#Palisades Partners

[synthetic-ultramarine]

My pleroma's thesis reading list is turning out to have a recurring theme of divine/pilot relationships diverging from what is conventional for their time and place and growing to resemble the relationship models of other societies instead; it comes up in Vault of Anticipation and in the road to palisade Hounds game. The divine/pilot relationship is explicitly represented across seasons as socially constructed and as something that changes. I think this is a refreshing break from the larger media landscape, where ideas of "what a wizard is" or "what a jedi is" are frequently imagined in a more essentialist way and often not imagined by their writers as socially constructed and therefore changeable.

Anyway in the vault of anticipation, Anticipation is found to have died attempting to disprove Pleroma's conclusion that any relationship between mortals and divines is ultimately doomed to become a relationship of exploitation in the long term. Ironically, in attempting to prove that mortals and divines can have equitable relationships which do not devolve into domination and exploitation, Anticipation consumed her Excerpt, using the processing power of her human brain and leaving her a mummified husk. this Excerpt's name was "Under the cover of night, the Civet stalked mouse and berry alike", abbreviated to ⸢Civet⸣; the animal name calls back to the naming conventions of the Divine/Candidate relationship. While the Divine/Excerpt relationship is more equitable, the Divine/Candidate relationship was likened to human sacrifice. Harm or death to the human partner as a result of a relationship with the divine was considered normal in Counter/weight, but was shocking and disturbing in the twilight mirage.

Fealty and Veronique's relationship is a Divine/Elect relationship, but their story has callbacks to both the Divine/Excerpt and Divine/Candidate relationships. Veronique was recruited as a student athlete; her relative youth calls back to the teenage Candidates of the counter/weight era, who reference the child soldiers of the mech genre's canonical works. There are other counter/weight callbacks; the etymological relationship between "Veronique" and "Berenice" calls back to Cassander and the use of the javelin as a primary weapon by both partners brings to mind the iconic image of Cassander's defeat of Rigour and autocrucifixion. It's like poetry, it rhymes. Later when the heresy squad comes after them, Fealty refers to Veronique as their "excerpt," not as their elect. To the heresy squad the use of this old terminology marks their relationship as deviant/heretical and in need of dissolution. For Fealty and Veronique, deserting the principality means redefining their relationship on their own terms, and while Veronique struggles to imagine a world outside of the Pricipality, Fealty remembers a world before it ever existed, and remembers having past relationships outside of the principality's standards.

Dahlia, Commitment, and integrity are (were) an interesting one. Their relationship deviated from the standard Principality model; Commitment was always unusual with its requirement for two pilots. Integrity is as old as Fealty, if not older; its form factor is unusual, and its relationship with Sokrates was unconventional, not least because they orchestrated a coup together. The Integrity/Dahlia/Commitment triad has a divine acting as the pilot of another divine which i think might be entirely new. Dahlia is stated to be appropriating/recuperating branched ideas about bodies and about relationships with the divine. This is different from the last two examples because it's mirroring a contemporary relationship model and not a past relationship model; the branched have solved or bypassed the issues Pleroma predicted by attaining a post-post-postmodern anarchic shifting oneness with the divine. Dahlia wants to gain power by emulating that relationship model but doesn't truly understand it.

#friends at the table #contemplating the thesis #dahlia's wiki page calls them a sicko. god i love it when wikis are allowed to editorialize.

[elegyforyou]

Viennese Waltz

Severus Snape x Reader

Word Count: 989

Warnings: Fluff

You fought to get out of it; chaperoning the Yule Ball. It was terribly loud, crowded, and by your understanding, already overstaffed. But Minerva was persistent, she was tireless, ceaseless, insistent that you’d have fun, and in the end, you relented. Your resolve had been thoroughly snapped, and now here you stood, brooding in the corner of the Great Hall stuck in a dizzying cacophony with an utterly grave colleague for company.

He’d been given similar treatment, you were sure. If not by the perpetually bleak scowl he’d donned at the beginning of the night, you could see it in the tension that snaked through his shoulders and up the neck. None of which was particularly out of character for Severus Snape on a bad day, but his usual air of ill-tempered annoyance had amplified tenfold.

The word ‘jaded’ came to mind as you took the adjoining seat on his right, spared a careful glance out of your peripheral. There, you spied the meticulously brushed, charcoal hair that hugged an aged face, its softened planes detailed with deepened grooves and large, apathetic eyes. No doubt the same face of the boy you’d known back then, only a little older and a little wiser.

A thin grin molded your lips, pulled your cheeks taut as you made a statement on a whim: “you look sharp tonight.” Had you been too bold? You thought not, but nevertheless averted your gaze quickly to the undulating sea of dancing students. You needn’t see to feel the way in which he looked at you, attempting to pick you apart with a scrutinizing watch as you feigned ignorance, face burning under his wide, moon-like eyes.

You’d been avoiding him ever since you’d gotten the position. You’d kept him at arms length as if he were the plague, sat on the opposite end of every table and stood in the furthest corner of every room until tonight. When your resolution had been restored, and when again you turned to Severus after what felt like a very long while, he met you with a gaze of deep heartache that left you wondering when last he’d been complimented. If it had been you on that dreary Saturday so many summers ago. But you had your answer already, and so you stood, offered him a delicate hand and asked, “would you join me for this dance?”

The crowds had begun to wane when wordlessly he accepted, a weathered and calloused hand greeting your own with gentle hesitation. And although you had been on the outskirts of the room, you coaxed your partner further inwards, each step in time to the soft lilt of a new waltz. It was a quiet piece, gentle phrases and motifs reflecting the ebb and flow of your dance as, in a well-practiced and ease, he skillfully whisked you across the floor. “You haven’t changed one bit,” you mused quietly.

“Have I not?” He questioned, words eager and unwavering, his familiar baritone a soothing thrum in your ear as the dance ended in a winding decrescendo. And upon the mellow piano of the Blue Danube, he bowed, you curtsied, and joined hands.

You hummed, a breathless and bright laugh scurrying up and out of your lips, “not at all.” Although you had been avoiding his piercing glare, watchful and disarming, finally you met his eyes, felt the sharpened palisade of his heart begin to crumble at your feet as you drew closer with each step. “I’ve been waiting for you,” you whispered, and with each word you tread on pins and needles.

There came a sharp intake; a frightened inhale after which he said in a trembling susurration, “I didn’t think you wanted to hear from me.”

You took the inside turn at the peak of his bubbling anxiety, soothed his wavering hands with a passive and warm smile, “you are ridiculous, and so am I!” You chimed in a wholehearted laugh, free of venomous intent and ridicule. “I thought the same when you left, thought I’d done something to ward you off,” you paused for the change step, “or worse.” How many years you wasted agonizing over each and every detail wondering where you went wrong. It all came equally as a great relief and awful anguish to know he’d felt the same. In the wake of the heavy quiet, you breathed, “would it be too daring of me to ask if we could start again?”

While your dance continued, arms flaring in elegant Butterflies as you progressed down the line of dance, Severus seemed to freeze, his lips that seldom wore anything but a surly flower now tipped in an angle of shock. And in the moment your heart seemed to drop, but then he swallowed in a dry throat, croaked out: “you would be with me? After all this time?”

Under the spinning impetus of uncertainty, you were enveloped in a sense of ease and repose, all apprehension ebbed away as you exhaled, “always.”

The way he beamed at you, his smile so genuine- how could you have forgotten? And the way he made your heart soar, caught in the dynamic lean as the last measure came to a brilliant close. You found your balance, pulled him into a winded embrace amongst deafened applause. “And we shall promise to talk to each other this time. We’ll take it slow,” you spoke behind a toothy grin, your scrunched nose buried in the thermal wools of his cloak that entrapped the distinct smell of cold rainfall and black tea.

And then he pulled away with a nod, face flushed and bewildered, tempting you to follow his gaze to the crowd of onlookers that had encircled you in the midst of your performance. You had certainly put on a show, but the cat-like grin Minerva wore at the pinnacle of the swarm as her lips formed a soundless: “about time,” held an entirely different message.

A/N: This is the first oneshot I've made since around 2015, so I'm getting back into the groove of things with something short and sweet. My grammar isn't always the best either, but I do check my spelling!

#snape x reader #severus snape #severus snape x reader #no use of y/n

[anotherbluesunday]

✨Teaser: In Technicolor✨

So some of you may know this, but my next fic that was set to release was originally called “Ballad of a Teenage Dream” and was a Wednesday x Skam crossover that showcased all the highs and lows of high school and the growing pains that come with the transition from teenager to young adult.

Well that story has been reworked, overhauled, and given new life.

I present to you my high school dramady, In Technicolor.

Set in Los Angeles, California, the story follows two groups of friends as their worlds collide. A modern spin on the social dynamics of Romeo and Juliet where two factions are warring but cannot remember why or why their bitter rivalry is so important to their identity, In Technicolor highlights the feuding of the wealthy and the everyday citizens to show the consequences that come from stripping culture and history from the city streets in the name of gentrification. It explores the complex relationships of families on either side of the fence to reveal that wealth does not always bring happiness. And finally, at the center of it all, the complicated friendships and relationships of the members of these two groups as they meld into one.

For our East LA champions, we follow the Addams siblings and their mismatched group of skateboarders, graffiti artists, musicians, and street racers.

For our Palisades elite, we focus on the Blossoms and Galpin’s—two families from extreme wealth that are not entirely honest about what they show the world.

.

.

.

Important Story Information: If the visuals were not enough to give it away, this story will be a crossover with a different fandom. Entering the mix is the ensemble from Riverdale. I do want to caution readers now, there will be crossover pairings, character retcon on both sides, ageing up, ageing down, and changes to character personalities.

One such example is that Wednesday isn’t allergic to color and isn’t entirely unapproachable. She smiles and laughs but only when around those she trusts like her family and friends. Pugsley has been aged up and is Wednesday’s twin brother. My face claim for this version of Pugsley is Xolo Mariduẽna and I have made Pugsley (who also will be going by “Lee”) more confident and hotheaded with some snark and sass. Second to that, my face claim for Pubert “Bertie” Addams is Malachi Barton and Pubert/Bertie will be one year younger than his siblings—the twins Wednesday and Pugsley age 17 and in their senior year and Bertie age 16 entering his junior year.

On the Riverdale side of the crossover, I have made certain changes that I don’t want to reveal just yet for Archie’s character. That surprise will come soon enough because next I will be posting moodboards for specific couples that will be at the center of this story. But one change I will discuss now to get it out there to avoid hate comments and harassment is the issue of is Cheryl bi or is she a lesbian. In my story, she’s bi and will be paired with a male lead. I understand that the actress for her character went back and forth on Cheryl’s orientation but, to me, Cheryl reads like a chaotic bisexual that goes back and forth on her identity because being bi is confusing enough. And as someone who is bi, I would like to see more representation and fiction for people like myself because fandoms are so quick to erase bisexuality and pansexuality and criticize us when we speak up about it. So in this story, Cheryl is bi and she has broken up with her most recent girlfriend before meeting her next partner who is a man. And it’s fine.

If this upsets you, just swipe off of this post. Don’t leave mean comments or take digs at me because I’m not for any of this fandom infighting nonsense. It’s fiction and these characters can be whatever you want them to be in your stories.

However, if you don’t mind Cheryl liking both men and women, you don’t have an opinion either way, or your curious to see how this’ll pan out, stay tuned. I’d love to share this story with you. All are welcome so long as things stay civil and breezy.

So with that, I look forward to updating with the couple’s board and then the first chapter titlecard along with the chapter itself. Until then, stay lovely and stay groovy.💜

#wednesday netflix #riverdale #tyler galpin #wednesday addams #pugsley addams #pubert addams #wyler #weyler #kent and divina #bianca barclay #bughead #cheryl blossom #jason blossom #betty cooper #jughead jones #polly cooper #archie andrews #reggie mantle #veronica lodge #josie mccoy #enid sinclair #ajax petropolus #enid x ajax #betty x jughead #sweet pea riverdale #joaquin desantos #kevin keller #moose mason #xavier thorpe #josie x sweet pea

[seafleece]

Every time the wheel turns she thinks, it could be. It could be. It could be. Now, weak and tired, the refrain is different. It has to be. It has to be. It has to be.

(Perennial, her dance partners, her three pilgrims, and how she is outmaneuvered by them one last time)

—

my late offering for day three of @15daysoffatt day 3: wheel!!

‼️contains spoilers up until palisade episode 42, so proceed at your own risk‼️

#my writing #15 days of fatt #friends at the table #f@tt #palisade #the figure in bismuth #perennial #clementine kesh #motion #future #the divine cycle #the wheel turns #palisade spoilers

[kafkaguy]

ethan. i chose whatever music asks you haven’t done yet.

hi kieren im kind of obsessed with u. there are a lot that i havent done but some of them i cant be bothered to answer/genuinely cannot answer or the answer is just no so here's the ones i like <3

Do you listen to more oldies or more current stuff? A mix of both but leaning more to oldies, the majority of my favourite songs and artists are either from the 60s & 70s era, or the 90s & 00s era <3 

Would you wear a t-shirt of a band you're not into? Probably not, even if the design is cool i only wear band tshirts if i care abt the band. But if someone gave me an artist tshirt as a gift, i’d wear it AND listen to the artist it depicts 👍

Is there an artist or song that you like, despite being of a genre you don't usually like? I like all genres i don't discriminate. i’m bisexual 

A song or album from the 50s or earlier: this compilation album of old japanese pop 1950-1951… discovered through mash playlists

A song or album from the 60s: 1-800-are-you-experienced by jimi hendrix 1967 :) 

A song or album from the 70s: Born to run by BRUCIE 1975 raaaagghhhhhh 

A song or album from the 80s: King of rock by run-dmc 1985 💪💥

A song or album from the 90s Call the doctor by sleater-kinney 1996

A song or album from the 2000s: Cheap pop for the elite by kore. ydro., 2006

 A song or album from the 2010s: TRANSANGELIC EXODUS BY EZRA FURMAN 2018. GOAT

Do you and your partner/best friend share a special song? One you’d call “our song”? unfortunately for my boyfriend and i it is the predatory wasp of the palisades is out to get us by sufjan stevens which is indicative of how normal we both are 

Do you play any instruments? I’ve been “learning” the bass for about 2 years but havent made much progress but i can do basic riffs and improvise a little 

Who’s your favorite fictional band or artist? Marceline The Vampire 

When was the last time you cried when listening to a song, if ever? I couldn’t tell you the last time a song made me properly cry but i sort of cried listening to come on in yesterday because i was having a category 5 peter tork moment 

Your favorite artist from your city/state/country? At the moment its marina spanou and based on her lyrics i think she is literally from the same area of athens as me <3

A song you like in a language you don’t speak:

A song you like with lyrics in two or more languages:

songs that are symbolic of a time when i was literally and without exaggeration in the trenches. korean & english

Do you enjoy musicals? If so, what’s your favorite? Top 5: fiddler on the roof, jesus christ superstar, newsies, les miserables, hadestown.

Have you watched any musician’s biopics? Do you have a favorite? I’M NOT THERE DIRECTED BY TODD HAYNES MY NUMBER 1 ☝️ even if i am not the biggest bob dylan girl out there i fucking love that movie so much 

Do you listen to music when it's raining or do you stop to hear the sound of the rain? Im answerin this question cos i like it. If its raining really hard i take out my headphones and turn my music up so i can hear it out loud blended with the sound of the rain <3

Do you prefer live recordings or studio recordings? LIVE RECORDINGS ARE MY BEST FRIENDS. I dont know if i prefer them but theres something so comcorting and beautiful of hearing live stuff so yeah <3

Okay these were the questions i cared about. thank you i love you . heheheheh

#YAAYYYY MUSIC :) #kip 🕸️ #📬

[devilkittydeckbuilding]

hewwo everyone!!!! today im going to be talking about my favorite dimir deck i have made and why i think its really strong and cool!!!!

the commander is...

UKKIMA, STALKING SHADOW

(drawing is by my gf @goqmir )

this is a dimir deck built around loading up the unblockable commander with equipment and +1/+1 counters and swinging face until i win with commander damage!!!! this deck tends to kill in a few good swings if im allowed to set up due to the sheer amount of equipment that gives at least +2 to ukkimas power.

this deck is not playing the green partner commander in cazur, ruthless stalker because he isn't quite good enough in this shell (he at best gives a +1/+1 counter every one of my turns starting on turn 4) and adding green imo really changes the core idea of the deck. it probably gives me more good protection and i would love to try this deck with more good protection but ultimately it just didnt fit my vision lol

this deck has only the one creature in ukkima, and the majority of the deck is equipment, enchantments, and instants. every spell in this deck other then board wipes (which btw are mass bounce that keep ukkima on the field usually like wave goodbye and raise the palisade, also am interested in kindred dominance possibly) is built to make ukkima bigger or to protect ukkima from any potential removal. this deck runs about 14 or so counterspells, several blink spells to protect as well as blink ukkima and take advantage of her second ability, and lots of ways to give hexproof as well as phase out my commander.

this deck runs lots of utility lands that help it play the long game. some cool ones are witches clinic which is amazing and allows you to gain life while putting your opponents really close to death, cathedral of war is funny because it pumps my creature with exalted, malakir rebirth is death protection, and command beacon makes ukkima more resilient against command tax!!!!

some of my favorite cards in this deck are...

teferi's veil - this card i havent actually gotten to play with, but this deck does not block. it doesnt care about creature combat cause i want to win in a few swings with ukkima and therefore phasing my commander after combat leads to it being impossible to board wipe or hit it with sorcery speed removal. this card makes instant speed the only way to interact with my commander and that is pretty insane lol

unspeakable symbol - this is one of my current favorite cards and makes any creature that can get in into a one shot threat for only three mana and a lot of life. if you arent in danger of dying to damage this card is insane. it makes ukkima one shot starting on the turn after ukkima etbs so that it can attack unblocked versus the most threatening player or the one with the best removal and then the rest of the table isnt far behind. also if ukkima dies after the counters are placed you gain a bunch if life back lol

hatred - this card plays very similar to unspeakable symbol in that you pay a million life to one shot someone but is a little more efficient at doing it (although it does cost more :/) these are not that fun in a casual setting but they make this deck win out of nowhere if you have protection held up and thats important sometimes!!!!

homocidal seclusion - this is the reason i built the deck cause its really cute and funny with only one creature in the deck and also buffs ukkima to a 5 power creature with lifelink which is a pretty good unblockable clock!!!!

feast on the fallen - this card seems kinda crazy in multiplayer cause on my turn i deal damage which triggers this on the next upkeep and then my opponents have to deal combat damage at some point (at least in my playgroup) dotot theoretically grows ukkima every turn with a counter.

this deck overall is pretty insane and lets you play a control deck with a voltron win con and its a very fun mix of playstyles. this list could be improved further and i could probably make a green version and test that one out too but im very happy with the current state of this pile!!!!

there are a couple weird picks for cards that are my playgroup specific like unsubstantiate which is only there for bouncing thassas oracle on the stack cause my friend plays that but overall the deck is just built for speed!!!!

also my headcanon is that ukkima is a fucking girl baby!!!! she/it pronouns wooooooo!!!!

thank you for reading!!!!

#mtg #magic the gathering

[beeelderly]

i think in palisade broun should get either a well meaning romantic interest that they continuously spurn bc of their Unprocessed feelings towards valence OR they should have a full on shitty rebound partner . whos with me

[fourteenfifteen]

palisade spoilers under the cut i don’t feel like futzing w rot13

i am truly so delighted by brnine/jesset becoming more of a real thing like i wasn’t invested before hand beyond thinking it was funny but i love it here. gee brnine how come your mom lets you have two situationships. ali thank you so much

i think my actual current vision for them is something along the lines of “occasional fwbs going back like literal years but mostly they’re bros except that jesset actually has some feelings for brnine and doesn’t know how to handle it (and brnine is either oblivious or actively ignoring that (while still trying to hit sometimes))” and that is like. a perfect amount of mess it’s excellent

it’s just awesome. it’s great. i love it here. i wonder what gucci thinks of the whole situation 🤔 i think my ideal is she’s like “i don’t have the bandwidth to help my sort of partner deal w this other guy who’s clearly into them so i’m not even bringing it up” LMAO less polyamory negotiations more good luck w that

god and they all work together!! i love mess!!! and i love nonbinary people kalvin brnine you’re everything to me

#fatt #palisade spoilers #palisade #cool b does cool things #and i think to myself… what a wonderful world #when i say going back years i mean at least once while valence was still alive #and then when that happened they were like ‘i can’t do this rn i need space. let’s not reflect on why’

[swallowtailed]

palisade 38 !

very fun episode. love to advance some clocks! love to talk about relationships! and also to deliberately not talk about them!

the qui err coalition being extremely serious about lawn games at a bontive valley cookout is The summer event. i wanna be there. also i’m with dre on this, a barbecue is a specific thing separate from a cookout and from grilling

asepsis drone speakers...

cori and elle! cori and elle!!!!! elle dreamed (or claims she dreamed) she was a true believer again… heartbreaking honestly. 

"i'm not gonna spend the rest of my life staring at your back" cori....

also a very funny little beat that thisbe thought elle was going to stab cori. like obviously it’s enemies to lovers but it’s great context for the degree of bloodlust in the blocking lmao. immediately followed by “don’t let her be the one to kill you. kill her first”

speaking of thisbe—integrity giving her the confidence to acknowledge her own autonomy! holy shit! thisbe moments!!!

"thisbe" is sort of already an excerpt nickname from "this being"

figure and eclectic’s conversation about the blue channel… very moving that figure thought to take the time to sit down and say “that’s my home and i care about it”. and eclectic, in response, telling figure about his past… 

speaking of, fantastic conversation with eclectic’s old noir partner. get mercilessly roasted by your old buddy who stayed behind when you left! sure, maybe someone thinks you owe them a bowling game, but the game was always yours and you’re never going back.

and jesset… okay, first of all, jesset taking exactly the same approach as gucci (“thought i was gonna die and it made me think about This and maybe also You”) is extremely funny.

also however. of course jesset city, party of the wolf, believes in martyrdom. it’s one thing to accept the risk of death (as the blue channel habitually does) (no time to practice dying on palisade!), it’s another to live with it. jesset’s chosen coping mechanism is memory, i think. didn’t brnine and jesset last talk while drinking the memory of jesset’s fallen crewmates? honoring the dead is something jesset believes in—he has to, or it all falls apart. because he’s party of the wolf. it must be terrifying to feel like he wouldn’t, himself, be remembered.

anyway all i can figure at this point is that brnine exudes an aura that actively prevents valence’s name from being said in their presence

the twill have decided to restore the battlefields in the bontive valley and partial’s helping!! i’m so curious about what their goals are with it… creating living space and healing some of the damage from the war, of course, but what does that materially look like to the twill?

(was also posting about this here—speculative ecology corner—but it’s like… even if the twill manage to replant and regrow, the damage will still be visible in the unique health of that landscape. will they welcome that, or will they try to erase it as much as possible? both understandable options.)

very much looking forward to both fake gur mission and brnine, thisbe, and cori's assassination mission >:)

#hello world #palisade #fatt #palisade spoilers #fatt lb

[candcpartnersca]

C&C Partners Design/ Build Firm

C&C Partners Design/ Build Firm is the preferred design and construction firm for custom homes in Los Angeles' most established and exclusive neighborhoods- from Pacific Palisades to Beverly Hills and the South Bay Beach Cities. Founded in 1987 by Patrick and Michael Cunningham, C&C Partners Design/ Build Firm has been recognized as one of the elite custom-home builders in the United States by the National Association of Home Builders and Custom Home Magazine.

candcpartners.com

Business Address: 508 North Pacific Coast Highway, Redondo Beach, CA 90277

Phone: [phone]

Our Social Pages: https://www.facebook.com/candcpartners/ https://www.instagram.com/candcpartners/

[podcastingpineapple]

Full on spoilers and yelling about Palisade 25:

41:40

AAAAAGHH IT'S THEM IT'S THEM IT'S THEEEEMMM

I am LOOSING MY SHiT

(Hahaa, i knew it the SECOND they showed up)

45:00

I aM SCREAMING A U S TI N YOU CANNOT SIMPLY SAY "AH YES MISERI AND ROUTINE HAVE CHEMISTRY" WHEN COR IS RIGHT. THERE.

....alright Miseri can have two partners, i retract my statement

1:20:00

The Divine Authority...... A person hooked up to a machine..........

1:33:00

aaaaaAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAA AAAAAGHH!!!!!! AAAAHHHH!!!!!

FigURE!!!! GURRR!!!! I AM CRYI N G

1:50:00

"Phrygian is a plane that is crashing."

Ouuuughhhh

2:26:00

I did it! I did not cry! I survived! Oh no! There are 20 more minutes left!

2:32:00

Branched Man... yall laughing. Phryg is post-divine, post-human, post-robot and yall laughing.

2:39:00

*screaming* SURPRISE AUSTIN WALKER POETRY EVENT! FULL CRYING OVER HERE, THEY ARE PLANNING THEY ARE MOVING

#palisade spoilers #palisade 25

[amazingarchitecturewebsite]

CORSICA: Luxurious villa in the heart of the #LosAngeles Riviera by Marchem Real Estate Group / CUUB Studio @cuubstudio. Read more: Link in bio! CUUB studio has created breathtaking visualizations for our partners Marchem Real Estate Group to impress and surprise Los Angeles pleasure-seeking buyers and investors… #usa #california #архитектура www.amazingarchitecture.com ✔ A collection of the best contemporary architecture to inspire you. #design #architecture #amazingarchitecture #architect #arquitectura #luxury #realestate #life #cute #architettura #interiordesign #photooftheday #love #travel #construction #furniture #instagood #fashion #beautiful #archilovers #home #house ‎#amazing #picoftheday #architecturephotography ‎#معماری (at Pacific Palisades, LA, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CnxyuY_scj9/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#losangeles #usa #california #архитектура #design #architecture #amazingarchitecture #architect #arquitectura #luxury #realestate #life #cute #architettura #interiordesign #photooftheday #love #travel #construction #furniture #instagood #fashion #beautiful #archilovers #home #house #amazing #picoftheday #architecturephotography #معماری

[luckyluan]

The Detectives, Con't.

FEB 25, 2024 - 11:02PM

“How’s the hubby?” Jardin lobbed at Payton Kyle. 

Emmett Jardin tapped away on his phone’s screen and did not look up. Payton knew this was his version of interest however feigned. So, he indugled.  

“Good...good. Up at the farm...you know.” Payton mumbled. 

He worked a smile onto his face as Jardin looked him up and down.  

“You gonna hit the button, Detective? It’s ninety floors up. Let’s not wait for Ragnorok to get there.” 

Payton stifled a smile as he punched the grimey button marked with a faded ‘91.’ He shoved his hands into the pockets of his long khaki coat where his phone vibrated incessantly. Payton fished his phone from a deep coat pocket and read the text message that flashed across his screen. 

“Stay alert.” The message read.  

A gleam ran the length of each letter before the message disappeared with a magical flourish. The graffiti-colored doors of the elevator creaked open, and the detectives stepped out onto the soggy carpet of the ninety-first floor of Palisade Gardens Highrise Apartments. 

“Wrong way, doofus.” Emmett said. 

Payton rolled his eyes as he turned on his heel. Emmett hardly ever looked up from his phone when they were alone. Payton—for the longest time--thought his partner did not want to talk to him, but now he knew Jardin was always checking game scores and bet placements. It did not bother him as it never interfered with their work. Jardin was sharp—seasoned—and he never missed anything. 

“Do you ever put that thing away?” Payton teased Jardin. 

“Raiders lost to the Cowboys last night. I’m on a roll. So, no. Knock.” Emmett commanded. 

Payton knocked on apartment door 906 and, seconds later, a tall, dark man flung it open. He ducked in the low door frame with a shy expression on his face. 

“Look, officers, before we get started I’m asking y’all to keep an open mind. It’s not what you think!” 

#writeblr #beyonce #fanfiction #short story #black tumblr #writerscommunity #creative writing #aquarius #artist inspiration #payton kyle #the kings spatula #magical creatures #magic #witches #fantasy #witch #spell #magical realism #magic creatures #witch community #witchcraft #witchblr #witchcore #witchy vibes #witch aesthetic #fiction #short stories #unfeignedwriter #spilled writing #spilled thoughts

[chinese-ny-real-estate]

大纽约社区介绍之University Heights, the Bronx

大学高地(University Heights)位于布朗克斯西北部，是一块面积不大、有些地方还很邋遢的飞地。布朗克斯社区大学(Bronx Community College)占地45英亩，校园横跨悬崖峭壁，视野开阔，对社区的影响举足轻重。

这不是一所典型的通勤学校。该学院最著名的建筑由斯坦福-怀特(Stanford White)设计，2012年，学院大部分建筑被评为国家历史地标。

1973年，这个拥有约3万人口的社区并不景气。纽约大学(NYU)在19世纪末建立了这所校园，作为其格林威治村(Greenwich Village)以外的乡村校区，随着犯罪率的上升和入学率的下降，纽约大学以约6200万美元的价格将学校卖给了州政府。

据史料记载，随着有宿舍的大学被学生每晚回家的学院所取代，一个艰难的过渡时期随之而来。West 183rd Street和Loring Place North等曾经是学生和教师居住的街道变得空旷破败。

但学院的管理者和居民们认为，这所在20世纪80年代斥资数百万翻新校外建筑的学校就像一条马奇诺防线(Maginot Line)，阻止了南布朗克斯的凋敝。

如今，隶属于纽约城市大学(City University of New York)的布朗克斯社区大学拥有约11000名学生和1600名教师，校门有保安人员看守，校园周围有巡逻车巡逻；2012年，由Robert A.M. Stern Architects设计的新北楼和图书馆落成剪彩。目前，学校还在翻修主广场。

6岁的盖尔-道森(Gail Dawson)说："这个地区唯一真正稳定的好东西就是大学"。1978年，她从哈林区(Harlem)的一个公共住宅区搬到了这个社区，为的是给孩子们提供一个更安全的成长环境。当时，和现在一样，身患残疾的道森女士住在一套一居室的公寓里，房租由联邦住房券支付。

她说，虽然该地区的一些城市公园已经荒废，但学院却更注重其外观。"我喜欢这里的树，"她说。"这里很漂亮"。

大学高地给人的感觉是静态的。伟大美国人名人堂(Hall of Fame for Great Americans)是一个露天校园，收藏了约100尊半身铜像，包括艺术家、发明家和总统，其中最近期的人物莫过于富兰克林-德拉诺-罗斯福(Franklin Delano Roosevelt)。

但变化正在迫近。

该市正在考虑重新划分Jerome Avenue两英里的区域，以建造更多经济适用房、公园和商店。目前，车库、轮胎店和其他汽车行业占据了这条街道。

一些长期经营的企业主对此表示担忧，比如43岁的佩德罗-蒙西翁(Pedro Moncion)，他在West 181st Street拥有一家San Rafael Auto Repair修车厂。蒙西翁先生说，将该街道重新划分为禁止工业用途可能会导致他已经经营了28年的生意终结。

此外，曾经住在附近希望山(Mount Hope)的蒙西翁先生说，在附近的许多街道上，购买杂货、衣服和电子产品的地方已经比比皆是。他说："我不知道我们还能想要什么"。

大学高地坐落在一座小山上，从这里可以俯瞰曼哈顿和新泽西州的帕利塞德悬崖(Palisades cliffs)。大学高地的北面是West Fordham Road，南面是West Burnside Avenue，东面是Jerome Avenue，西面是哈林河(Harlem River)。根据2010年的人口普查数据，94%的家庭居住在出租房中，而整个城市的这一比例为69%。根据经纪人的说法，这些出租单元中的许多都被预留给第8条(Section 8)补贴住房，或者被安排成单人间(single-room-occupancy)。

市价单位确实存在，比如位于Sedgwick Avenue的River Hill Gardens，这是一座由Goldfarb Properties拥有的五栋砖砌综合楼。校园北面还建有优雅的七层砖砌公寓楼，其中一些是装饰艺术时期的产物。

经纪人说，总的来说，University Avenue(也称Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard)以西的公寓楼最古老，也最时尚。

除此之外，还有零星的砖砌独户住宅，如West 179th Street的独户住宅，它们面对的是带前院的半独立式住宅。少数共管公寓包括位于Grand Avenue和Davidson Avenue的一些公寓。但有些共管公寓受到住房发展基金公司(Housing Development Fund Corporation)的限制，根据该公司的规定，购房者的收入不能超过上限。

市场价房产可能很难找到。据Meridian Realty Partners的副经纪人Jackson Strong称，如果有房，700平方英尺左右的市价一居室共管公寓平均售价为9万美元，两居室为14万美元。

Strong先生说，独户住宅的价格约为30万美元，而两户住宅可能高达45万美元。

StreetEasy提供的数据显示，截至今年8月31日，所有住房的平均销售价格为13.5万美元。2014年的平均销售价格为13.7万美元，2013年为15.9万美元。根据StreetEasy的数据，今年截至8月，一居室公寓的平均租金为1270美元，2014年为1230美元，2013年为1150美元。

Strong先生说："我们正在吸引那些被纽约市其他地区拒之门外的人，甚至是布朗克斯的其他地区"。

由于大多数学生都住在别处，大学城的夜生活很少。位于Aqueduct Avenue East和West 181st Street的BX Campus Deli熟食店似乎是少数几家承认自己存在的商家之一。

在West Fordham Road上，有一家Dallas BBQ烧烤店在周末举办D.J.派对。在West Burnside Avenue上，有一些小店出售水果、美容用品和眼镜。

Aqueduct Walk沿着老克罗顿水渠(Old Croton Aqueduct)的顶端延伸，从19世纪40年代到50年代，这条水渠一直将饮用水从威彻斯特县(Westchester County)输送到这座城市。如果想重温美国历史，布朗克斯社区大学的名人堂也许值得一去。10月18日，布朗克斯社区大学将参加全市范围的"纽约开放日"(Open House New York)活动，届时还将参观由马塞尔-布劳尔(Marcel Breuer)设计的粗野主义(Brutalist)风格建筑。

该地区划入了几所小学，包括Andrews Avenue上的Public School 291、Sedgwick Avenue上的Public School 226和Jerome Avenue上的Public School 33。这三所学校都教授幼儿园到五年级的课程；P.S. 226和P.S. 33还设有学前班。

根据该市的统计数据，在2013-14学年的州考试中，P.S. 291的成绩略好于其他两所学校，当时有18%的学生英语达标，31%的学生数学达标。全市的这两个数字分别为30%和39%。

公立中学有Creston Academy、East Fordham Academy for the Arts和Academy for Personal Leadership and Excellence可供选择，这些学校都在社区外。

St. Nicholas of Tolentine Elementary School是一所教会学校，位于Andrews Avenue North，学制为幼儿园至八年级。

大都会北方铁路(Metro-North Railroad)的哈德逊线(Hudson Line)在大学高地有一站。到大中央车站(Grand Central Terminal)的车程为21至24分钟，月票价格为201美元。

4号线地铁沿Jerome Avenue停靠Burnside Avenue、183rd Street和Fordham Road。

在纽约大学落户之前，校园所在区域有几处庄园，其中一处属于马里(Mali)家族，该家族生产台球毡和其他台球产品。他们的砖房最初成为宿舍，如今是巴特勒厅(Butler Hall)，为高中生上大学做准备。

转载自 New York Times, University Heights, the Bronx: Anchored by a College Campus

[iviarellereads]

Exit Strategy, Chapter 2

(Curious what I'm doing here? Read this post! For the link index and a primer on The Murderbot Diaries, read this one! Like what you see? Send me a Ko-Fi.)

In which I feel a lot of secondhand anxiety and get a punch to the gut.

Murderbot needs to get to TranRollinHyfa, and fast. It looks for extra-fast transports, though not in a direct trip, and finds one leaving in four hours for a hub from which it can get to its destination.

It never particularly wanted to travel this way, but mostly because it wasn't sure it could hack weapon scanners and ID and payment systems all at once. Between expanding its hacking capabilities, and the false identities and currency cards in Gerth and Wilken's bag, it can do what it needs to.(1) It picks an ID, and peels its skin up at the shoulder to insert the marker. It even manages this without leaking. And, it's the first time it's actually labeled and considered, pseudo-legally, as a human. It feels weird.

It books passage for itself with a private cabin and meal delivery, so it can throw the food in the recycler so it doesn't look suspicious that it's not using the facilities. It only sees four humans on the way to its cabin, and hopes not to see another single one for the whole seven-cycle trip.

While in transit, it sorts through all the news and information it has. From GrayCris's perspective, Mensah bought MB right before it disappeared, then Mensah said publicly that someone needed to investigate Milu, then a seemingly uncontrolled SecUnit showed up at Milu, saved it from falling into the planet, and acquired proof it was an illegal operation. Abene and her team's testimony, as well as that of Wilken and Gerth, assured those last two points were in heavy circulation. GrayCris assumed, fairly, that Mensah sent MB to Milu to sabotage them.(2)

It also spends some time soothing its anxiety with media, including a "fictionalized documentary" about the history of human space exploration. It's surprised to see that, if the information provided is accurate, a variation of SecUnits used to be made with parts from humans who died of illness or injury. MB has trouble believing it's true, and switches shows partway through the second episode.

And, it prepares. It studies everything it could grab about TranRollinHyfa. (It's not surprised to find that Palisade also calls it their corporate home.) It fine-tunes its code for taking over security cameras.

When the transport arrives at the hub, MB is glad that nobody's waiting for it, for its own sake and because it indicates the false IDs are uncompromised. It spends a few hours in a transient hotel, pulling from any database it can access or hack into to find information about TRH, and trading its ID out. Worrying that it might already be too late, it doesn't make an extra hop, just books directly to TRH.

I hesitated over my memory clips from Milu, the ones still hidden in my arm and Wilken and Gerth’s clip. I didn’t know how useful the information was anymore. But Miki had died for that information, whether it knew it or not.(3)

Instead of taking it into GrayCris territory, MB buys a parcel package, puts all the data clips in it, and addresses it to Mensah's marital partners, taking the address from its old company records of PresAux's forms.

It's hiding in its next transport cabin when it finds a newsburst, relayed in on a ship that just docked. Dr Bharadwaj made a statement that Preservation is taking steps to resolve issues with GrayCris. MB isn't quite sure what to make of that, but it settles on this being part of hostage negotiations. It does get curious that there's nothing from DeltFall or MB's own ex-company. GrayCris is going to an awful lot of trouble for the alien remnants they can no longer sell or develop. It's not looking good.

Four cycles aboard this transport, and it reaches TRH. While monitoring the transport's comms on approach, it picks up a navigation alert from the Port Authority, and notices that there's a company(4) gunship just on the float near the station.

I had thought that if Mensah had actually gone to TranRollinHyfa voluntarily to negotiate with GrayCris, then the bond might have been high enough to require a gunship. But then why wasn’t it docked? Did Mensah need rescuing or what? I needed intel, and there was one way to get it.

Knowing it has twenty seven minutes before docking, MB does "something stupid" and hacks through to the gunship's feed, giving it a decryption key that marks it as company property, and a tag that it's in stealth mode. The transport acknowledges, and after a short delay, MB sends another signal, and receives a databurst in response. It acknowledges and breaks the connection.

Slowly, carefully picking apart the databurst, it's a disaster. The gunship's contract status is "Retrieve: Suspended Due to Neutral Party Access Denial, Escalation Out of Contracted Parameters". The client ID is Mensah's, and the same as from MB's contract, which means this is likely still part of the same bond agreement. The gunship was likely denied docking thanks to GrayCris's local connections.

Worse, the status includes "Secondary Clients Status: Recognizance", which means other clients from the contract have left company protection parameters. Pin-Lee, Ratthi, and Gurathin were not in the group that returned to Preservation, and it could include any or all of them. They likely took a shuttle and docked privately.

When its transport finally docks, MB disembarks with a crowd of 43 people who were traveling together, hiding in plain sight.

Security is tight, though, and it has to deflect a lot of weapons and recognition scans. There are two companies who have SecUnits available for rental, neither its ex-company, and more security companies that might have their own stock to deploy. But, it's not too worried about anyone deploying SecUnits on transit rings, as they'd cause too much damage. It puts the odds at 15% at best.(5) And even then, they'd have to find it.

Still, my human skin was prickling with nerves. The extra security seemed to support a theory I had. Or maybe I mean a hypothesis. Whatever, the idea was that if Bharadwaj’s statement in the newsburst had been a message to GrayCris, a sign that Preservation would cooperate to save Dr. Mensah, then the stories about Mensah being arrested, about her going to or somehow being taken to TranRollinHyfa were messages, too. Messages to me.

MB thinks GrayCris might be trying to lure it here, to TRH. It doesn't know why they'd want it,(6) when they already have Mensah, but it does mean that MB has to secure an exit before it gets in too deep. It pulls all the specs from security feeds it's picked up on its walk, and tags them to examine later.

Browsing a shop as cover, MB does some more digging, and finds a single shuttle with a company ID code in dock. It feels weird, having familiar humans so close. It matches the shuttle's berth to a hotel log. It needs intel, and they're its best available source. It leaves the shop, making sure to do a performative loop of the offerings, and heads off to meet some old friends.

=====

(1) There's a long aside about identity markers and how the Corporate Rim tracks citizens, sub-citizens, and visitors from outside the rim, and how MB has serial numbers on bits it will never get rid of. I feel like it distracts from the plot, despite being very interesting information, so I'm discussing it down here instead. Take that, organizationally focused brainmeat! But really, it is rather interesting how it compares humans being able to cut their IDs out of them, to its serial numbers. It's a bit heavy-handed, but the serf class do have so much less freedom than the "people" classes, particularly freedom of movement, which is the most relevant here. (2) Given that the statement about investigating Milu was done publicly, I wouldn't be so sure Mensah didn't intend for Murderbot to get the message, despite not having any sort of email or contact address. (3) OOFA! A little warning next time you wanna sucker punch me like that, Murderbot/Wells. (I'm just kidding, never stop.) (4) I really find it fascinating that MB never says the company's name. Any generic reference to a company is its ex-company, unless it's very specifically being general in context about companies. It won't tell us what the logo is, only that it's etched into its bones. It's a fascinating way of dealing with the implication of the trauma of having been owned. (5) Do you know what they say about million to one chances, Murderbot? (6) I expect they think MB might have more evidence on it, and they want every loose end tied off.

#the murderbot diaries #murderbot diaries #exit strategy #murderbot #secunit

[beardedmrbean]

COVERT TWP. — The owner of Palisades Nuclear Plant, Holtec International, took a step forward Tuesday in efforts to reopen the shuttered plant.

Holtec jointly announced with Wolverine Power Cooperative a long-term power purchasing agreement they say will pave the way for the plant to restart.

It's true a purchase agreement was an important step in the plant's reopening checklist, but it’s not the final piece of the puzzle. Holtec Director of Government Affairs and Communications Patrick O’Brien confirmed to The Sentinel that Holtec is still waiting on a decision on its loan request from the Department of Energy and full approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

“We’re still in the process with (the DoE)," he said. "We’re hoping to hear by the end of the year, one way or the other. We still feel like that’s a good timeline.”

The agreement announced Tuesday, Sept. 12, states Wolverine will purchase up to two-thirds of the power generated by Palisades for its Michigan-based rural electric cooperatives. The company's project partner, Hoosier Energy, will purchase the rest.

“We are thrilled to enter into this partnership,” Kelly Trice, president of Holtec Nuclear Generation and Decommissioning, wrote in a press release. “The executed power purchase agreement represents a significant milestone in our journey towards reopening the plant, a historic moment for Michigan and the country.

“The repowering of Palisades ensures Michigan has sufficient energy to meet future demand and mitigate the impact of climate change, while creating hundreds of high-paying Michigan jobs, expanding the local tax base, and unleashing economic opportunity within the region and beyond."

Officials say reopening Palisades will “greatly enhance electric reliability” by generating “consistent and carbon-free energy” in the state.

“Ensuring reliable and affordable electricity in Michigan is crucial,” said Eric Baker, CEO of Wolverine. “The restart of Palisades offers a practical, long-term solution to electric reliability in our state and aligns with Michigan's ambitious goals to reduce carbon emissions.”

Palisades shuttered in May 2022 after 50 years in operation. The 800-megawatt plant employed around 600 people full-time. A recently published study estimated the closure had an economic impact of over $250 million in Berrien, Cass and Van Buren counties.

Just months after it closed, an effort to reopen the plant was announced. Holtec's first loan application failed, but the second, ongoing attempt was launched in early 2023.

Holtec has already secured a $150 million investment from the state. In addition to obtaining the DoE loan and getting approval from the NRC, Holtec will need to rehire and retrain staff. Officials have estimated it will take about two years to get Palisades operational again, if and when the process begins.

#nunyas news