#That requires an answer!! Or at least compensation

[dcafanzine]

Hello everyone! We’ve compiled this handy-dandy FAQ to hopefully answer any basic questions regarding this zine that you all may have.

(As this FAQ has gotten pretty extensive, all of the questions and answers are now listed under the cut!)

FAQ

What’s a fanzine?

A fanzine is a collection of fan works (typically art and/or writing) by fans for fans that focuses on a specific fandom, ship, or character! Most of the time contributors and the team behind a zine are not paid, and the cost of the zine covers production and shipping costs. Any surplus may be donated to charity, or, in the case of a for-profit zine, the contributors and team will be financially compensated.

What’s this zine about?

This zine will be focusing on the daycare attendant (DCA) from Five Nights at Freddy’s in all of their canon variants: Sun, Moon, and Eclipse (including other forms such as the Ruined and arcade cabinet forms and Jack o Moon). We aim to celebrate all canon forms of these characters with a similar number of pieces dedicated to each of their main three forms (Sun, Moon, Eclipse) together or separately.

Will this zine be SFW?

All content produced for this zine will be SFW. NSFW and 18+ pieces will not be included in this zine.

Will ships/pairings be included?

Following feedback from the zine interest check, we’ve decided to focus more strongly on the DCA as characters in general for this zine rather than on romantic pairings. Romantic ships won’t be the primary focus of any pieces for this zine. Platonic interactions and fluff are A-okay.

(Ship lovers please see the question below for an added note on ships!)

Will AUs be included?

Following the zine’s interest check results, for this zine, most pieces will be focusing on more canon-adjacent leaning depictions of the DCA where the designs and/or circumstances are not too far removed from those depicted in canon (for example, where the daycare attendant/s are still working or had previously worked at the pizzaplex, with room for AUs like role swaps where Sun has the more prominent effects from the virus, the DCA working in the theatre or as Glamrocks or on the carousel or something else, the characters being in separate bodies or the same body, etc etc), with some wiggle room for more differentiated AU content and designs to be included in a few pieces so long as it is submitted by either the creator of the AU or with the AU creator’s express permission and depending on the pitch(es) provided by the applicant(s).

(A note on the last two questions: There will be a potential for a bonus PDF or two to be produced focusing more closely on AUs (submitted by the creator of the AU or with the creator’s permission) and/or SFW shipping content depending on contributor interest and availability. This will be separate from the main zine. Interest in this or lack thereof will in no way affect your application and no one will be obliged to participate.)

Will other canon characters / self inserts/ y/n characters / OCs be included?

Other canon characters are completely okay to include so long as the piece still strongly focuses on the DCA! Self inserts, y/ns and OCs may be included so long as:

They have a defined physical design (if drawn) and are either the contributor’s own creation or submitted with the express permission of their creator.

The primary focus of the piece is still the DCA.

What are the general requirements for joining this zine as a contributor?

All zine contributors must be aged 16 or over.

Most zine communications will happen over Discord. Zine contributors should have a Discord account and be willing to use Discord for communications when working on the zine.

Zine contributor applications should include at least one piece (preferably more) depicting the DCA (canon-adjacent or in an AU form where they still have a similar general physical appearance and/or play a similar role is preferred) for a good chance of a successful application. Contributors will also be asked to pitch an idea or two on what they potentially want to do for their piece in the zine which may help secure them a spot in the zine and aid in brainstorming for their piece even if they don’t ultimately use the suggestions they gave for their pitch.

Will this zine be for profit or for charity?

Surplus profits from this fanzine will be donated to charity (when a specific charity has been chosen by the mod team, we will announce this and update the FAQ - suggestions are most welcome!).

Who will be contributing to this zine?

At the heart of this zine from behind the scenes is a team of 8 mods working together to bring you tons of fun DCA content who will be announced in due time!

While exact contributor numbers have not yet been finalised, the zine’s contributor lineup will include something resembling the following:

23 page artists who will draw full-page coloured illustrations with backgrounds as standalone pieces for the zine

5 writers who will each write a short piece for the zine (around 1.5-2k words) which will be illustrated by an accompanying spot artist

5 spot artists who will illustrate scenes to accompany pieces written by the writers working on the zine

2-3 merch artists who will design merch to be produced dependent on the zine hitting certain financial targets

Will mods be allowed to contribute to the zine?

Yes, mods will be allowed to contribute to the zine, if they find that they have the time, but this will not affect the number of other contributors that we take on. Mods will be held to the same standards as every other contributor and must complete the check ins regardless of their mod status. Mods will only be allowed to contribute one piece of work, or may instead opt to be a pinch hitter in the case of a contributor dropping out!

Will this zine be physical or digital?

Dependent on sales, we are hoping on making this a physical printed zine with the option to purchase a digital copy. There will be a selection of bundles available with a range of merchandise.

Are contributors allowed to collaborate?

Two or more contributors may work on a single piece for the zine so long as they work well together! Collaborations will be counted as a single submission.

Will contributors receive a free copy of the zine?

Contributors will receive a free digital copy of the zine and, dependent on sales, will receive a free physical copy of the zine as well. We are hoping to offer discounted or free merch for contributors as well, although this will depend on sales.

In the case of collaborations, whilst each of the collaborators collaborating on a piece will be guaranteed a free digital copy of the zine, each collaborator receiving a free physical copy of the zine will ultimately depend on sales.

When can I apply?

Contributor applications will open on the 25th of March and will close on the 22nd of April.

Can I apply for more than one role?

You can apply for as many roles as you like on the zine (though be sure your application caters specifically to the role you are applying for when you complete each of your applications!), however, you will still only be selected as a contributor for one role. A comment field will be made available in each application form so you can state your order of preference here if you like!

How long will I have to complete my piece if I’m selected?

Zine contributors will have around three months to complete their pieces upon being selected. If you have applied to and are selected to be a pinch hitter (taking a spot in case another contributor drops out) this may vary.

If your question hasn’t been answered here or you’re looking for more clarification, please head on over to our ask box or our CuriousCat!

#dca fan zine #dca fandom #fnaf daycare attendant #daycare attendant #fnaf dca #dca fanzine #fanzine #dca fanzine asks #zine asks #long post

[bootleg-nessie]

Predatory Bananas: an Evolutionary Horror

(Pls read, I literally spent HOURS on this <3)

A friend sent me the following video about the various potential methods of banana locomotion. It got me thinking. How would a banana move? Naturally, as an autist with a special interest in evolutionary biology, I took the joke a little too far and wrote a whole piece on the matter, analyzing the feasibility of each method and the changes they’d need to evolve in order to achieve them.

(Video courtesy of Burning Onion Animation on TikTok, they make great content, go check them out)

The first and most likely way bananas would move is if banana trees evolved to spread their seeds through their fruits rolling down hills like the morphology of #1 suggests. The only major mutations that need to happen are a more pronounced curve and increased rigidity to facilitate rolling and absorb the impact from falling from the tree. Overall, evolving to this point is relatively straightforward. #1 is the most feasible and realistic answer.

For bananas to develop motility like in #4 is theoretically possible with the right environmental pressures and with enough time, though much more difficult. I see this working in one of two ways. First, they could evolve rigid structures that change shape depending on moisture content, using natural dry/wet cycles to move a little more each time it rains, much like the seeds of Erodium Cicutarium (pictured below). The fruits of the banana tree would most likely evolve to have hooks on the end of said structures, contracting and pulling themselves forward a little each time they dry out, and relaxing and resetting their grip on the soil each time they get wet.

The second way I could see this happening is if they evolved true locomotion. True locomotion in bananas would take at least a few million years to evolve (probably more like tens of millions), and even then, movement would be incredibly slow. There exists a plant called the “walking palm” (socratea exorrhiza, pictured below) that’s capable of “walking” using its roots, but it can only travel about 20 meters per year in ideal conditions, and has the resources of the entire tree at its disposal, not just that of a single fruit.

While this is the more likely explanation as to how #4 might happen, it’s not what the video depicts. The video clearly shows a banana dragging itself along like an inchworm, indicating motor cells such as those present in Dionaea Muscipula (venus flytrap, pictured below). Whenever this type of movement in plants occurs, it takes an extreme amount of energy and is generally rather inefficient and slow. In addition to this, the banana is moving its entire mass every time, so it’ll have to move much more slowly to compensate. This means that the banana would probably only be able to travel a few centimeters before decomposing beyond the point of functionality. After a few million more years it’s possible that bananas could evolve to travel as far as several meters after falling off the tree, but the further they go, the more fit each individual fruit needs to be, and the more energy and resources they need. Eventually, it’ll reach a point where the energy expenditure will outweigh the benefit and the fruits will stop evolving to travel any further, which I imagine would plateau somewhere in the 0.5 to 3 meter range. However, the fruits still require a significantly higher amount of energy at this point because they’ve evolved to move autonomously, so trees would likely evolve to produce fewer, but more developed fruits as a result. Overall this is the second most likely way bananas would evolve to move, but the video depicts a time lapse, not footage taken in real time.

The next most likely option is #2, which is where things start to get much more interesting. At this point we are quickly beginning to leave the territory of the banana being a fruit and stepping closer towards the realm of the banana being its own independent organism. Whether the banana is still a single fruit from a larger tree depends on if the video is stabilized or not. First, let’s assume that the video has automatically stabilized the banana within the frame. This means that the banana is moving erratically and aimlessly, with the goal of simply moving as far from its origin as it can. The most simple form of this would be a ballistic dispersal method in which the banana grows curved and under tension, falling off the tree when ripe. Upon impact, the tension is released and banana extends, springing itself upward and outward with a single bounce. But this isn’t what the video shows either, it depicts clear and repeated movement, again suggesting the presence of motor cells much like those likely found in banana #4. In this case it probably evolved in roughly the same way as banana #4, but works less effectively due to having a less stable method of traveling.

But what if the video ISN’T stabilized, and the banana’s staying upright all on its own? In the video, the banana isn’t just moving along a single plane with one set of motor cells like the Venus flytrap. It’s full on galloping. This requires multiple groups of motor cells working together in a coordinated effort. This banana has real-time sensory input to orient and stabilize itself. This means that the banana has evolved some sort of internal gyroscope, much like our inner ear that helps it determine what up and down is, and more importantly, angular rotation. While plants have been observed reacting to and even predicting stimuli in ways that still baffle scientists to this day, this is far more complex than any plant every discovered throughout human history. Everything here points to something more, perhaps rudimentary intelligence, dare I even say sentience.

This begs the question: is it even a plant anymore? At this stage it’s evolved sensory organs and can move independently. But why? Organisms don’t evolve the ability to move without reason. This could mean one of three things. First, it could have evolved the ability to run as a means of spreading its seeds further. But this can’t be the answer. Moving more slowly would be way more efficient for a banana in terms of energy expenditure, and spreading seeds the old fashioned way is still perfectly viable, so it wouldn’t have evolved that way due to lack of necessity. This brings us to the first legitimate possibility: the banana is prey. If the banana were prey, then the ability to gallop most likely evolved as a means of escaping predators and to avoid being eaten. This is further evidence that the banana has evolved beyond being a humble plant as this goes completely against the purpose of fruits, which evolved to be eaten on purpose. Now, the banana’s goal isn’t to be eaten so that its seeds may be deposited elsewhere, its primary objective is to survive. At this point it’s relatively safe to assume that the banana no longer comes from a tree, and now reproduces through fragmentation, or perhaps even live birth. Its lack of leaves suggest that it’s evolved beyond being an autotroph and relying on photosynthesis. But if it no longer gets nutrients from a tree, how does it subsist? It must be getting its energy from somewhere. The most likely answer to this is that banana is a herbivore, and gets its energy from plant matter, which contains a lot of the same nutrients that the banana recently used to get by growing on a tree. Overall, this is the third most likely way the banana would evolve locomotion.

But what if it isn’t an herbivore? This brings us to the other possibility: the banana is a predator. The banana that concerns me the most is banana #3. While all the other bananas have undergone major changes to their morphology, banana #3 appears to be identical to any regular banana, yet it still moves. The only way that such movement could be possible is if the banana had some sort of internal mechanism that moves its center of mass around rather quickly within its outer shell, which also requires an internal gyroscope for balance. I know what you’re thinking; “but this is an incredibly complex mechanism, wouldn’t it be easier to evolve one of the other ways?” To which the answer is yes, it would. But this raises another question with an even more alarming answer: why didn’t it? The answer lies in the banana’s identical appearance to that of a typical Cavendish. Clearly, looking like an ordinary banana is central to its survival strategy. At this point, it’s evolved well past the point of being a fruit and has become the first of an entirely new kingdom of sentient creatures descended from plants.

According to my estimates from the video, banana #3 is only able to move at a pace of around a tenth of a meter per second, maybe a quarter or half of a meter at the most. This means that it probably didn’t evolve the ability to move as a means of running from predators. Based on the physics in the video, my best guess as to how the banana moves is through the use of mostly hollow internal chambers with a central mass (probably a calcified seed) suspended by tendons that can move in any direction, accelerating the banana in that direction. Here I’ve collaborated with the massively talented @pholidia to bring my ideas to light.

Picture it. You’re a lone banana farmer in South America. You’re out harvesting your crops when you see a single banana on the ground. It looks a little weird and bruised, but still totally edible. “No good in letting perfectly good produce go to waste” you think to yourself as you pick up the banana. You go to peel it when suddenly, you feel a sharp shooting pain through your hand. You drop the banana, then fall to your knees. You look around for the wasp or whatever it was that stung you, but you can’t find anything. You collapse in a heap on the ground, unable to control your body. It’s at this point you notice the banana start to move. “Are… are those teeth?” you think to yourself. At this point the venom has taken full effect. You are alone and completely paralyzed, unable to do anything besides observe the banana as it starts moving towards you. Sharp teeth and beady black eyes are fully visible now. It ambles towards you clumsily, moving almost as if it were being controlled by invisible strings like a marionette. It reaches you and starts to chew. It is at this moment that you discover, much to your horror, that the venom is merely a paralytic, and not an anesthetic. Helpless to the venom, you can do nothing but watch as your blood slowly drains out onto the ground as the creature consumes you. Slowly, your vision begins to fade to black. You pass out, either from the pain or the blood loss, you’re not really too sure. You take one last look at the creature, then you’re gone forever.

#biology #evolutionary biology #evolution #bananas #plants #darwin #science #botany #banana #r/196 #196 #r/196archive #/r/196 #rule #meme #memes #shitpost #shitposting #autism #stem #cool #funny #plant #cooking #trees #fruit #unreality #joke #funny shit #funny post

[nishloves]

unsurity (tartaglia)

words : 1.4k // childe x reader // fluff, narrative

you were always sure that tartaglia wouldn't notice you at all; he valued strength before anything and you weren't strong— at least not stronger than him— not strong enough to be even called an "outstanding" paladin. but the day he saw you defeat a bunch of fatui agents in chess and soon got defeated himself when he challenged you, you saw a switch flip in his eyes.

you were sure that you won't get any special attention from the harbinger; he always knew that you were a capable agent but you weren't anything worthy of his attention— after all, you were just a normal but clever agent; slowly but surely climbing up your ranks in fatui. but soon, he started to observe just how easy it is for you to learn even the most complex of plans, understand nexus of convoluted theories and researches and how easy it is for you, to put those said plans in action, even leading when required to.

you were sure that childe was a man who valued strength above all; yes, he was a straightforward, serpentine and a loyal man, but under that mask of friendly-outgoing man, was a war hungry lunatic, who swore his life to the tsaritsa, who survived on the lone adrenaline of battles and mysteries to be unfolded, a brute living with lust for bloodshed, it was hard to surprise him but— for him, you were a sweet enigma, a cerulean bead sewn with green ones.

you were sure that the ginger-haired male always knew more than he let on; he was a man of many talents after-all; may it be his negotiating prowess, diplomatic nature or simply his strength— you always assumed it impossible to surpass him. but one day, when you were left in charge on account of his absence and were still able to pull off the best deal (which even he might've had problem to get), the male was sure that there's obviously more to you than what met the eyes.

you were sure that the eleventh always assumed for people to bow to him— to be scared of him, like hello, as if he's not one of the most dangerous persons in the world— but, the day you sheepishly admitted that answering to the eleventh harbinger made you quite nervous, his eyes were wide with shock. the sole harbinger who was never known to exploit his sub-ordinates, if he could, he certainly became even kinder to them— rather than tripling their training in case of mistakes, he only doubled them now. well, it was still better than the way the other harbingers disposed of the weak links to their dungeons or simply put up their 'wanted' posters.

you were sure that a fighter like "lumine" would be the one to catch his eyes— she might just be a bit above average with her brains, but her brawns, connections and integrity compensated for everything else— you wondered if she was even stronger than the harbingers— which didn't seem too far-fetched a theory, she was an outlander after all. but she also hated the fatui, without caring about about their end goal; there were evil people everywhere, no? so why would she hold prejudice against every fatui member? you wondered just why it was hard for lumine to grasp that fact— yet, you chose not to say anything, you weren't in her shoes.

you were sure that your leader was head over heels for the traveller, calling anyone "comrade" was probably the highest honor he could present to anyone. you chuckled as you witnessed one or two of their ministerings, panicking slightly as you found his eyes catch yours as you watched them but you simply bowed and left, you sincerely wished for him to stay happy.

all talents are recognized by the tsaritsa and she certainly didn't let your talent go to waste, soon you climbed up the ranks to become an official diplomat from the nation of snezhnaya, you weren't just an agent anymore. your position didn't surpass that of harbingers but, you certainly didn't need to work under them anymore- you were also shocked to know that a few harbingers- la signora, the doctor and marionette had themselves vouched for your promotion. it scared you to the core, you weren't under childe's protection now- you were free, independent- but shackled enough for other harbingers to use you as a puppet for their missions- and you wouldn't have enough authority to deny them either.

you were sure of the fact that you were fucked when the doctor asked you to visit sumeru with him- to handle political and diplomatic issues from his behalf as he works on his own research- but, another harbinger had requested of your help at the same time and the tsaritsa deemed it more appropriate, to aide this other harbinger at work. the other work wasn't a piece of cake- none of your work is, but ningguang was quite hard to please, you would pray that you never negotiate with her again.

you were sure that no one would care to console you after your probably hardest mission till date- you were exhausted- spent, your brain felt fried. so when you felt a strong arm grip your shoulder you didn't even have enough strength to shake it away- honestly, you probably couldn't even if you were healthy. you tilt your head as you looked at the ruffled red locks- they seemed fluffy. you smiled as you stared up at him. "good evening, lord," you said as the harbinger smiled at you- passing you a coffee to drink- your favorite one too! you giggled as you took the drink from his hands, to exhausted to register what was happening in front of you as you grinned at childe.

"your girlfriend might get jealous, my lord."

you saw his brows quirk up quizzically as he stared at you, "what girlfriend?"

"lumine?"

"she's not my girlfriend- neither do i like her."

you were sure that this man was devoid of being vulnerable- yet when you sat next to him as he looked over at the red sunset over the white silky stretches of snezhnaya, you could feel him shiver- if only for a second. he chuckled as he closed his eyes and leaned back, "signora hated the chilly air, you know? now that i think, she hated the wind itself."

ah, so it was about her today,

"and the balladeer would scowl at me as i asked him to spar- sparring was perfect to not feel the cold."

so it is about both of them.

you simply nodded at your ex-boss, listening to him retell stories about his past days, with smiles and chuckles all along, until he falls silent- his eyes gazing at the shadow of what was the blazing red sun.

"at least one of them is alive- i am sure of that, he wouldn't die this easily."

you stared at your master as your hand involuntarily went over his, gingerly tracing small circles over his knuckles as he smiled. he didn't push your hand away and neither did he punish you.

"thankyou." was all that you heard.

you didn't expect him to drag you to snezhnaya's market at the break of the morning- on your holiday. and you certainly never expected him to loiter around the market, asking your opinions on clothes for his siblings that you haven't even seen before. he scrambled here and there for numerous souvenirs, rambling about how he can't return to morepesok empty handed.

he wasn't so cruel as to not reward you for making you work extra hard, he bought you a ridiculously expensive piece of gramet despite your protests and wrapped it around you by himself, singing praises of how you look even cuter now, and promised you to a fairly exquisite lunch too!

not before asking you to come with him- to morepesok.

you were sure that his eyes wouldn't linger on you for any longer than a few mere seconds. so when he stretched his hand across the table and held yours, you wondered if he was the "person of your dreams", someone you would readily give your heart to. you wonder if people like him, needed people like you. because you were always sure, that he'd never notice you, at least not for long.

maybe you were awfully wrong.

#genshin impact #anime #genshin x reader #tartaglia x reader #tartaglia x you #tartaglia #childe tartaglia ajax #ajax #childe x reader #childe #childe x you #childe tartagalia #childe genshin impact #genshin imagines #genshin fluff #genshin fanfic #nish recs : anime

[sgiandubh]

Lallybroch: copyright vs. trademark

An excellent question was asked by our friend @rosfrank in the comments thread to 'The door faces North' post and given the cosmic amount of uninformed bullshit being ventilated for almost ten years in this fandom, I think it's time to answer it once and for all:

Whenever we are informally talking about 'owning the rights to something', I think it's very important to bear in mind a fundamental distinction between two different categories of ownership rights: copyright and trademark.

The copyright is the most familiar one to many of you. It is what you usually find on those annoying and apparently useless first or last pages of all the printed or digital editions on this planet. Something like this:

In the US, copyright issues are regulated by the Copyright Act of 1976, as included in Title 17 of the US Code. The US public authority competent for registering and managing copyright is, as predictable, the US Copyright Office.

Perhaps the most seminal US Supreme Court decision, as far as copyright is concerned, is the 1991 Feist Publications, Inc., v. Rural Telephone Service Co. In it, the Court ruled that mere compilations of information or facts (such as, for example, telephone books) are not protected by copyright, according to US law. In other words, the ancient legal concept of 'sweat of the brow' (which simply means the amount of work required to gather and compile those facts/information) is not enough to qualify a work for copyright protection, if no creative effort is added to enhance its content. This is why I have always considered absolutely ridiculous Marple's efforts to watermark public information screenshots: it is useless (to the extent that it legally protects her from nothing) and, as her timelines, a mere compilation of facts (legally ditto). A similar approach is preferred by the UK and also by many Roman law legal systems, such as the French one - just making things clearer, here, by the way.

See how 'Erself is roughly doing, right now, in this department:

But I am rambling. In my view, Lallybroch, as a pivotal concept used in Diana Gabaldon's books, is protected by the copyright granted to each and every of her books mentioning it, according to the Roman law principle 'accessorium sequitur principale' (the accessory follows the principal). So it will remain protected for at least 70 years since the last of her books mentioning it would have been published under copyright. Unless she chooses to separately protect the entire finished cycle as a whole, once Book Ten (fingers crossed) is published, preferably during our foreseeable lifetimes.

That being said, that goes only for one copyright category: (published) text - you cannot copyright that secret diary in your drawer, LOL. This is why, the current US Copyright Office records concerning Lallybroch look like this:

Sony Pictures Television Inc owns the copyright to the fictional name Lallybroch in the motion pictures category, as it is the title of the Episode 12, in Season 1 - DG has been handsomely compensated for this, no worries. And someone I have no idea about owns the rights to an original musical score she has written and titled Lallybroch in the music category, since October 2013.

Onwards to the trademark. This is something different and this is all about making your name/concept/idea profitable. It is all about branding it, putting it on a product and selling it under that brand. It includes all the graphic elements and the logo of the brand (accessorium...) - in short, its visual identity to the consumers. In the US, trademark issues are regulated by the 1946 Lanham Act and the public competent authority is the good old US Patent and Trade Office (USPTO).

Right now, the situation for the Lallybroch trademark is as follows:

So, we see three different trademarks: two of them, owned by Diana Gabaldon, are classified as 'dead' (cancelled and/or abandoned) and the third, Lallybroch Spirits, owned by S's Great Glen Company is pending approval - he will not be able to label any booze bottle Lallybroch Drink Me before permission is granted by the USPTO.

Let's unpack:

Both Lallybroch trademarks formerly owned by Diana Gabaldon were filed at the USPTO on February 21, 2000 and granted on December 12, 2000. The first was aimed at producing 'tartan fabrics for the manufacturer of clothing' and it was abandoned in December 2003:

The reason is that the owner did not file in any Statement of Use after the trademark was granted. She had three years to do so, and since she chose not to do anything about it, the trademark was deemed abandoned (Stacy K. Smith is the attorney hired by Herself, btw). That means she specifically implied not to intend using it in the future. As such, she may claim NO rights on a now free to use mark:

The second trademark was aimed at producing 'clothing, namely, t-shirts, dresses and headwear' and also 'jewelry, namely, rings, pins and necklaces'- to cut the story short: OL merchandise - and it was cancelled on March 1st, 2013:

The reason is that the owner did not file the Section 8 declaration (of continuous use for five years) within the allowed legal timeframe (6 months after the fifth anniversary of the trademark granting renewal). Her trademark federal rights are now deemed canceled (but not her state law and/or common law rights!) and if she wants to ever use that name again, she would have to start the whole process over, bearing in mind the trademark could have been granted to someone else, in the meanwhile (not her case).

And for anyone who might ask, 'Erself does not own any other trademarks whatsoever:

The other (Doll Lab - LOL for ages) Diana Gabaldon is a pharmacist from Albuquerque, NM. Chill. 🤣🤣🤣

The owner of the copyright to the fictional toponym Lallybroch, as far as published text is concerned, is Diana Galabdon.

The owner of the copyright to the fictional toponym Lallybroch, as far as motion pictures are concerned, is Sony Pictures Television Inc.

The owner of the copyright to the fictional toponym Lallybroch, as a personal work of music, is Mrs. Kelly Ruth Davis, of Pennsylvania, USA.

The owner of the Lallybroch Spirits trademark will be Sam Roland Heughan, when that trademark is granted by the USPTO.

I hope this answers your question, @rosfrank. Thank you for asking.

#fandom #shitshow #boozewars #business #legal

[burst-of-iridescent]

Hi! I love all your posts regarding atla and deep diving into Zuko and Katara's relationship-those analysis's are *chief's kiss* perfect

Anywho, I hope you don't mind me asking, but I'm guessing you heard about Bryke wanting to expand the atla universe, and will be creating a new movies, one of which, with the Gaang as adults, but as far as I know won't have any of the returning head writers like Aaron Ehasz..

so my question is: do you think there is any hope for these movies? Because to me I feel like it might just be a fully animated comic (we all know how those turned out) & just be 2 hrs of Katara and Aang saying "Sweetie" back an forth. Yes I'm still saltly

frankly? no.

and that's not even me saying it as a salty zutara shipper who doesn't want to see kat.aang as an established relationship. i doubt how good these movies are going to be because bry.ke have little-to-no understanding of their characters, especially katara and zuko, and at least since atla, haven't shown the self-awareness to hire a writer's team that can compensate for their shortcomings. i've said it before and i'll say it again: they have great, creative ideas and an excellent eye for stunning visuals and an immersive world. but when it comes to the nuances of characterization and story-building, they cannot do it on their own. lok proved that beyond a shadow of a doubt.

but more than bry.ke, these movies are also emblematic of a larger problem that i see in multiple franchises: the subordination of creative, meaningful storytelling in service to shameless nostalgia cash-grabbing. ask yourself, do we really need a story about the adult gaang? most of the main plot threads that they could've expanded on from atla have already been (mostly badly) answered in the comics: what happened to ursa, azula's potential redemption, decolonisation, industrialisation vs tradition, the founding of a new air nomad legacy, zuko's struggles as fire lord. any new story would either have to retcon previously established "canon" or put a new spin on old themes. the latter of which i severely doubt bry.ke's capability to pull off, particularly if any level of nuance is required.

atla is slowly but surely heading in the direction of star wars/harry potter/the mcu in producing new material just for the sake of making money instead of truly adding something impactful to the canon. the fact that absolutely no new atla material since the show itself has ever managed to live up to the original is proof that the franchise has no idea what it's doing.

and before someone comes at me to say that it's impossible to ever live up to the original - just take a look at the hunger games revival happening right now. the ballad of songbirds and snakes has been received so well because it isn't just a shameless cash-grab. it's a valuable contribution to the series that expands on the universe and themes of the original trilogy, giving more depth and nuance to the original books instead of detracting from them. because collins adds to the canon only when she has something meaningful to say, and for a franchise that she could have milked to absolute filth, that restraint reflects not only her integrity as a creator, but the value she places on the stories that she tells - which in turn makes her readers value and respect them as well.

and that's a lesson that i think every single storyteller should take to heart. if you want to be respected as a writer, you have to respect your characters and your stories first. because if you, the creator, don't... why should anyone else?

#anti bryke #anti atla comics #anti atla movie #anti kataang #not to include my hunger games brainrot even here but #i think it's the perfect example of a storyteller who respects their craft and the difference that makes #compared to bry.ke and everything they've put out since atla

[demonslayedher]

Shall we talk ☆Pillar Filler???☆

(As well as the rest of the episode?)

Keeping it behind a cut because it's not yet available for everybody and a lot of people will appreciate being surprised (I know I did)!

First, how about that new OP??

I love how it sets this arc up for being a pause in the constant life or death struggle (for the Pillars anyway, hahaha), and pricks at how the Pillars always feel they are struggling to compensate for their weaknesses, and the inky hatred that fills their hearts which Oyakata-sama knows they've channeled into defeating Kibutsuji Muzan at all costs. I also had a passing thought the other day about how so many Japanese legends of demon slaying require the hero to call upon a non-human higher power, or use something like a poison or alcohol to weaken a demon before they stand a chance of defeating it. In the end, the medicine that Tamayo and Shinobu develop does serve this crucial role (and the sun fulfills the role of a higher non-human power), but it's otherwise ironic that instead of temporarily weakening a demon to their own level, the usual course of action is to use Breath to temporarily increase their power to that of a demon.

Attaining a mark sure increases the role that "temporary" already played in their lives, and it's really no question that they would choose to pursue that option, even knowing the result.

(Also, CHUNTAROOOOO)

So anyway, onto that filler!!

I loved it.

First, the nitpicking just to get it out of the way: why did a demon need to bother tying up a victim???? Whhhhy? Like, at least they didn't pull a Speedy with some contrived "this demon just toys with victims and leaves them injured instead of killing them" routine that makes for a happy low-stakes Piller Filler episode while showing utter disregard for what demons are and why the Corp risks themselves to stop them. (That said, I always love seeing other Corp members fulfill their own Corp duties with no relation whatsoever to Tanjiro, who is just one piece of a much, much larger whole.)

But rather than write what would ultimately be stupid dialogue with an insignificant filler demon, it's nice that Ufotable did not bother developing the Castle Demon. The totally undeveloped baddies are easy to cast off as Blood Technique (but maybe they could have looked a little cooler if, like, they were vaguely wearing samurai armor or something instead of just being in skin suits? Whatever, not important.) I appreciate that Ufotable did not bother to answer these questions of "why is the victim tied up" because the point of this scene was very obviously not about her or the demon. (I like to think Iguro cut the ropes and then told her to get to safety but just, like, left her there on the top roof).

So as for what this scene WAS for... hot dang, did it accomplish that!!!

The purpose was to make Sanemi and Iguro look cool, and it sure as hell did that. WHAT GOOD CHANBARA, those show-offy sword-play moves against a mob of nameless villains were just so deliciously well choreographed, and the people who can appreciate that were also likely to really appreciate the use of a castle as a purely fun battle setting. Ufotable was probably like, "Our biggest fans are nerds for KnY's touches of traditional Japanese folklore and culture, and for swords and swordplay, so you know what else will probably get them riled up? Yeah, let's give them a castle fortress."

And then everyone cheered, like, "Yes, yes, the fangirls like demonslayedher on Tumblr will never know what hit them."

But then some brilliant person spoke up and said, "You guys, I have the perfect finishing blow."

And everyone said, "What? How could we possibly top this scene that not only purely makes Sanemi & Iguro look cool, but also serves their characters and the plot nicely by showing how the Pillers don't feel they can rely on the other Corp members, and that even though they speak sharply to them they show concern for them by their actions? You know, especially slyly since anime-only fans will get to appreciate a new side of characters whom they haven't gotten to bond with much yet for only having seen their mean sides mostly and none of their battle coolness, and also slyly because the hardcore manga fans know that these two are buddies?"

And then the brilliant person says, "Let's give them that fortress."

The brilliant person was then crowned Ruler of Ufotableland and the fans lived happily ever after.

Speaking of Pillar Filler, I also want to point out how nice that opening exposition between Shinobu and Kanao was. First, what a nice way of incorporating Kanao into a nice episode that gives us a nice little dose of everyone in the Corp cast, even by adding that little scene of Amane and Ubuyashiki too. I loved the little touches that develop the Butterfly Mansion, like the fact that on the path there, they have a stone sign that says "Butterfly Mansion" and a line of carved Jizo statues (to protect travelers and (deceased) children) with little butterflies. And that moment of Nezuko frowning as the sunlight goes behind a cloud? Wonderful. And Shinobu essential saying to Kanao, "I trust you with defending everyone here in the now VERY LIKELY EVENT OF KIBUTSUJI MUZAN ATTACKING while I have to go off to a Pillar Meeting now that you're back"? I looooove iiiiiiiiit. That also says a lot about the trust other Pillars have in Shinobu to entrust her with Nezuko instead of putting any pressure on her to take part in Pillar Training, as clearly they don’t know about Tamayo, and it's really anyone's guess if they know about the poison or not (though the light novel implies Himejima might have an inkling but doesn't know). Being Pillars, though, I doubt any of them would tell her she's wrong for being prepared to take down a demon in any possible way.

I love, love, love, love the treatment of all the straight-from-the-manga scenes, like "Welcome home, Inosuke" (except for the added 'did you miss me, Aoi-chan' because canonically Aoi is the one kind of girl who is not his type), Tamayo speaking with Oyakata-sama's bird, Mitsuri's "explanation" of the mark, and every single Pillar interaction. I love the amount of respect they show to Himejima (and how Ufotable slightly expanded on this), and I am so excited for the extra Himejima content this season. In the new marketing materials released on the same day as the episode/movie, they make stark use of one of the kanji characters in his name ("cry out"), which is a very nice touch. And the use of BGM!!! Especially the touches of Giyuu's and Mitsuri's themes during the meeting!

*happy sigh*

It is nice to be a fandom citizen of Ufotableland.

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

WIBTA if I posted my art from a zine early?

I (23nb) joined a zine for a semi obscure 2000s manga/anime as a page artist with two of my friends. I enjoy this media but I don't really consider myself in the fandom, I only joined because one of my aforementioned friends is a huge fan of it and the other friend is also a casual enjoyer and we thought it would be fun if we all did a zine together.

However.

Most zines have a timeline of around 9-10 months from beginning to publishing but this one's been in production for almost 2 years. I've been in a few zines and this one has the worst organization I've ever seen in any project. The timeline on the discord only covered the first 5 months and had no estimate for how long the production would be, but a year and a half for publishing is pretty unheard of. The only check-in for progress that I remember didn't even require sending in your piece, you just had to say if you were finished or not and only a handful of the 30ish people on the discord responded lmao. Both of my friends ghosted at this point and the Singular mod (there might be two mods. I can't really tell) didn't dm them to see if they still wanted to participate or anything. Since there is only one person doing everything me and a few others have asked if they need any help and every time the mod(s) say that they're fine. every month or two someone will ask how the production is going and the mod will answer, and then another month goes by and the cycle repeats. I think the zine has finally gone into its “preorder interest check” stage (so not the actual preorder) but judging by how long everything takes i estimate that it'll be another 2 months at least before it actually goes into preorder. Its also never been clear if this is a free zine or if the sales will be donated to charity or distributed among the contributors. Since there's Allegedly going to be a physical copy it's gotta at least use the sales money to pay for production and shipping costs, but I have no idea if I'll be compensated with a physical copy or any money, especially if I do the thing that I might be TA for.

So here's my actual question. WIBTA if I posted the art I made for the zine before the mod says it's ok to do so? A big part of zine etiquette is that you do not post the final piece until the zine is finished, and the repercussions for someone who does range from a mod dming them to take it down or being kicked out of the zine entirely or in the absolute worst case, called out and blacklisted in the fandom and zine circles (I don't think anything that serious will happen to me but I have anxiety so I'm always imagining the worst thing) Most of the people on Tumblr in this fandom are kind of annoying fandom mom millennial types so I don't really want to deal with any possible backlash from them lol. If I just posted my art on Instagram idk if any of them would see it, but they Definitely would if I posted on Tumblr since the zine originated on there and it's such a small tag. I'm also so frustrated with the experience I kind of want to write something cunty in the description about how it's a zine piece for a zine that probably will never come out but I know that's just being petty and would probably invite drama. Also since I drew this thing a year and a half ago it's a little busted looking so I might redraw parts of it, so posting it would still be kinda shitty but it would technically be a different piece from the original one I submitted to the zine.

What are these acronyms?

#aita #am i the asshole

[fliptoast]

Aunt Mopsey

      One must be particularly insane to enter the service of a Nowhere Hour. For one there is no set path to ascend under them. The Watchman requires a sacrifice of the uninitiated, and you must watch them, unfeeling as they burn with knowledge not meant for them. The Forge of Days requires the fiery destruction of something and then beautiful creation from its ashes. The Mother of Ants asks that you open yourself to gates flung wide through scarring, either the body or the mind. The Cornel and the Lionsmith require you and another to ascend in a show of blood and teeth and hatred, and commit yourself to this private dance of a two-person war forever. Even those less commonly ascended under have guesses associated with their paths to ascension. Though it is somewhat luck for the Egalist to turn his head to you, accepting your own mortality and the mortality of others in a grand show increases your odds. The Wolf Divided seems to require your death by your own hand, fulfilling its own lifelong desire. Find the house of the Moon, ascend under the Meniscate. Eat and fuck and feel, ascend under the Red Grail. Of course, these are all simplifications, but the point should be clear. There is at the barest of minimums an idea of how to get the attention of any given hour, and for some a set list of demands others have learned will get you into their service. All this preamble to bring up the oddity that is Aunt Mopsey.

            She is pleasant to talk to. She asks you call her aunt, and she certainly feels like one. She is kind and thoughtful and enjoys listening to anyone who will speak to her. When she asks something of you, you are compensated accordingly. She does not trick or manipulate or lie. The worst anyone can say about her is that perhaps she can be hard to understand with her habit of speaking in riddles or perhaps she is a little blunt. Perhaps her sense of boundaries can also be a bit screwy, considering when you ask how she gets places that seem locked or hidden she will always reply “someone let me in”, but aren’t these just small things? No one would expect her to be a name for an hour at all, much less for one as malicious as the Mare-in-the-Tree.

            The mystery of Aunt Mopsey does not end there though. She is no ordinary Name. Names serve an hour, but no other Name is given a title quite like Aunt Mopsey. She is called a herald, a herald for the Mare-in-the-Tree. Where Mopsey goes, the Mare-in-the-Tree is said to follow. Those Mopsey speaks to are said to be under the influence of the Mare-in-the-Tree. Extreme theories tend to equate Mopsey to nothing but a puppet or meat suit for the Mare-in-the-Tree, saying Mopsey is a shell the Hour speaks through.

Regardless to the relationship between Mopsey and the Mare-in-the-Tree, the fact remains, Mopsey is one of a kind. The only known Name of a Nowhere hour, and one of the more explicitly malicious ones at that. And the pinnacle of the mystery surrounding this woman, is how. There are no other Names, at least not ones who can speak to compare Mopsey too. Her speech doesn’t lend itself to answering such questions as straightforward as “how did you ascend?” The best guess anyone has is that Mopsey, the human if she ever was one, had to be mad. Mad enough to enter the Manaus, and willingly open the door to Nowhere, going against every instinct every dreamer has ever had. From there, no one will ever know how the ascension played out. All that is known is there is a woman, found only in Numa, who speaks in riddles, is pleasant to talk to, and heralds a great evil, an evil always only one step behind her gentle smile.

#cultist simulator #book of hours #weather factory

[partywithoutsmiling]

Here's a fun idea you said that if he wanted to branch could make his own tribe. well what if he did, where do you think the tribe would live? I'm thinking something like the lash caves from minecraft because underground, and what if that was hundreds of years ago? What do you think folk trolls would evolve to look like? What about their culture? Would the leader position be passed down through bloodline or successes? What would their leader even be called? I feel like it has to be chief. Aaaahahahhah this ideas so funnnnn

Hi!

Sorry for late answer, I had a late shift at work, and that didn't leave me with much energy to do anything but have midnight dinner and then sleep XD

The thing about Branch, and his Folk String- yes, he could form his own Tribe and his own genre of music, but I am unsure if he would. Not at least while he travels, and while the events of the first and second movie are taking place.

First it comes down to the fact that he has no idea that the Strings exists and what they even are- and that knowledge would probably change somewhere around when World Tour happens. Even as he travels through the other territories, the topic of Strings just... doesn't come up, so he has no idea what power he holds in his hands (paws XD).

He also just still feels very connected to his own Tribe, no matter how badly they treated him. Especially after he realizes that Poppy actually missed him and was devastated to see him gone. (And sorry to say but my Branch will always be a bit of a simp for her, he is a lost cause in that)

BUT, all that said, entertaining the possibility of him forming his own Tribe...

Him straying underground once more would be very in character- especially as apparently Rock Trolls are subterranean people, in that most of their dwellings are underground and I do headcanon Branch as having a rock troll blood. So he would have never felt comfortable high in the trees like a full blood Pop Troll, but he also wouldnt want to be without any access to sunlight or plantlife.

The Lush Caves are a good idea certainly- and I raise you the possibility of their dwelling be more like the Hidden World from HTTYD XD

Not to the full fantastical extent as in the movies- but with the definition on whimsy and calm, some bioluminescence and giant crystals would be a great conversation piece XD

Chief being the title of the leader also fits- that, or more specifically Chieftain. Branch definitelly doesnt think of himself as coming from line of kings and queens (He is wrong about that in my headcanon buuut that's for another post XD), and so he would never think to use those titles. I think the position would be hereditary- but definitelly not going to the 'firstborn of the firstborn', but based on suitability. Culturaly, I think that would also be most familiar to any troll who who migrates from the large Tribes, where the leadership is definitelly a hereditary position (I think even Country Trolls, despite the Fandom calling Delta Dawn a mayor, do regard her as their queen).

Now for the fun part, the physical changes XD

Honestly that by itself requires a whole another post, since this need to encompass all of the Trolls tribe by tribe, but let me sum it up based on the Major Genres:

Pop: - Colourful little menaces as we know them from the movies XD - Largely arboreal- that means long tails that compensates for balance, and paws with retractable claws used for gripping onto tree bark - All trolls- apart from Classical and Techno- are in possession of fur, or (as one AO3 fanfic writer called it) in possession of 'flocking' XD - Pop Trolls grow thicker pelt in winter and shed it with the coming summer- but in general, it still grows rather fast for some so those trolls took to shaving it down to keep it need (Poppy is one such with unlucky ancient genes when it comes to that) - Before they evolved to use their Hair to the exten they do now, they largely counted on their own agility and ability to jump from branch to branch, and chipped away burrows into the trees - so powerful leg and arm muscles, and comparativelly amazing strenght for beings so small -They definitelly used to be taller than any non-funk trolls, slightly shorter than Biggie, but with the Pop String creation, their hair abilities and the selective survival of the smallest (after all, smaller trolls hid from Bergens' better), they've been getting on average shorter - They do have small hint of fangs, but are largely leaning towards non-meaty diet, though still very much omnivorous

Country: - Centaur-ish; I know movie depicted them with horse bodies, but I headcanon them more in the way unicorns are in old medieval illustrations, ie Artiodactyls - Long tail hair, almost as luscious as their own hair - Pointier ears, clear fangs on top of their large front teeth (since meat seems to be large part of their diet), but not really paws and claws; I would say they are the most carnivorous of all the trolls, raising livestock both for milk but specifically for meat - (diving into the territory of evolution, if they were hunters of prey, they probably chased them and kicked them to death XD) - All in all, not that different from how movie showed them

Classical: - More fairy-like/Hummingbird-like than in the movies - Definitelly still smaller and glittery, but with the idea their skin is not actually glitter like with Glitter Trolls, but either some kind of scale like feathers, or more durable version of the scales like butterflies have on their wings -Two pairs of wings instead of one, and definitelly beating faster to keep them up in the air - No tail- a rarity out of all the Trolls- and their hair is more like bird feathers/crest, in that it can puff up or lay flatter depending on situation - Most likely nectarivous and herbivorous? Making something like 'honey' from their farming efforts XD - The gemstone in their belly is an accessory and not something they all grow naturally- meant to show the troll is grown and ready to join the Orchestra XD

Techno: - Not much to change there- I just imagine their neon and digital looks came much later after decades/centuries being influenced by their string, they used look a little bit down to earth before that - Omnivorous, with crustaceans and molluscs making up for the majority of their animal protein- and probably necessary source of compound their bodies need to be bioluminescent

Rock: - Being looks wise the most similar to Pop Trolls, there was probably some speculation they both came from the very first same ancestor- before the Strings were created - Their flocking/fur is thinner and sleeker, and they don't grow a thick undercoat in winter, but similar to Pop trolls they have paws with claws- only theirs are not retractable - Their tail is also shorter and not as luscious in fur, used more for display than for balancing - Pointier ears for sure, more visible fangs; as mentioned, I think they are supposed to be subterranean? So most of their dwellings is underground- probably to avoid the volcanic ash on top- but I imagine living so close to the sea, they are largely focused on fishing (their angler ships suggests that they have no issue going underwater), probably hunting whatever critter lives in the cavern bellow, and maybe they are using the advantage of volcanic soil to grow some hardier crops? - Living underground with no direct sunlight for days probably gave them killer nightvision while their colours dulled to make hiding in the caves easier

That said, Branch is half and half. Despite his ear deformity, I would imagine they would always be a little pointier than on any other Pop Troll, and he cannot retract his claws (and thus took to filing them down to keep them blunt for safety sake- still sharp enough to help him climb, not sharp enough to hurt) Even if he grew up with his true colours, I'd imagine they would dull as he grew older, going vibrant only if he indulged in the poppiest of songs (or if he performed on stage) He has the tail and the luscious tail-hair of a Pop troll, but his flocking never grows a thick undercoat so he is almost always chilled to the bone in winter, forced to wear padded clothing to keep warm

With the Folk String coming from him, and representing him.... I imagine some of these things would change He'd grow hardier- more temperature tolerant at least- and similar to Rock Trolls, his night vision would grow better. Would any potential Folk Trolls change the same? Maybe? Perhaps more bioluminesce similar to that of Techno Trolls, while their general basic colouring grows more grounded- more into muted pastels and leaning towards greens/aquamarine tones

Culture is hard to pinpoint, as it would be evolving from various established cultures of all the other Major and Minor tribes; who knows what hodge podge it would end up as XD

My mind is full of various headcanons pft- ones that are blanket for all my AUs and ones that are just part of that one specific one- so be on lookout for more regarding that

#trolls #dreamworks trolls #trolls fandom #trolls branch #wanderer!branch au #ask

[bitchesgetriches]

Bitches, I have a potentially odd question. I accepted a job at roughly 10% below market rate because a) it was my first interview back at the job hunt and I chickened out, and b) I don't have my degree in my field yet, and the job definitely requires one!

I'm set to graduate early next year, and they knew that going in. I took it as a discount for them taking a chance on someone who hasn't graduated and ate my negotiating mistake when I accepted the offer.

Once I graduate though... I want to ask for a raise, at least up to the 10% market. I know not to make my argument based on that alone, but, (bear with me) what if I haven't done anything notable? How do I advocate for the raise based solely on "I fucked up when negotiating and you got a cheap year, now pay me what I'm actually worth"?

It's a fairly well defined entry level role, there's no real process improvement or exceptional milestones to hit. At my last job, there were easy things to point at cause the place was a shitshow. Here everything functions pretty well... so... how do I do this?

(Hopefully, by the time I'm actually asking for the raise, I will have done some notable things. If that doesn't happen though... I'd love some pointers.)

Thank you my glorious hearts of the ecosystem, sisters to Pando, you are the parent aspen from which the rest of the forest grows!

Oh my stars, you sure came armed with the kind of over-the-top compliment we LIVE FOR.

Anyway, this is a good question! We always recommend focusing on your own accomplishments rather than outside factors, as you already know. And your employer DEFINITELY knows they got you at 10% below market rate. So they're probably anticipating you're going to ask for a raise after graduation. Which means they've likely already considered their answer.

In a way, this makes your job easier. They're expecting the ask, they know how they'll answer... so there's less pressure on you to make your case.

But you should still make it by showing how you've met expectations. If you haven't exceeded them (and I think you're probably selling yourself short, pudding), at LEAST showing you've met all your benchmarks while being underpaid will imply that at a higher compensation level, you could start exceeding those expectations.

Here's more on getting a raise, pudding:

{ MASTERPOST } Everything You Need to Know about Getting a Job, Raise, or Promotion 

Did we just help you out? Tip us!

#how to get a raise #getting a raise #i need a raise #money #money tips #negotiating #how to negotiate your salary

[flamekeeperzine]

Flamekeeper Mod Apps Open

🕯️ Moderators are the blood, heart, and burning soul of zines. We can't keep this flame burning on our own - will you help us? 🕯️

Flamekeeper: a c!Niki Zine has opened moderator applications. We will be recruiting one graphics/formatting mod, one art mod, one finance mod, and at least one assistant mod to help us on this project.

We're looking for trustworthy people, preferably with experience working on other zines. Moderators will not be paid, as the zine is not for profit. You must be 18 or older to be considered.

Position descriptions can be found on our app form or below the cut!

❤️‍🔥 Mod Application Form ❤️‍🔥

(Want more information on this project before you apply? Check out our carrd for the current specs! This will be a free digital zine with P4P physical merch, and details on schedule will be finalised once we have a mod team to discuss with.)

Position descriptions:

We will be recruiting one graphics mod to design graphics for social media and take charge of the zine's final layout and design. Applicants with past experience making zine layouts are encouraged for this position.

We will be recruiting one finance mod to payment for the zine and merch bundles, and shipping of physical components of the zine. This is a P4P zine, so no contributors or moderators will be financially compensated for their work. If there are leftover funds at the end of the project, the finance mod will be responsible for donating them to charity.

We will be recruiting one art mod to assist the artist contributors and offer insight from an artists' standpoint, as both of the head mods are fanfic writers and have no experience with visual art. You may also be asked to create art assets for the zine layout and will work closely with our graphics mod. Experience as an artist is necessary, and past experience with zine moderation is preferred.

We will be recruiting at least one assistant mod to help out other mods with various back-end and managerial tasks, such as contacting contributors, answering their questions, tracking submission, or helping with anything else that other mods don't have time to do. Moderators are people too, and we're all busy in our own ways - assistant mods are here to help lighten the load when necessary! Past experience moderating fandom events is required. Past experience moderating fan zines, specifically, is ideal but not required.

Do any of these positions sound like you? Apply through the link above - we'd love to have you! 🔥

#niki nihachu #c!niki #nihachu #dsmp #dream smp #mcyt #dsmp zine #zine #charity zine #zine applications

[dearviper]

Hi! Can you do a anakin x Jedi!reader and it’s set during the clone wars? Maybe anakin, ahsoka, reader, and her own padawan are on a mission?!

Sure! This was a challenging one for me in that I had to do a lot more research than I normally do for fics, but a welcome challenge for sure! I really hope you like this. Here is...

Emotion or Peace?

Anakin Skywalker x Jedi!Reader One-Shot

WARNINGS: None

AO3 Link

“I understand your position, Senator,” you spoke slowly, trying not to clench your teeth in annoyance. “But if you would just allow the Republic a mining permit-”

“-you will loot Lothal of its natural resources and leave our citizens in an even more dire position,” Senator Azadi finished your sentence with a hard look. “Do you truly expect us to simply hand over the only wealth this planet has?”

You looked to Anakin for help and he cleared his throat, speaking up. “I’m sure the Galactic Senate will gladly provide any assistance-”

“Bah!” Azadi snorted, rolling his eyes. “We’ve been petitioning the Senate for aid for months now. Each time, we’ve been denied due to lack of funding. Don’t tell me the Republic has suddenly found currency reserves?”

“All available funding is going toward the war effort. There are funds, but none that can be diverted.”

“And what of the people who live in the Republic? Are they to starve while you fight some far-off war?” Azadi demanded. “The Outer Rim may not be a critical battleground, Masters, but that does not mean our people matter any less.”

“You’re right,” your padawan, Ezra, cut in quickly.

You shot him a warning glance, but he pretended not to see it and pressed on.

“You have something we need, and that gives you leverage. Tell us what aid Lothal requires, and we will bring your appeal to the Senate in exchange for the permits.”

You schooled your expression, trying not to reveal your irritation with your padawan. Anakin, sensing your vexation, brushed his hand against yours under the table.

Senator Azadi leaned back, eyeing Ezra thoughtfully before turning back to you. “When we receive the aid, I will issue the mining permits myself — and not a day before.”

You nodded. “Thank you, Senator.”

You rose with the rest of the delegation and bowed to the Lothalian Senate before exiting the room.

“That was a foolish move,” you chided your padawan when you returned to the ship.

“How so? We’re going to get the permits,” Ezra replied with a grin.

“Master, did you truly expect Senator Azadi to grant the permit without compensation?” Ahsoka chimed in.

“No, I didn’t,” you answered, shooting Ahsoka a sharp look. “I expected the Senator to counter our offer with one of his own, and then for us to counter that, and so on until we reached a compromise. That’s generally how negotiations work. Instead, Ezra undermined me, gave up all our bargaining power, and handed Azadi a blank check.”

“Oh.” At least your padawan had the decency to look embarrassed. 

Ahsoka, on the other hand, merely shrugged. “We’re still getting what we wanted.”

“Snips, maybe stay out of this one,” Anakin advised in an amused tone. Shrugging again, she left the room.

“Ezra,” you said, tone softening. “You grew up on Lothal, right?”

He nodded bashfully, all traces of smugness having dissipated.

“Your love of your people influenced you to make an unwise bargain. A Jedi must discipline their mind to disregard any attachments. You know the Code: There is no emotion, there is peace. You must take those words to heart.”

You placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, smiling sympathetically. “It is a difficult lesson to learn, and an even harder one to live by. But I have faith in you and your abilities.”

“Thank you, Master,” he said, giving a small smile in return before bowing and joining Ahsoka in the cockpit.

“You handled that well, Master,” Anakin commended, approaching you from behind when the door shut.

He wrapped his arms around you and you leaned back into his embrace.

“I’d be more inclined to agree with you if I didn’t feel like such a sanctimonious hypocrite,” you grumbled as he pressed a kiss against the crown of your head. “‘Disregard any attachments.’ Like I have any right to tell him that when I… when we…”

You trailed off as Anakin began to kiss down the side of your neck.

“You’re making it very hard for me to stew in my shame,” you sighed, turning around to face him.

He responded by pressing a kiss to your forehead. “Then my plan is working.”

“Anakin Skywalker,” you gasped in faux shock. “Are you trying to distract me?”

“It depends,” he smirked. “Is it working?”

“A little too well,” you murmured, pulling him in for a long, slow kiss. He tried to deepen it, fingers curling into the fabric of your tunic as he pulled you flush against his chest.

Reluctantly, you broke free from his grasp. “We had better join our padawans before they get suspicious.”

“Later?” he asked, tugging you back in.

“Later,” you confirmed, pressing a final, loving kiss to his cheek.

Star Wars Masterlist | Main Masterlist

#anakin skywalker x reader #anakin skywalker/reader #anakin skywalker #dearviper requests #anakin skywalker x jedi!reader #the clone wars #star wars #anon asks

[thepastisalreadywritten]

Hospital staff embroiled in a privacy probe involving the Princess of Wales will likely be facing disciplinary action, an expert has warned.

The Mirror revealed an investigation is underway at the world-renowned The London Clinic into claims Catherine's confidentiality was breached while she was a patient in January.

At least one member of staff was said to have been caught trying to access the 42-year-old's medical notes.

The future Queen had abdominal surgery at the London hospital in January and stayed for a fortnight, as she recovered before returning home to Windsor.

The allegations are the latest blow to hit Catherine, whose absence from public life over the past two months has led to wild conspiracy theories on social media about her whereabouts and health.

Now, an employment expert has outlined the likely next steps for accused staff, while a data protection expert has suggested Catherine could well claim compensation.

Employment partner Tracey Guest at law firm Slater Heelis told the Mirror:

"Any hospital employee who has accessed Catherine's private medical records, without any proper work reason to do so, is at risk of being dismissed due to gross misconduct.

Previous cases for dismissal relating to confidential information have held that it is important for employers to have policies in place, which make it abundantly clear to employees that unauthorised interference with computers/accessing confidential information unnecessarily will carry severe penalties.

No doubt all hospital employees will have been given contracts of employment where confidential information is a key term.

And it is likely that the hospital will have policies in place to make it clear that unlawfully accessing patient confidential information is likely to amount to gross misconduct."

The next steps to follow will depend on the alleged employee's years of service at the clinic. Tracey continued:

"If an employee has two or more years' service, the hospital will need to follow a fair procedure prior to dismissing an employee, otherwise they will be at risk of a claim for unfair dismissal.

This means that the hospital should require the employee to attend an investigation meeting, where the allegations are put to the employee and the employee is given a chance to respond and put forward any explanation/deny the allegations.

If the Investigating Officer decides that there is a case to answer, the employee must then be required to attend a disciplinary meeting.

The employee should be advised in advance in writing of the disciplinary allegations against them and warned that a possible outcome may be dismissal.

The employee should also be given the right to be accompanied to the disciplinary meeting by a fellow employee or trade union representative of their choice.

If an employee is dismissed, they should be given the right to appeal the decision."

It is likely that accessing medical records without any proper work reason is also a breach of data protection, and these allegations would also be discussed with the employee concerned, Tracey explained.

Meanwhile, the employees' alleged actions causing reputational damage to the hospital will also be assessed.

"Given the publicity surrounding this matter, this allegation would be genuine and could provide a further reason to warrant dismissal for gross misconduct (subject to the findings of any appropriate investigation and disciplinary)," Tracey added, before suggesting:

"Any employee involved in accessing medical records without a proper reason to do so may be best advised to resign, in order to avoid having a dismissal on their records."

The clinic's boss said that all appropriate investigatory, regulatory and disciplinary steps will be taken when looking at alleged data breaches.

Al Russell, said in a statement:

"Everyone at the London Clinic is acutely aware of our individual, professional, ethical and legal duties with regards to patient confidentiality.

We take enormous pride in the outstanding care and discretion we aim to deliver for all our patients that put their trust in us every day.

We have systems in place to monitor management of patient information and, in the case of any breach, all appropriate investigatory, regulatory and disciplinary steps will be taken.

There is no place at our hospital for those who intentionally breach the trust of any of our patients or colleagues."

It is a criminal offence for any staff in an NHS or private healthcare setting to access the medical records of a patient without the consent of the organisation's data controller.

Looking at somebody's private medical records without permission can result in prosecution from the Information Commissioner's Office in the UK.

A spokesperson for the data watchdog said:

"We can confirm that we have received a breach report and are assessing the information provided."

Jon Baines, Senior Data Protection Specialist at Mishcon de Reya, outlined what this would mean and suggested that Catherine could claim for compensation.

"Any investigation by the ICO is likely to consider whether a criminal offence might have been committed by an individual or individuals," he began.

"Section 170 of the Data Protection Act 2018 says that a person commits an offence if they obtain or disclose personal data 'without the consent of the controller.'

Here, the controller will be the clinic itself.

"Although there are defences available to someone charged with the offence — such as that they reasonably believed they had the right to 'obtain' the personal data, or on grounds of public interest — such defences are unlikely to apply where someone knowingly accesses patient notes for no valid or justifiable reason.

Mr Baines explained that an offence is only punishable by a fine.

In England and Wales, although the maximum fine is unlimited, there is no possibility of any custodial sentence.

"A further area of potential investigation for the ICO will be whether the clinic itself complied with its obligations under the UK GDPR to have 'appropriate technical or organisational measures' in place to keep personal data secure.," the data expert continued.

"Serious failures to comply with that obligation could lead to civil monetary penalties from the ICO, to a maximum of £17.5m although, in reality, given that such civil fines must be proportionate, it is rare that such large sums are even considered by the ICO.

Individuals, such as - in this case - The Princess of Wales, can also bring claims for compensation under the UK GDPR, and for 'misuse of private information', where their data protection and privacy rights have been infringed."

Mr Baines added:

"Whatever the outcome from the ICO, anyone working in an environment where they might have access to personal data, particularly of a sensitive nature, should be aware that there are potential criminal law implications arising from unauthorised access.

Any organisation holding such information should ensure it has appropriate measures in place to prevent, or at least reduce the risk, of such access."

Earlier today, a health minister said police have "been asked to look at" whether staff at The London Clinic attempted to access the Princess of Wales' private medical records.

MP Maria Caulfield, who is a nurse serving as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Mental Health and Women's Health Strategy, said there could be “hefty implications” if it turns out anyone accessed the notes without permission, including prosecution or fines.

When questioned whether it should be dealt with as a police matter, Ms Caulfield told LBC:

“Whether they take action is a matter for them. But the Information Commissioner can also take prosecutions, can also issue fines, the NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council), other health regulators can strike you off the register if the breach is serious enough.

So there are particularly hefty implications if you are looking at notes for medical records that you should not be looking at."

Reassuring listeners, she also told Times Radio:

"For any patient, you want to reassure your listeners that there are strict rules in place around information governance about being able to look at notes even within the trust or a community setting.

You can't just randomly look at any patient's notes. It's taken extremely seriously, both by the information commissioner but also your regulator.

So the NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council), if as a nurse, you are accessing notes that you haven't got permission to access, they would take enforcement action against that. So it's extremely serious.

And I want to reassure patients that their notes have those strict rules apply to them as they do for the Princess of Wales."

Kensington Palace refused to confirm what Catherine was being treated for at the time of the announcement she had surgery but later confirmed the condition was non-cancerous.

An official statement read:

"Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales was admitted to The London Clinic yesterday for planned abdominal surgery.

The surgery was successful and it is expected that she will remain in hospital for ten to fourteen days, before returning home to continue her recovery."

The Palace also raised that they wanted to keep her health concerns private, adding:

"Based on the current medical advice, she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter. The Princess of Wales appreciates the interest this statement will generate.

She hopes that the public will understand her desire to maintain as much normality for her children as possible; and her wish that her personal medical information remains private.

Kensington Palace will, therefore, only provide updates on Her Royal Highness' progress when there is significant new information to share.

The Princess of Wales wishes to apologise to all those concerned for the fact that she has to postpone her upcoming engagements.

She looks forward to reinstating as many as possible, as soon as possible."

As speculation has swirled regarding the Princess' whereabouts, Catherine was most recently seen stepping out in public with Prince William for the first time at the weekend.

The couple, dressed in sportswear, were spotted walking with shopping bags at a farm shop close to their home on the Windsor estate.

#Princess of Wales #Catherine Princess of Wales #Catherine Middleton #Kate Middleton #British Royal Family #The London Clinic #NHS #Information Commissioner's Office #Data Protection Act 2018 #MP Maria Caulfield #Kensington Palace #medical records access #medical data breach #abdominal surgery #Nursing and Midwifery Council

[gumnut-logic]

The Ostrich

I wrote fluff! I resisted the whump and fluffed instead. Not my best, but a fun little scene, at least, I hope.

Sparked by this post. So @flyboytracy​ ‘s inspiring fault again along with  @edutainer2022​ whose commentary is, as always, amazing.

Many, many, many, many thanks to @onereyofstarlight​  for all her help yanking my brain out of its spiral. Couldn’t have written it without you. ::hugs tight::

Don’t expect much, but I hope you enjoy it anyway.

-o-o-o-

It became habit.

A Virgil instigated habit.

The second eldest had never been tall. Scott always had and if Scott was honest with himself, he used to forget to slow down.

It started in the playground. Scott ran off one day all excited to show Virgil something, thinking his little brother was behind him. So, it was with surprise he turned around to find Virgil nowhere to be found.

Also, it was minor heart attack inducing.

Mom was around somewhere, so Virgil was likely with her, but she was occupied with Johnny, and Dad had impressed on Scott that Mom needed help and Virgil was Scott’s responsibility.

And he was nowhere to be seen.

It was only moments and Virgil was found as soon as Scott back-tracked, but it gave him enough of a scare to remember that his little brother couldn’t always keep up.

And age didn’t change that fact.

As Gordon and Alan appeared he found himself with a whole flock of brothers who, in general, could not keep up. Scott was fast, both in thought and leg length, and he always found himself having to slow down.

It was a relief to go for a walk with Dad, just so he could hit his stride.

Not that he wouldn’t do absolutely anything for his brothers.

He just wanted the freedom to move.

John eventually caught up with him, long, lanky and as determined as Scott in his own way.

But Virgil never did.

He knew his brother tried to compensate for some of it with his strength. Virgil could dead lift the lot of them if he wanted to, far stronger than Scott would ever be. And he was proud of his brother’s achievements. All of his brothers’ achievements.

But long legs was something Virgil would never have.

So, like the Thunderbirds they flew, Virgil was always behind him somewhere.

Unless he slowed down.

It became habit to check his stride, decelerate his ‘bird, step into a calmer pace to stay with his brother.

Scott didn’t mind. In fact, he hardly thought about it anymore. It was just the way of things.

But not now.

Here he could stretch out his legs and run as fast as he wanted. His morning run was time for just him. Time to be himself without the labels, without the expectations, without the need to adapt to others.

He ran the same path every morning. On purpose. He knew every bush, every tree, every obstacle. He knew that by the time he circled the Island the sun would be peeking over the horizon and everything would be bathed in pink and gold.

It was always a beautiful moment and a treat just for himself.

Perfection before the descent of the day.

Of course, it didn’t happen every morning. Life had plenty of interruptions up its sleeve. But he did do this as often as possible.

There was rhythm to his feet hitting the pre-dawn gravel. Power in straining muscles.

And speed.

Scott Tracy freed to the mountain.

He smirked at the idea.

This morning was no different. There were wisps of cloud in the sky and a bit of a chill in the air, usual for this time of year. Subconsciously he checked the wind direction against bare skin and calculated any differences to their usual launch protocols.

The Thunderbirds didn’t require much correction, they made their own weather, but the civilian craft they kept were a little more prone.

And besides, it was just good aeronautics.

As if in answer the breeze stiffened, tangling in his sweaty hair and wrapping warmth around his arms.

The clouds sailed on.

He put more effort into running up the next hill. Being a volcanic island, and relatively young, there were plenty of cliffs, valleys and challenges for his body. And he loved every one of them.

They proved he still had it.

Every day.

And gave him that moment to escape.

“Hey, Ostrich!”

He startled. But the voice was familiar, if unexpected.

He jogged up the last of the incline and sure enough Virgil was standing in the middle of the path.

His brother was in his uniform and for a split second, Scott worried they had a call out, But John wasn’t interrupting him, and the teasing grin on Virgil’s face had no urgency in it.

Scott jogged to a stop, panting. “What are you doing out here, Tank?”

Virgil snorted. “Just testing.”

“What? My patience.”

“Now that wouldn’t be much of a challenge, would it?”

Scott eyed his brother. It was far too early for him to be up. Left to himself, Virgil would sleep well into ten, at least, bar work or a call out. “Did you sleep last night?”

Virgil rolled his eyes. Enough to make Scott wonder if this was actually Gordon wearing a holosuit.

“I’m fine. Still staggering sleep from last Thursday.”

“Exactly. That was last Thursday. You should be sleeping better by now.”

“I’m fine.” His brother frowned at him. “Stop worrying.”

Scott bit back a retort. “You still haven’t told me why you’re out here. Or how you got here.” Let’s just say that while Virgil was known for strolling around the Island, running wasn’t usually in the equation. His tank of a brother burned all his carbs in the gym.

“As I said, testing.”

“Testing what?”

“Equipment.”

“What equipment?” All he could see was his idiot of a brother standing in the middle of the path, obstructing his morning run.

Virgil shrugged. “Are you sure you can’t see anything?”

Scott looked around. There was rock, cliff, bushes, a few trees, the sun poking through Tracy Peak. Damn, he’d missed the sunrise. He frowned. There was already heat haze forming.

“No. Any hints?”

His brother’s smirk was triumphant. He hit his comms. “Brains, the test was a success.”

Virgil’s grin split wide at the excited babble from their genius engineer.

Scott frowned. “What is going on?”

That grin softened into fondness and Virgil touched his wrist control.

Above the both of them, clinging to the cliff an elegant aircraft phased into existence.

Scott’s eyes widened. “Thunderbird Shadow! The stealth tech, you did it?”

Dark eyes shone. “Works like a dream. Flew out here, followed you around for a while, landed her. We figured that if you didn’t notice, most wouldn’t.”

Scott stared up at the black and silver craft that had been under development for months. “She’s ready?”

“Almost. Brains is just finishing up.”

“Can I take her for a spin?” Kayo was going to be so happy. But not until Scott had done his own array of testing.

Virgil arched an eyebrow at him. “Not dressed like that, you’re not. Flight suit required.”

Scott shot him a flat stare before smirking. “Race you back then.”

A snort. “No contest, Ostrich.”

“Then keep in the slow lane, Tank.” Scott darted around him and ran full bolt down into the next valley.

“Hey, don’t do anything stupid!”

Scott yelled back to him. “Sorry, can’t talk. Busy leaving you in the dust.”

He grinned at his brother’s exasperated groan.

Yes, Scott had a habit of stepping back, slowing down, and caring for his family. But there were still times where his natural speed was just what was needed.

Dust included.

-o-o-o-

#thunderbirds are go #thunderbirds #thunderbirds fanfiction #Scott Tracy #Virgil Tracy #nuttyfic #i was determined

[vellichorbnhazine]

📜 Interest Check results are here! 📜

Thank you all for your participation in the IC! Your turnout exceeded our expectations and we couldn't be more excited to get this project started 🤎. We've summarised the results in a single slide above, but let's do a question-by-question breakdown and see what each answer means for the zine.

We asked you what content rating you guys wanted to see and you guys said: SFW & NSFW! We listened! We're moving forward with both a SFW zine and an NSFW add-on for those who want a little more~

2. When asked about your preferred writing to art distribution, you guys said you wanted equal amounts of both! And who wouldn't want the best of both worlds? We're doing our best to balance out contributor numbers and requirements to make sure you get it~

3. We asked you how long you'd like our literary works to be and you replied: between 2.5k – 5k words. We've done the maths for layout and formatting, and have decided we'll be asking our authors to keep their works within the 2.5k – 4k range! It can get a little tricky when stories take on a life of their own, but we believe in you!

4. You want a physical zine — and we want to deliver. We've decided to have a physical SFW zine and a digital NSFW zine add-on. To make this a reality, the zine will be paid & for profit — with a charity donation stretch goal!

Profits will be split evenly between contributors and mods once sales and production concludes. All contributors will receive a full digital bundle, free of charge, while free physical compensation will depend on sales.

As the for-profit preference was below 50%, we are exploring non-conventional splits which would allow us to still donate to charity while prioritising our contributors first. These details are being finalised and will be revealed during our preorder period!

In terms of charity, this will only be available once we reach a certain stretch goal. The charity will be determined through a contributor vote.

5. You'll be seeing lots of Alternate Universes in this project! The response was almost unanimous. As for shipping — We've decided to open the zine to shipping as a possibility but not a requirement! Our only limit? A maximum of 2 works per ship.

6. And last but not least, here are the characters you're looking forward to the most! Of course, Class 1A tops the list. Followed by Bakugou Katsuki, Shinsou Hitoshi, Aizawa Shouta, and (because it wouldn't be a Dark Academia zine without them) the UA High Professors 🤎

#announcements #resources #bnha event #bnha zine #mha event #mha zine #bnha #boku no hero academia #mha #my hero academia #interest check

[psalm22-6]

Source:  San Luis Obispo Tribune, 13 March 1885

Last week we were driving with Mrs. An Angel, Mrs. Bushnell and Miss Anna Stocking, in a carriage over an occasionally used road near the bead of Morro Bay. We had been assured that the road was passable—at least as nearly so as any of the roads in that part of the county—and went upon it without fear. Coming upon what appeared a deep mud-hole we stopped to examine, and seeing that others had passed, we drove in. The horses were strong and lively, the hole much deeper than we had supposed and with a sudden lunge the right fore wheel dropped to the axle, sending the driver, like an arrow from a bow, over the dashboard into the water and mud. The horse would not stop but plunged forward. We were caught under the wheel, dragged a little but thanks to the softness of the mud we sank into it, and the wheels passed over our back. As we stood the strain without any broken bones or drowning in the mud, we were up in a moment in time to catch the horses before they could get their load out of the quagmire, and at the moment they were plunging for a high bank which would have upset the carriage with its occupants into the pool of water and bottomless mud. Handing the dropped reins to Miss Stocking, that lady managed the team adroitly until all were sate. San Bernardo creek was near by, and into that we went and sluiced off the plastic matter our clothes had gathered in the terrible plunge, and then followed a wet ride of an hour and a half to the hospitable ranch of El Chorro. There we were kindly offered a dry suit, and and as every garment was saturated the change had to bb complete. There was a happy compensation for the disagreeable bath in the promise of getting dressed in a rich man’s clothes. Hollister has a grand ranch, cattle on a thousand hills, luxurious surroundings, a beautiful wife and lovely children and is said to be the handsomest man in the county, but his clothes are not fit for an editor. The elastic garments will answer, but the “pantings” required a Masonic apron to make one presentable in the family circle. It is pleasant to laugh over an accident after all danger is passed, but we have no desire for a repetition of the adventure. To be doused helplessly in the mud and have a loaded wagon rolling over the small of the back is not a very pleasant sensation, and knowing that those in the wagon wore in imminent danger of being run away with and dashed to death created an agony of feeling far greater than any physical hurt. Although the fall and run-over occupied but a moment of time, the thoughts were more than can be recounted. We knew at once we were in a desperate predicament, the plunging of the horses and the pressure of the wheel made us think of life insurance; then as the wheel rolled over and we felt we could hold the load the thought of Jean Val Jean in Hugo’s Les Miserables flashed passed, but as the last wheel rolled off and we found ourself unhurt, we thought of the horses running and the greater danger of the ladies, and were in time to prevent a catastrophe. “All’s well that ends-well,” but we hope the road overseers will maintain better roads throughout the county.

#les miserables #california collection #lm irl