness and security, even if it didn’t significantly improve their job prospects. In Ontario, a pilot program ended prematurely after a new government came to power. In the U.S., small local programs have been rolling out in cities including Stockton and Oakland, California and Jackson, Mississippi. So far, anecdotal evidence suggests that these trials are reducing participants’ stress and improving their sense of well-being.

The idea of an income stipend has been part of the mainstream political debate in southern Africa for years. Since 1998, South Africa has had a large and growing child grant program—essentially a near-universal basic income for anyone under 18—which helps support more than 12 million kids. From 2007 to 2009, Namibia had a promising basic income pilot program. Botswana has a longstanding program of cash and in-kind transfers that is one of the most extensive in the developing world.

In Give a Man a Fish (2015), James Ferguson, an anthropologist at Stanford University, argues that the appeal of income supplements in southern Africa is related to its history with colonial exploitation and appropriation of mineral wealth. A politician speaking to poor youth will declare that South Africa is a rich country and ask, “To whom does it belong?” The answer is that it belongs to South Africans, the politician says. “And if it’s ours, then why do we not see any of the benefits?” Ferguson argues that this line of reasoning makes sense even in places where exploitation is less visible, and where wealth comes not from mineral extraction but capital-intensive production. “In fact,” Ferguson writes, “a high-tech factory is today not so different from an oil rig—a huge piece of capital investment that, once in place, pumps out unimaginable amounts of valuable stuff with only small amounts of supervisory labor.” When it comes to profit, he continues, “The key claim here belongs not to the wage laborers but to the members of society, the true originators of economic value.”

***

That way of looking at wealth—as a product of society, not of individual tech entrepreneurs—could lead us to a different UBI model. Matt Bruenig, founder of the People’s Policy Project, has sketched one out. Where Yang’s plan takes off from the questionable assumption that automation is killing jobs, Bruenig’s begins with a proposition that’s already true: the richest one percent of Americans owns more wealth than the bottom 95 percent combined. Meanwhile, only 60 percent of American income comes as compensation for labor, which means that 40 percent is earned by virtue of owning stocks, real estate, and other things that don’t involve clocking in. “There’s a small class of people at the top of society, and they own almost everything,” Bruenig told me. “You have a group of people that is able to dominate others.”

Breuenig’s plan builds on an idea conceived by socialist economists in the twentieth century, which Sweden tried out in the 1980s. The plan was to gradually transfer ownership of corporate stock to public funds. Sweden’s initiative succeeded in buying up seven percent of corporations’ stock, but was shut down after a few years, when a more conservative government took over the country.

In the United States, Bruenig proposes creating a national fund that would buy stocks, bonds, and other assets, possibly by using a big tax on capital to raise the initial investment. All adult citizens—perhaps excluding seniors, who already receive Social Security—would have a share in the fund and receive dividends from it each year. As owners, individuals would have the same rights to help steer their course as any other shareholder. To make that work, Bruenig suggests, people could vote by proxy—for example, by assigning their rights to an environmental nonprofit or labor group. In this way, Americans could have influence over corporate leaders just as they do over elected officials.

Nothing quite like this exists now, though Bruenig draws comparisons to the Alaska Permanent Fund, which puts some of the state’s oil royalties toward an annual check to all state residents, and to a similar, much larger, program in Norway. He also notes that the United Kingdom’s Labour Party has endorsed the concept of an “Inclusive Ownership Fund,” which, like his plan, brings the idea of shared wealth solidly into the mainstream. “It’s not totally pie-in-the-sky,” he said.

Looking at wealth as a product of society, not individual tech entrepreneurs could lead us to a different UBI model.

Universal basic income still isn’t particularly popular among Americans, even with a high-profile advocate in Yang. At least in the short term, there are more promising ways to address inequality and corporate misbehavior, including the old standbys: regulating companies, taxing the rich, and encouraging the growth of unions. In the longer term, we might continue to develop the idea.

Ferguson, for one, hopes to someday distribute money across national borders through a global UBI. “If the proverbial ‘man’ were to receive neither a fish nor a fishing lesson but instead a binding entitlement to some specified share of the total global production,” he writes, “then (and only then) would he really be fed for a lifetime.” If AI-based automation really does eventually take all our jobs, or if capitalists continue apace in concentrating wealth, that proposal may gain wider appeal.

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Livia Gershon is a freelance journalist based in New Hampshire. She has written for the Guardian, the Boston Globe, HuffPost, Aeon and other places.

Editor: Betsy Morais

Fact-checker: Samantha Schuyler

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