#even the government sucks it's such a beautiful country

[triviallytrue]

Korean War just seems so…unmythologizable? like obviously people do. Pro-American liberals and capitalists see it as the defense of an anticommunist free republic, mls see it as the defence of a proletariat state against the encroachment of empire. but really it was just senseless bloodshed. sad, broken hopes of democracy; soldiers fed on the dream of unbridled freedom after a horrendous occupation used as nothing more than cannon fodder by heroes turned rivalling petty despots. i dunno, i’m sorry for drunk ask-ing in ur in box. but like. history sucks. not the academic study. just the knowledge that all these people just like me. and i think my life so big so beautiful. but their lives were too. and they ended, unimportant, unmythologizable. in the cold uncaring mud. and for what? for dfucking what???

Yeah, I think the mythologizing on both sides hits a wall when you dig deeper into the historical realities of the time, which has left me in the somewhat unenviable position of disagreeing with what feels like basically everyone on this

The pro-American liberal idea of the Korean War as a just war in defense of a sovereign nation falls apart pretty easily - the split between North and South Korea was recent and done by imperial powers (the US and USSR) as a means of demarcating their respective zones of control, not a true split in any sense. The US went out of its way to sabotage any attempt at reconciliation in the years following the split, and the guy they put in charge arguably had a lot less popular legitimacy than his communist counterpart (and embarked on a campaign of right wing political violence to shore up his incredibly weak position)

So if you squint and ignore the context, you can say that the US was defending a sovereign nation, but it's one they created with no popular legitimacy at all, with a leader that brutalized his people. And none of it was necessary! The thing about the overwhelming power of the United States and its massive fucking military is that the whole "we need a right wing dictator to shore up this country against communism" routine is so transparently because the US wanted to support right wing dictators, not because it was in any sense necessary to ensure that the country wasn't communist. If anything, doing the whole sham democracy thing where you force everyone to vote for the asshole you put in charge massively benefits the communists! No wonder there was a massive insurgency going on

This is without even getting into the horrifying details of how exactly the war was prosecuted

And then there's the ML narrative, which correctly identifies the mass of popular support behind Kim Il-sung due to his time fighting against the Japanese occupation and conveniently elides historical details like "which side actually invaded the other, starting the full blown war" and other such unimportant details, like the subsequent structure of the North Korean government making it virtually impossible for anything resembling democratic influence on the political process to occur

If there's something to be said for Syngman Rhee, it's that his grandson is not currently ruling SK. He was deposed in 1960, and then after decades of political turmoil and various deeply shitty leaders (again, much of which probably could've been avoided if the US hadn't insisted on Rhee as their man in the 1940s) SK eventually became a place where you could vote and were a lot less likely to be the victim of political violence.

As for Democratic People's Republic of Korea, well. If your take on the Korean War is "I wish that instead of just the people of North Korea, everyone in Korea would have to live under the current North Korean government" I don't really know what to say about that. North Korea is repressive and isolated in the extreme - if you think that is the result of "people's committees" and the North Korean population's natural devotion to the Kim family spanning three generations now, you are at best a mark.

So yeah, it's a tragedy - the Japanese occupation of Korea was fucking horrifying, then the US and USSR arrived to artificially split the country with no serious attempt at reunification while putting two real bastards in charge, and then it escalated into a shooting war where millions of people died just for the 38th parallel to still be the dividing line.

So who benefited? Everyone but the Koreans, I suppose. The US gained a client state, managed to use the UN to do whatever it wanted, and demonstrated its commitment to suppressing communism via military force. The USSR gained a client state and saw the US spend a bunch of its military capacity on a war that cost the USSR very little and wasn't even won by the US. China got a buffer zone between it and the US empire and solidified their victory over the KMT, albeit at tremendous cost.

Hopefully someday the Korean War will end.

[eddiebabygirldiaz]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love 💖

also asked by @heartshapedvows and @mysteriouslyyounggalaxy

Thank you beloveds, I adore all of you! Sending each of you kisses and hugs 💖

In no particular order, my favorite five that I've written are:

today i live for a single drop of you

Eddie has such a pretty cock.

That’s the only thing Buck can think of as he kneels at Eddie's feet. It’s flushed, almost purple in color, straining, and dripping. And it’s all for Buck.

Buck licks his lips and looks up at Eddie, who is leaning against the kitchen counter, hands braced behind him, his head thrown back and his chest heaving.

Jesus, Buck hasn’t even touched him yet and he’s already panting and desperate.

OR

Five times Buck dreams about sucking Eddie's cock and the one time he actually gets to do it.

(writing six different blowjobs was one hell of a change but I honestly had the best fucking time doing it and I think this is some of the best smut I've written)

red life might stream again

The continent of Edrus is split into five countries, one for each species. Kyran belongs to the fae, Midrahi belongs to the humans, Vahlan belongs to the shapeshifters, Raelia belongs to the sari, and Dwerva belongs to the daemons. For centuries the five species have lived separately and somewhat peacefully. No one is allowed into a country that is not their home country, with the exception of members of the Order and traders chosen by each ruling government.

One tragic event brings together unlikely allies Eddie, fae soldier from Kyran, and Buck, human prince and future king of Midrahi. Together, along with their friends, they must uncover a dark secret about their world that has been hidden for too long, fight to keep one another alive, and work against an evil empire that has been hiding in the shadows ready to enslave any who don't bend to its will.

In the midst of crumbling kingdoms and dark masters, Eddie and Buck find something extraordinary together, but will they survive long enough to build something that lasts or will it all come crashing down around them?

(My beloved fantasy au! This my baby and holds my heart and is so precious to me. It's got the lowest kudos of all my fics but it's the one I adore the most)

we live and breathe words

Buck blinks and reads over it again. And again. And again. And again. Hot, fizzy starlight bursts inside his chest, shining across every crack and crevice as he reads it over and over. The poem is–it’s beautiful. The words plunge into his heart, engulfing it in soft blooming vines that reach into every broken part and pull them together.

Eddie wrote this.

Eddie wrote this.

OR

Buck finds Eddie's poetry, discovers Eddie is in love with him, and decides to do something about it.

(This was such fun to write! I have always had the hc that Eddie did really well in English and loved to write stories and poetry as a kid and well this happened. I really enjoyed trying to get into Eddie's head and imagine what kind of words he would write about Buck)

slowly getting sober from the taste of your skin

“I–yeah. Yes. I want everything.” He’s not exactly sure what Buck is alluding to, but Eddie will take whatever Buck is willing to give. More of Buck can only be everything good and pleasurable and right in the world.

Buck pulls away from Eddie’s neck and turns his head. “Did you hear that? Sounds like he wants both of us.”

Confusion swirls through Eddie, dampening the tiny starbursts popping through his blood. He turns to follow Buck’s gaze and his breath catches in his throat.

Leaning against the doorframe, eyes wide and cheeks flushed, is–Buck.

OR

Eddie has a threesome with regular Buck and evil!Buck

(This was the hardest fic I have written because writing a clear threesome is hard (hehe) enough but when two of the people are actually the same person, yeah it was challenging but verrry rewarding. I enjoy rereading this one often)

when the violence causes silence

Watching Buck get hit by pure crackling energy, watching him fall and dangle above the ground–motionless, lifeless–it makes everything go silent. Eddie thinks he screams, but he doesn’t hear it; he feels Buck’s name rip out of his throat, splintering across his tongue, the shards of each syllable cutting cutting cutting until all he can taste is the echo of Buck’s name alongside his own blood.

OR

Buck gets struck by lightning and Eddie mourns. When Buck wakes up, Eddie takes him home and tells him what Buck means to him.

(This stared as a sort of 6x10 coda when the promo came out and then quickly became this massive thing after actually watching 6x10. I really really love what I did with this one, exploring Eddie's grief and then slapping these two with a happy ending was a delight)

#my eddie coming out fic is also so very dear to me but it has the most kudos so i decided to share the others #buddie fics #ryan writes #eddie diaz #evan buck buckley #911 #buddie fic recs

[lyra-brie]

Tell me more about your academic rival people???

Alright so. They live in this world made of these beautiful floating islands with waterfalls that fall into nowhere (*cough* except its not nowhere). And there's one main country (I really need to go find my notes that has the names of the places cuz I cannot remember them for my life lol) that encompasses a group of said islands with one large main island in the middle where the city is and stuff and then all the little islands around it are full of small villages and stuff.

Nixie, our main girl, is from one of the small villages with her mom and her little sister. They've been struggling with money for as long as she can remember, and her dad has never been in the picture. She has exactly one memory from when she probably 6-ish, maybe a little younger, of an Uncle Ash that she'd never met before and never saw again, and he spent a weekend with her and her mom (sister wasn't born yet at this point) and then just disappeared and never came back.

Nixie turned out to be very magically gifted and ended up getting into this school on the mainland that's known world wide for being one of the best when it comes to magic. Mom panics for a minute cuz it's always just been the three of them and she's not ready for Nixie to be that far away, but in the end she knows Nixie going off and being able to actually make money is probably their only chance at ever getting out of poverty and so Nixie goes off to boarding school, whether she even really wanted this herself or not, I'm not sure yet.

One of the biggest things at said school (which I should really name) is how fiercely they encourage competition. These kids futures depend on where they are on a leader board. Nixie and Aerin have spent every year they've been in this school together fighting for that top spot.

Aerin doesn't have the same reasons for going for it so desperately as Nixie, but he does have his own. See, his dad sucks. He's very aggressive verbally and belittling. They live on the mainland because his dad has ties in the government. He wants Aerin to be at the top and anything less than that isn't good enough and he's very abusive verbally and emotionally, with a few bouts of physical abuse. Aerin has yet to really come to terms with the fact that this is abuse and that it's not okay and is instead just believing all of it is his fault and if he just does better, his dad will love him again.

So they're both on opposite sides of this, putting ridiculous amounts of pressure on themselves (and having pressure put on them by their parents) trying to fight to be the best and they often take it out on each other.

But somehow they both end up befriending this new girl, Cari. (Her full name is Caridoma but she absolutely will not respond to that, she'll flat out ignore you.) No one really even knows how she got in to the school in the first place because she couldn't care less about its competitive nature and doesn't even do her work half the time because she's more interested in something else. Often, that's helping someone else with something completely unrelated to school. She's very sweet and also reckless and often does not think about the consequences of helping people. How she ended up befriending both Nixie and Aerin-who could only dream of being so carefree-I don't know but she managed it. She absolutely hates being in the middle of their rivalry though. She ignores them both anytime they try to insult each other. Especially since she sees the way it affects both of them (even the things they try to hide) and how burnt out they both are on all of it.

They have this one teacher though that Cari adores. Not sure yet what she teaches, but she often throws out everything the government wants from her and encourages them to work together, to help each other rather than trying to destroy each other. And somehow she ends up getting Nixie and Aerin actually working together on something, which goes about as well as one would expect. That is, until they start stumbling upon secrets about their government and what they're *really* building below the islands-and what already was below the islands. And that secret keeps leading them to more and more, secrets about Nixie's family and about who Cari really is. And before long they're tangled up with a rebel group they thought was full of terrorists and they're involved in this whole mess they don't know how to get out of.

Absolutely feel free to send more asks anytime! I love talking about them and each time I talk about them I have more ideas and everything starts to make more sense lol

#academic rivals wip #writeblr #writblr #wip intro #answering asks

[vonlipvig]

Weird NFB ask but I think it would be funny if you classified each NFB character as either vampire liker or werewolf liker

when you say "creature liker" you mean which one would they prefer as a concept, or which one they would like, get it on with? then again, in a way that's kinda like the same thing at the end of the day so LET'S GO

jeremy: let's be honest, he would not give a shit (aside from like, putting together a detailed report on the confirmed existence of supernatural beings in the country, finally some real fucking news!). would interview even the most ferocious and bloodthristy monsters without an inch of fear because he's a journalist, dammit.

megan: you know this girlie read carmilla at a young and impressionable age and has since then discovered plenty of things about herself. probably had a poster of the brides of dracula on her wall. half the makeup team probably think she's a vampire.

jenny: jenny's unknowingly dated both vampires and werewolves but she had bad experiences with both of them, because the vampire guy kept trying to touch her neck and it was starting to creep her out, and the werewolf guy stood her up on a beautiful clear night which just happened to be a full moon.

julia and peter: julia is a vampire who pretends to be a werewolf because vampires are too bourgeois and she wants to appear closer to the people, and peter is a werewolf who has had to hide it since he became a tv star (he swears a lot to let a little bit of the beast out, but he's definitely learned how to keep it under control).

alan: "--and that's what the government is planning! the vaccines are nothing more and nothing less that VAMPIRE JUICE that will turn each and everyone of us into mindless blood-sucking MONSTERS ready to be shipped to the frontlines! WAKE UP SHEE-"

katie: supernatural creature-supporter activist who campaigns frequently for a fairer treatment for them and for government to provide aid to them like safehouses for werewolves to crash during the full moon, and synthetic blood for vampires to feed on.

patrick: vampire who comes from a long dynasty of vampire lords (yes, graham is a vampire, of course), but he sucks so hard at turning others into vampires that he's kind of the family disappointment at this point (graham keeps asking when he's going to turn jeremy into a vampire and take over the job, and patrick's like weeeeeell, i'm working on it dad).

robyn: she's a werewolf, and she tells everyone she's a werewolf and oh no i can't meet today i've got a fullmoon, yeah sorry gotta go and stay at home for everyone's safety and all, but she actually transforms into like, a cute fluffy poodle.

not patrick: that's a zombie.

#this got SO off the rails but i had a lot of fun lmao #not for broadcast #juli answers #nfb asks #i did just the main characters but i think alex would be a human dave could possibly be a secret monster hunter (now full time) #boseman is probably a vampire sam is a human too suzie probably dates a werewolf etc etc

[sorcerous-caress]

Just a lil check in to say hi and see how you’re doing. So how are you doing? I hope you’re doing well! Are you itching to write anything in particular lately?

-ex lurker

I'm doing alright, I'm learning how to manage myself and emotions better.

I have been more leaning towards sfw works recently, I still like smut as the next guy, but there are so many other ideas I want to explore first.

Angst, fluff, drama, character studies especially. I want to show more attention to Laezel, Minthara and Karlach. I feel like I've been focusing on Gale, Shadowheart and Astarion too much recently.

Oh but also dragons, and alternative universes! I've been storming a couple prince Wyll ideas but haven't came up with anything yet.

Thank you for checking in anon, I saw your message too and it made me feel better. How are you doing? I hope you're doing well and all, i hope you're staying safe and healthy.

Real Life events and vent below.

I've been preparing for my niece's birthday, i got he the most beautiful cinderella dress I could afford. Which isn't much but It's something that I hope she likes. Also I never realised how hard it is to get your hands on bts merch until 5 of my nieces suddenly became hard-core fans of them.

My dude it is a major struggle, each time I want to order something then look away for a second, it's suddenly sold out.

But it's eating me up, how my niece gets a safe and happy birthday while newborn children are being taken off life support and forced out of hospitals in Gaza. That video of the kids playiny and sliding on the gaint hole in the street previously made a rocket. I don't think I have the right to call myself human anymore, it's beyond horrific what's been happening to them.

Funny thing is, I have always known about the Palestine conflict, we literally read about it in our history books in schools. I remember being in middle school and going home to ask my parents about it, i remember the teachers tearing up when bringing it up. I remember the clear discussions of the horrors happening right now there.

And all of that was softened up and watered down as much as possible for a kid to comprehend. Much like I had to learn about the major world wars, the Palestine history and the many many treaties that were broken by their colonisers took a whole chapter or more out of the school book.

I can't even begin to describe how important and how aware the middle east is of Palestine even before the current genocide intensified. It's straight up embarrassing and shameful how little the current middle east cares or sends aids for Palestine. After all that history, after all those talks and promises.

The rich ones are pandering to the west for a speck of dust of acceptance, ereasing their own culture just to become nothing more than a vacation spot for foreigners.

If you're wondering why the Palestine people have no-where safe to go to, is because all their arab neighbouring countries closed off their borders to them. So they can deep throat the coloniser's dick more I assume.

As much as my own country is corrupted and fucked up, the one right thing we did is that we never recognised Palestine's colonisers as an actual country and never will.

I learned english as a kid on my own to be able to read uncensored books, Agatha Christie ones. The arabic translations clearly had a lot of plot holes and cut content and it frustrated kid me endlessly.

But I didnt realise it would come at the cost of my own culture. I feel like It made me no better than the arabs who suck up to westerns and put english on a pedestal. The same goes for the rest of my generations, we are all young adults and we couldn't have been more disconnected from our roots.

That's why the westernisation of the middle east was barely met with any resistance from us, the young adults who were supposed to be the front line of defence against corrupt governments. The second I saw them fully celebrating Christmas and using fake snow to pander to the west is the second I realised just how doomed we are. They don't even actually celebrate anything, they're playing dress up with someone else's religion and history.

We have our own celebrations, even our own calander with our own new year yet it's forgotten just for us to act out what we saw in Hollywood and Disney movies.

Our own princess, fairytales and folklore. Yet I still bought that Cindrella dress for my niece.

To add insult to injury, the closet thing to a traditional arab princess dress in that store was akin to a caricature of a bellydancer dress.

I'm not better than them. Indirectly or not, all of our combined actions had a hand in dooming Palestine, in dooming our brothers and sisters.

And Christmas will come, and the same arab countries who didn't allow women the legal right to drive a car until 2017-2018, would celebrate it alongside the world. Pretending it's one of them, pretending it's not like its "terrorist" sister countries so please please pick me up foreigners!!

#♡ex lurker anon

[ninhaoma-ya]

Chapter 1064 — Egghead’s research stratum

Or, ‘Keep still my beating Heart’ because puns make the world go round.

So much info about the Heart Pirates! And a new name!

But to start form the top. Or the cover story.

Kuzan is officially a Blackbeard pirate, in the ink. I do wonder about his motivations. What drives him now? And what did Blackbeard make him do to prove his ambition in joining them? He must have he his reservations as well when a former admiral turns up on your doorstep with a ‘I wanna join’-note tacked onto his penguin.

And speaking of Penguin…

You get the page because look at that!

The beautiful perspective of Blackbeard on top of Doc W on top of Stronger!

Helmsman has a name! ‘Hakugan’ is either a snow goose or a sort of peony. With the Hearts animal theme, I’m going with the goose.

Shachi and Penguin have a mission! A purpose! Great combat and swimming skills!

I also really enjoy sneering Blackbeard, with his very piratey ‘you bilge-sucking’ rats’ there.

‘No-one told me..’ indicates extensive research into fruit powers, which isn’t that surprising since his crew hunts powerful Devil Fruits. But Blackbeard is a strong opponent: he is surprised, but adapts to the situation at once.

Can somebody please animate this?

Doc W’s fate is still (literally) up in the air while flee focus on..

..Bepo of the Sensitive Ears and Jean-Bart of the Iron Heart! Such great teamwork!

Another page because look at that Law.

So cocky. So capable. So ready to throw down.

And menacing Blackbeard, in it for all he can get!

But it doesn’t look good for Law.. I do trust his resilience and adaptability. And if nothing else, some catching up with Koby and Pudding in Blackbeard’s cells could be something. Pudding might have a rubbing of the Poneglyph and Law could be the key to keep block her third eye and ability? Who knows, but I’m here for the ride!

Can I just post the whole chapter, page by page?

This explains the Hearts fighting style and rise to fame. Also: “who knew they were so strong underwater?”

They have a submarine. Made for underwater shenanigans. It would be weird if their main strength wasn’t under water.

And Pudding! Still no clear yea or nay for the fate of Big Mom and Kaido, as the dialogue shows.

But also: if Pudding is there, then Kuzan is there and I foresee an ice age..

But back to Egghead!

[picture of old geezers and young Bonney removed due to limitation on picture numbers]

Is Jinbe old or young? And those alternative Luffy and Chopper are uncanny when you’ve seen the SBS-versions.

And it’s infodump time!

Jinbe, Jinbe, Jinbe. After all your own experiences with the World Government, don’t you think that might be, you know, propaganda? Especially with, I realise you don’t see due to narrative purposes, Kuma being drawn in a similarly exaggerated way as for example Fukurokuju described Luffy and gang in Onigashima.

Why would a king have ties to the Revolutionaries? And why would the WG employ such a person as a shichibukai, even if he agreed to being a Guinea pig? A shichibukai still has a lot of freedom and they could just have imprisoned him on Egghead instead.

My theory: Kuma wanted to reform his country in a more democratic direction, the WG didn’t like that, deposed Kuma through a banana-like coup* and he became a pirate. He might have the same physical anomaly as Blackbeard which made Vegapunk interested, and he might have been the one to persuade the WG to let Kuma run lose to… test the cyborg modifications in the field?

And Bonney might have been too young to understand what really happened: she looks doubtful but still defends her father.

*Look up United Fruit and South America if this is an unfamiliar reference

NO. THE HUMAN BODY DOESN’T BEND THAT WAY.

You can’t see both boobs and ass at the same time. Not without some serious spinal injury, at least.

Okay, Vegapunk’s lab looks really cool. And there has to be some Feature(TM) to the boots, they’ve been so very visible the last few chapters. Can they fly?

So much is happening: disaster-dad-Sanji, Ken-doll-Usopp (why Oda, he has the body! Let him flaunt it!), Wind-Up-Franky…. and Robin does look cool, although trousers would be a bonus.

And the connection between Vegapunk and Dragon is confirmed! Can’t wait to hear more!

I wonder if Vegapunk realises he’s become old and wants to go out with a bang, if he knows about he CP0-mission or both?

Great chapter! I give it a heap of plot and a sprinkle of intrigue.

#one piece #ch 1064 #opspoilers #one piece spoilers #nin reads one piece

[venusenvvvy]

Re: The Last of Us (Season 1, Episode 3) - no game spoilers or post episode 3 spoilers.

I can’t get this out of my head so here is a short, rough, unedited and rambling essay.

This episode was so important and necessary. Because of the world it takes place in and the wider story of The Last of Us, this answers an insanely pertinent question: “Why try?”

The Last of Us is dark. Throughout the series and game respectively, you see the characters fight to survive day in and day out. In the game specifically, you fight to survive. Every day is a struggle. Food and medicine are scarce and the government is authoritarian. Anyone you risk getting close to you are in danger of losing. After losing his daughter Sarah, like most trauma survivors Joel goes into survival mode. He distances himself from his only remaining family, his brother, who joins the rebellion to fight for a better life. He refuses to get close to Tess, who it’s revealed has been by his side - his literal partner in crime - for over a decade. He pushes her away, scared to love her and lose her, and loses her anyway.

You see a lot of jokes online about how people would immediately kill themselves if they saw a zombie apocalypse coming on. Jokes about seeing a clicker and immediately giving up. But in your heart, you know they wouldn’t. Just like you, they’d fight to live. But why? Surely it can’t all be biological, animal instinct. Why do humans, even in the worst of times, fight so hard to survive against all odds?

This episode is the answer. Because in-between all the hardship, and the pain, and the fear of losing the people you love, there’s all these little moments. All this joy and life and beauty and love left in the world, if we allow ourselves to build it. Only in the aftermath of a long and beautiful life full of joy and love and good food and art, when Frank’s quality of life is almost nonexistent, does he make the decision that he is finished. Like leaving a party when it’s over and everyone has gone, when the lights and music are off and the wine is empty. And at the end of it all, when Frank and Bill are old and sitting at the dinner table with a poisoned bottle of wine, you don’t ask yourself: Was it worth all the work? The struggle? Because you already know it was.

(There’s also something to be said about this storyline and the parallels one can draw to older gay couples and how they’ve had to fight for their happy endings, and to experience queer love and joy in the face of danger; of violent bigotry and homophobia. Especially when Frank develops and incurable, terminal chronic illness that seems to slowly eat away at his quality of life - but that’s a different, tangential essay.)

Those moments are why these characters are fighting to live. That is why they struggle every day to make the world a better place. That is why Joel is taking Ellie across the country in hope of a cure. That is why he should let Ellie into his life - shouldn’t give up on connecting with other people. That is why you should root for these characters.

So, yeah. This episode a masterpiece of well made television. It’s a masterclass in cinematography; screenwriting, characterization and development, acting, prop and set design, presenting the passage of time on screen in a natural and non-jarring way (I could go on, of course). It’s an incredible step forward for queer representation in popular media, and the normalization of gay love on screen. It’s a whispered apology for how Bill and Frank’s relationship is treated in the original game.

It’s all these things: But it’s also absolutely, without a doubt, crucial to the atmosphere and plot of the series, that will recontextualize future episodes. Anyone that claims it adds nothing to the narrative, or brushes it off as HBO dragging the plot to a standstill so that they can “appease the woke mob” by “shoving gayness down the audiences throat”, is an idiot bigot that can suck my tr*nny clit-dick.

#lgbtq #the last of us spoilers #the last of us #the last of us season 1 episode 3 #queer representation #bill and frank #storytelling

[mooseyells]

god i'm still furious about that american culture thing. how fucking DARE people look at a country that large and that diverse and go lol you have people in charge who are bad and people who are brought up on misinformation and taken advantage of, therefore the entire country is bad and there can't be anything good about it and you're being whiny pissbabies about it

LIKE

EVEN IF! YOU BRUSH OUT! ALLLLLLL THE WHITE PEOPLE. you still have sooo many cultures joining together! you have the immigrants you have the indigenous folks you have the marriage of culture and cuisine and traditions in different regions you have the HISTORY you have the PEOPLE

AND EVEN IF. EVEN IF. you were a fucking dick and said all people suck YOU STILL HAVE A BEAUTIFUL COMPLEX DIVERSE LAND!!!! that is also worth talking about and celebrating and protecting!!!

THIS IS ABSOLUTELY THE CASE WITH OTHER PLACES UNDER SHITTY GOVERNMENTS!!!!!! every fucking place has culture worth celebrating! every fucking place in the world! no matter who's in charge or what atrocities were committed there, there are ALWAYS PEOPLE WORTH TALKING ABOUT. there are ALWAYS people who care!!!! you don't get to just decide people don't deserve conversation or respect because the folks above them are shitty!!!!!!!

#tanya talks too much

[richincolor]

New Releases

Four new books this week and one that looks perfect for the spooky season. Which book will you add to your pile? I'm currently reading Rust in the Root so look out for my review in a few weeks.

Rust in the Root by Justina Ireland Balzer + Bray

It is 1937, and Laura Ann Langston lives in an America divided—between those who work the mystical arts and those who do not. Ever since the Great Rust, a catastrophic event that blighted the arcane force called the Dynamism and threw America into disarray, the country has been rebuilding for a better future. And everyone knows the future is industry and technology—otherwise known as Mechomancy—not the traditional mystical arts.

Laura disagrees. A talented young mage from Pennsylvania, Laura hopped a portal to New York City on her seventeenth birthday with hopes of earning her mage’s license and becoming something more than a rootworker

But six months later, she’s got little to show for it other than an empty pocket and broken dreams. With nowhere else to turn, Laura applies for a job with the Bureau of the Arcane’s Conservation Corps, a branch of the US government dedicated to repairing the Dynamism so that Mechomancy can thrive. There she meets the Skylark, a powerful mage with a mysterious past, who reluctantly takes Laura on as an apprentice.

As they’re sent off on their first mission together into the heart of the country’s oldest and most mysterious Blight, they discover the work of mages not encountered since the darkest period in America’s past, when Black mages were killed for their power—work that could threaten Laura’s and the Skylark’s lives, and everything they’ve worked for.

Direwood by Catherine Yu Page Street Kids

In this velvet-clad 1990s gothic horror, Aja encounters a charming vampire who wants to lure her into the woods—just like her missing sister.

No one ever pays attention to sixteen-year-old Aja until her perfect older sister Fiona goes missing. In the days leading up to Fiona’s disappearance, Aja notices some extraordinary things: a strange fog rolling through their idyllic suburban town, a brief moment when the sky seems to rain blood, and a host of parasitic caterpillars burrowing their way through the trees. Aja’s father, the neighbors, and even her ex-friend Mary all play down this strange string of occurrences, claiming there must be some natural explanation. It seems everyone is willing to keep living in denial until other teens start to go missing too.

Aja is horrified when she meets Padraic, the vampire responsible for all the strange occurrences. His hypnotic voice lures her to the window and tells her everything she’s longed to hear—she’s beautiful and special, and he wants nothing more than for Aja to come with him. Aja knows she shouldn’t trust him, but she’s barely able to resist his enthrallment. And following him into the woods may be the only way to find Fiona, so she agrees on one condition: He must let her leave alive if she is not wooed after one week. Though Aja plans to kill him before the week is out, Padraic has his own secrets as well.

In the misty woods, Aja finds that Padraic has made his nest with another vampire in a dilapidated church infested by blood-sucking butterflies. Within its walls, the vampires are waited on and entertained by other children they’ve enthralled, but there is no sign of Fiona. Before her bargain is up, Aja must find a way to turn her classmates against their captors, find her sister, and save them all—or be forced to join the very monsters she wants to destroy.

Until We Break by Matthew Dawkins Wattpad Books

As the only Black student at her ballet academy, Naomi Morgan knows her feelings of isolation and artistic sacrifice are the price she has to pay in order to win the Youth American Grand Prix, the country’s most prestigious dance competition. Winning means access to a spot in a top ballet school and, ultimately, a place with The New York City Ballet. Nothing else matters.

But when Naomi’s dance instructor assigns her Odette’s variation from Swan Lake, Naomi’s world begins to fall apart. She doesn’t think she can dance the part—and her doubts become the loudest voice in her head. Her best friend, Jessica, used to be her sounding board, her support, her co-star—and even though Jessica died in a freak car accident, Naomi still sees and hears her everywhere.

She’s been burying her grief by focusing on her dancing. But when an injury steals that refuge, Naomi’s mental health deteriorates and she starts to seek answers outside of her carefully constructed reality. Then one night, she meets Saint, a street artist, and he opens up an entirely new world for her. A world that’s not connected to dance.

Saint spends his nights creating brilliant and beautiful messages of social change that the world needs to hear. In their sleepy California town, he wants to mix it up—to force the world to see him as he is—he’s got a voice and isn’t afraid to use it. Even if his family life is tough. Even if the same avenues that are open to Naomi are not open to him.

Together they both learn that there’s no one right way to be in the world. For Naomi, this means that maybe dance isn’t the only choice for her. Maybe her voice can be louder off stage, and she can shine in a different kind of spotlight. Maybe she and Saint will shine together and everything will be different in the best possible way.

What the Fact?: Debunking Disinformation to Detangle the Truth by Seema Yasmin Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers

What is a fact? What are reliable sources? What is news? What is fake news? How can anyone make sense of it anymore? Well, we have to. As conspiracy theories and online hoaxes increasingly become a part of our national discourse and “truth” itself is being questioned, it has never been more vital to build the discernment necessary to tell fact from fiction, and media literacy has never been more vital.

In this accessibly-written guide, Dr. Seema Yasmin, an award-winning journalist, scientist, medical professional, and professor, traces the spread of misinformation and disinformation through our fast-moving media landscape and teaches young readers the skills that will help them identify and counter poorly-sourced clickbait and misleading headlines.

#new releases #weneeddiversebooks

[stuckybingo]

Stucky Bingo Round-Up #40 (May 30th - 31st)

Don’t forget to fill out the submission form to be a part of the round-ups and to get your bingo badges!

bounce rate by circaclementine Square filled: I1 - rings Ao3 rating: Teen Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Alternate Universe - No Canon Powers, Commitmentphobe Steve Rogers, Age Difference, One Night Stand, Nipple Rings. Summary: Bucky doesn’t do this type of thing. It was the last thought that entered his head before the beautiful man with the Brooklyn accent and the ocean blue eyes asked to take him home, and the first thought he has when he opens his eyes to bright sunlight and an empty bed. He's only in Miami a few days for a Tech conference and had planned to enjoy the sunshine and a few drinks between panels. He hadn't expected to get his soul sucked out through his dick after getting plowed through the mattress by a guy with pierced nipples. What kind of 35-year-old grown adult hooks up with a guy young enough to not only have nipple rings but to look good with them? Apparently, he's that kind of guy now. He also seems to be the kind of guy that's planning to blow off his evening conference schedule in search of those blue eyes, tattoos, and piercings for a second round. Format: moodboard

still by circaclementine Square filled: O1 - kink: objectification Ao3 rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Alternate Universe: Modern setting, Shrinkyclinks, Dom Steve, Sub Bucky, Objectification. Summary: He can’t see what’s coming, can’t hear Sir’s heart beating to anticipate the next move. It’s the kind of break he always dreamed of taking, back before the government shoved a gun in his hands, and even in the moments of lucidness between visits to the chair. Format: Part of a multichapter fic

Expecting by DarthBloodOrange Square filled: Adopted square - Family Ao3 rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply, Mpreg, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics Major tags: Fluff, Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts, Alpha Bucky Barnes, Omega Steve Rogers Summary: Steve and Bucky have a baby shower at their new home out in the country. Format: Moodboard

School Play by DarthBloodOrange Square filled: Adopted square - Music Ao3 rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Modern AU, Teacher AU, Music Teacher Bucky Barnes, Art Teacher Steve Rogers Summary: Art Teacher Mr Rogers and Music Teacher Mr Barnes team up to put on a school play. There volunteering for the benefit of the students, of course, not because of any secret crushes... Format: Moodboard

Past Imperfect by PoliZ Square filled: Adopted square - KINK: First Time Ao3 rating: Mature Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Implied Sexual Content, Shared Memories, First Kiss, Fluff, recovering!Bucky Summary: Steve and Bucky share memories about how it all started between them. Format: Short oneshot (300 - 1000 words)

In Heat by DarthBloodOrange Square filled: O3 - AU: A/B/O Ao3 rating: Teen Warnings: No archive warnings apply, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Nudity, Implied Sexual Content Major tags: Mating Cycles/In Heat, Alpha Bucky Barnes, Omega Steve Rogers, Established Relationship Summary: Sharing his mate's heats feels like coming home like nothing else has in this world. Format: Moodboard

Peace Secured with a Marriage by DarthBloodOrange Square filled: O5 - Arranged Marriage Ao3 rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Space AU, Aliens AU, Arranged Marriage, Alien Bucky Barnes Summary: In order to ratify the peace treaty, the Win-Ters' demand that Earth's mightiest warrior must marry their own, War Lord Barnes. Format: Moodboard

Like a Nightmare by DarthBloodOrange Square filled: G5 - Whump Ao3 rating: Teen Warnings: Graphic depictions of violence, Blood and Injury, Surgery, Broken Bones Major tags: Whump, Hurt/Comfort, Injured Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug Summary: Bucky watched as Steve went down hard during the mission, unable to do anything. He stands by Steve's side during surgery, holding Steve down as he screamed and begged, wishing he could have done something to save him. Format: Moodboard

Blood Stained Water by DarthBloodOrange Square filled: G1 - Body Horror Ao3 rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic depictions of violence, Body Horror, Blood and Gore, Non-Consensual Body Modification, Self-Harm, Hurt No Comfort Major tags: Merperson Steve Rogers, Hurt Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug Summary: As fast as the Avengers were working to turn Steve back human, Bucky realises it might not be fast enough. They are losing him. They are going to lose him. Format: Drabble (exactly 100 words)

He Loves You, You Fool by DarthBloodOrange Square filled: O4 - Competitive Idiocy Ao3 rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply, Mild Language Major tags: Humour, Denial of Feelings, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Pre-Relationship Summary: Clint and Natasha are trying to make Steve see that Bucky's interested in him... It could be going better. Format: Short oneshot (300 - 1000 words)

Starting Again by DarthBloodOrange Square filled: G2 - AU: Canon Divergence Ao3 rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Canon Divergence AU, Farmer Steve Rogers, Farmer Bucky Barnes, Established Relationship Summary: After the defeat of Thanos, Steve and Bucky retire. The follow Clint's advice and become farmers. Format: Moodboard

brute divine by circaclementine Square filled: B1 - stealth suit Ao3 rating: Mature Warnings: No archive warnings apply, implied kidnapping, jacket with bullet holes. Major tags: Shrunkyclunks, FBI Agent Bucky Barnes, Mission Gone Wrong, Recovery Mission, Hell hath no fury like Steve Rogers. Summary: ""Three days of radio silence means SOS. I'm going to find him."" ""The FBI will have your head if you ruin their operation."" ""A ruined mission will be the least of their worries if anything happens to Bucky. I'll burn this world down before I let him go."" Agent Bucky Barnes is Steve's grounding force in this new century, barely managing to rein in the chaos that is the Super Soldier. No one wants to find out what'll happen if Steve loses that tether. It's in Fury's best interest to let Steve crash the FBI's mission before something happens to his man. Format: moodboard

A Cross To Bear by Kalee60 Square filled: O3 - Cross-dressing Ao3 rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Alternate universe - modern setting, meet-cute, first kiss, costumes, POV Bucky Barnes Summary: Bucky’s night had slid from promising to boring a lot quicker than he’d expected. He’d absolutely nailed the costume of his ‘favourite childhood movie character’ for Clint’s dress up birthday party, except - not one person guessed who he was. It was demoralising to say the least. Bucky was surrounded by people who wouldn’t know a good movie if it hit them on the head. But then he meets a gorgeous stranger who is having the same trouble as him, and suddenly his night is looking up. Could Bucky be in his own cheesy movie where he finds his soul-mate standing beside the buffet? Format: Medium oneshot (1000 - 5000 words)

Dreaming Of You by Otpcutie Square filled: B4 - First time Ao3 rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply, Transguy Steve, mentions of dysphoria, Major tags: Transguy Steve, mutual pining, sexual exploration, first time, 1940s Summary: Steve arrives at Bucky’s and before he rouses from sleep, Steve notices he’s hard. He asks Bucky about the dream he was having and things progress from there… Format: Long oneshot (over 5000 words)

B4. Crack by V Square filled: B4 - Crack Ao3 rating: Teen Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Pre-Serum Steve, Pre-Serum Bucky, Canon Compliant, Winter, Brooklyn Summary: Bucky is a furnace when he gets under the covers, and Steve rolls over to bury his face against hot skin. Format: Drabble (exactly 100 words)

I4. AU: Shrunkyclunks by V Square filled: I4 - AU: Shrunkyclunks Ao3 rating: Teen Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Shrunkyclunks, Alternate Universe Summary: When Steve headed into the last remaining storefront he remembered from his old life -- the kosher deli at the end of the block -- he didn't expect to walk out with a beautiful man's phone number and a bag of free rugelach. A year later, he can hardly believe that beautiful man is his. Format: Drabble (exactly 100 words)

The Watery Expanse by buckybarnesdeservestobehappy Square filled: I5 - AU: Teachers Ao3 rating: Mature Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: Modern AU, AU: Teachers, Cruise, Friends to Lovers, Bed Sharing Summary: Fellow teachers and best friends Bucky Barnes and Steve Rogers are celebrating the end of the school year, but what they find is more than a holiday. Format: Short oneshot (300 - 1000 words)

Clothes that matter by otp-holic Square filled: B5 - Sharing Clothes Ao3 rating: General audiences Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: manip, fluff, established relationship Summary: A shirt to remember Format: Edit + Fic

I was alone, I took a ride (I didn't know what I would find there) by otp-holic Square filled: N5 - AU: Set on a differet time period Ao3 rating: Mature Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: stucky, slow burn, wip Summary: Welcome to ""The World of Yesterday"", the awaited celebration of the Twentieth Century in New York City. Format: Part of a multichapter fic

I was alone, I took a ride (I didn't know what I would find there) by otp-holic Square filled: I5 - Time Ao3 rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: stucky, au, slowburn, wip Summary: Steve hates latecomers with a passion, but maybe not this one. Format: Part of a multichapter fic

I was alone, I took a ride (I didn't know what I would find there) by otp-holic Square filled: I4 - Time Ao3 rating: Mature Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: stucky, au, wip, slow burn Summary: Summer goes on, and they have a project. Format: Part of a multichapter fic

No Plans and Too Much Time by Ribbsonflying Square filled: B1 - Kink: Arm Kink Ao3 rating: Explicit Warnings: No archive warnings apply Major tags: morning sex, wall sex, breakfast, cuddles, retirement, slight dom/sub feels Summary: Steve makes Bucky breakfast in bed, but Bucky just wants to sleep in. But seriously? How long can these two stay in bed together before things turn sexy? Format: Medium oneshot (1000 - 5000 words)

The Last Best Place (Ch 1) by Ribbonsflying Square filled: I3 - AU: Western Ao3 rating: Mature Warnings: No archive warnings apply, sex workers Major tags: western au, cowboy Steve rogers, pianist Bucky barnes, artist Steve rogers, rejection Summary: Frontier drifter Steve Rogers arrived at a saloon in the town of Coulson and fell almost immediately for the pianist in the band. If only the pianist were even mildly interested in him back. Format: Part of a multichapter fic

The Last Best Place (Ch 2) by Ribbsonflying Square filled: Adopted square - AU: Singer/Band Ao3 rating: Mature Warnings: No archive warnings apply, sex workers Major tags: Western AU, cowboy Steve, artist Steve, pianist Bucky, rejection Summary: Frontier drifter Steve Rogers arrived at a saloon in the town of Coulson and fell almost immediately for the pianist in the band. If only the pianist were even mildly interested in him back. Format: Part of a multichapter fic

The Best Last Place by Ribbonsflying Square filled: B4 - Seasons Ao3 rating: Mature Warnings: No archive warnings apply, mention of animal attack, broken bones Major tags: Western Au, cowboy Steve Rogers, artist Steve Rogers, pianist Bucky Barnes Summary: Frontier drifter Steve Rogers arrived at a saloon in the town of Coulson and fell almost immediately for the pianist in the band. If only the pianist were even mildly interested in him back. Format: Part of a multichapter fic

#stucky bingo #stucky bingo round 3 #round up 40 #weekly round up #don't forget to fill out the submission form

[lastchancevillagegreen]

Top Ten Favorite Graphic Novels of 2023:

I read 48 graphic novels this year.  The majority of the spines do not show up here because my library is getting in less graphic novels than before, so I have to use the inter-library loan system to read them.  At the year’s end I don’t feel I can very well request 20 books so I can photograph spines!  So there are a considerable amount of Missing In Action spines at the end of the narrative. 

#1

Grass Keum Suk Gendry-Kim (2019)

The Waiting Keum Suk Gendry-Kim (2021)

The Naked Tree Keum Suk Gendry-Kim (2023)

The most impressive books read this year come from Keum Suk Gendry-Kim, a South Korean artist/ writer who details Korean history.  Grass details the lives of “comfort women,” women who were kidnapped and forced into sexual slavery during World War II at the hands of both the Japanese and the Americans.  These girls are as a young as six and no older than 17.  A jaw dropping book, it details what these women were forced to endure for eight long years.  The Waiting details the author’s mother’s story about being separated from her sister when Korea split into two countries.  Whether or not you wanted to be in North Korea didn’t matter if you ended up there you weren't allowed to leave.  The only way to return home is via a lottery program, an insane mishmash of government and television spectacle and the waiting list is literally years.  In The Naked Tree we learn about how Korean artists painted the pictures of American soldier’s wives or girlfriends on ties and it relates the story of how the manager of that program falls in love with an already married artist.  Taking place during the Korean War, it is another shocking look at a history Americans know little about. All of these novels are well researched, detailed and informative and they are always heartbreaking. 

#2

It’s Lonely At The Centre of The Earth Zoe Thorogood (2022)

Zoe Thorogood (The Impending Blindness of Billie Scott) is messed up.  At first I thought, I couldn’t bear to read another graphic novel about a socially awkward, depressed artist who has suicidal ideations (but at least she doesn’t have an eating disorder).  But as the book goes on it becomes funnier and funnier because Thorogood has a healthy attitude about her own unhealthy state of mind.  And then, in the middle of the book she decides it sucks and starts it over.  One of the most wildly inventive graphic novels (containing some of the best artwork) you can find, it is Thorogood’s take on the importance of art that blows my mind: doesn’t matter if it is good or if you are terrible at it, if it gets published or sits in your top dresser drawer, if it brings you happiness, then it is great art. 

#3

Ephemera: A Memoir Briana Loewinsohn (2023)

Living with a parent who suffers depression and mental illness must be a challenging life for anyone, but as a child imagine how difficult it must feel.  In this sparsely worded, beautifully drawn graphic novel, we see how Briana deals with the loss of a parent: through her love of plants and tending to them.  A beautiful dissertation about love, loneliness and how we engage in the world around us to help us cope.

#4

I Think Our Son Is Gay 1 Okura (2019/ 2021  Translation by Leo McDonagh)

I Think Our Son Is Gay 2 Okura (2020/ 2021 Translation by Leo McDonagh)

I Think Our Son Is Gay 3 Okura (2020/ 2022 Translation by Leighann Harvey)

I Think Our Son Is Gay 4 Okura (2021/ 2022 Translation by Leighann Harvey)

Told from the perspective of the mother (and occasionally younger brother) of Hiroki, a high schooler, this quartet of graphic novels is absolutely one of the best looks at gay people without ever once pandering to morality, self-obsession or even plot.  Smart, intelligent and quite funny, we watch as Hiroki navigates not letting on to anyone that he might be gay.  Everyone already has it figured out (except Dad) and no one crowds him into making an announcement.  Beautifully drawn and the definitive work about being gay at a young age.  (And for the record, the author didn’t come out to his mother until after the first book was published.)

#5

Talk To My Back Yamada Murasaki (2022)

In my Top Ten Best Novels, I mentioned being shocked by Annie Ernaux’s statement that motherhood is not fulfilling.  This autobiography was published in Japan in 2009, the year the author died.  She reveals some very harsh words about marriage and being a mother and how both sucked the humanity out of her.  Startling and honest.  I’m a huge fan of people who are out of step with the norms. 

#6

Mr Lightbulb Wojtek Wawszczyk (2022)

Told with an eye towards magical realism, this is the story of a young boy in Poland who faces some harrowing circumstances: a father who is injured at work and cannot leave his bed, a mother who toils endlessly and is all the unhappier with her son for it.  The boy learns how to turn his artwork into something tangible and brighten the world with his radiance. 

#7

In Limbo Deb JJ Lee (2023)

Another auto-biographical novel about an artist who has psychological challenges.  Deb was born in Korea but her family moved to the US when she was just a baby.  She is an average student, a so-so violin player and everyone thinks she should be the best (no stereotyping here...).  She feels so out of step with herself that she attempts suicide.  What might be a run of the mill story (you cannot believe how many graphic novels exist about the authors who hate themselves and have self image issues) In Limbo is turned into a thing of beauty due to the artwork and the author's acceptance as to who she really is. 

#8

Mike’s Place: A True Story of Love, Blues, and  Terror In Tel Aviv Jack Baxter, Joshua Faudem and Koren Shadmi (2015)

I normally stay away from graphic novels based on novels or movies (I would just as soon read the book or watch the movie they are based on) but there is always an exception to the rule.  Mike’s Place is a bar in Tel Aviv that caters to everyone: Jews, Palestinians, Americans, atheists, Catholics, etc.  Mike’s Place prides itself on the diversity.  When a film crew catches wind of such an unusual place in Tel Aviv they want to make a documentary about it.  And they are there when a suicide bomber comes inside, angry that such a harmonious place exists.  Some people just can’t handle peace, love and understanding.

#9

Roaming Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki (2023)

I love virtually everything that the Tamaki cousins do, separately or together and their new book is no exception.  Spring Break 2009, three friends leave Canada to go to NYC for one week.  Will the endless closeness tear them apart?  Yes.  Will it bring them back together?  Yes.  Honestly I believed in the space of the 450 pages that Dani, Zoey and Fiona were living breathing characters.  Heck, I still believe it.

#10

Shubeik Lubeik Deena Mohamed

Imagine if wishes were real and the government could co-opt them and then sell them for a profit.  That’s the basis of this graphic novel.  While the government guarantees their wishes, they are expensive and of a limited resource (and guess what country buys the most wishes).  So of course, there would be black market wishes and those are the most dangerous. A wish of 'I wish I could be more productive' might result in you sprouting five more arms.  Or the result might be even more dangerous.  The book gets lost in a lengthy text book discussion of depression that slows down the excitement but this is still an intoxicating and imaginative read.  And by the way, the title is Arabic for what the genie says the instant he is cast out of the bottle: “Your wish is my command!” 

Missing In Action spines are all seen below:

[bumblingwinter]

cw: US trans rights struggle vent

i freaking love being trans. The idea of becoming something entirely new to fit what you were supposed to become all along should be this wonderful beautiful concept that brings joy. Being trans is gorgeous, but it's so goddamn hard. I live in one of the worst states to be trans in. It's arguably the worst right now, though honestly it's bad in a lot of places. It's so tiring. I'm trying so incredibly hard to be positive about it, to try and organize locally for change and trying to protest in the small ways I have space for, contacting local politicians and telling them what destruction they're causing. But at best they don't care and at worst their bills are having the desired effect. I might have to move away just so my mental health doesn't get so bad I kill myself. And what sucks even more is I'm one of the LUCKY ones. I have a mostly supportive family and live in a progressive area for where I live. We have the money to be able to move, support in different parts of the country to help us, and I can get therapy. Even as one of the most lucky trans people in my area it's absolutely hell. Once my school starts up, I can be bullied for being trans and no one can do anything about it, going to my preferred bathroom is going to cost the school money because they'll get fined, and teachers are legally allowed to discriminate against me and my trans siblings. I'm so pissed but I don't know what to do, where to turn to. I want to start change, but it's so scary when BLM protests got tear gassed and the one trans protest I went to a few years ago almost ended in getting violently attacked. It's so scary, and I know I should be fighting, but all I want to do is lay down and hide. I want to hide but I don't want to let all the support I have go to waste. Yeah.

TL;DR: FUCK YOU, US GOVERNMENT. SUCK MY FUCKING DICK YOU ABSOLUTE ASSHOLES

#vent post #transisbeautiful #queer struggles #I might go crazy actually

[jack-carol]

The Best of Intentions

History is replete with examples of acts committed with the best of intentions and ideals seriously backfiring and resulting in damage and or tragedy. Take the introduction of Kudzu into the United States.

“Actually, kudzu originated in China, and Japan did bring it to the U.S., but way back in 1876. It really didn’t get a hold in the Southeast, where it grows best, until the 1930s and ’40s.

Channing Cope was a Georgia farmer who also wrote an Atlanta newspaper column and had an Atlanta radio show, both constantly promoting the planting of kudzu. He used his Newton County farm as an experiment station and convinced other farmers it was the "miracle vine" that would save the soil from rampant erosion, add nutrients to it and could be used for livestock feed.”[1]

Although it was a wonderful intention to eliminate soil erosion, the fact of the matter was Kudzu overwhelmed the native natural ecology. Slowly killing it off and took over the countryside.

This invasive species, left uncontrolled, smothered, and destroyed the existing plants and eco system. The roots grow so deep it is almost impossible to eliminate and return the countryside to its original beauty.

Like our natural ecology the United States has a Culture and system of Government that has been in existence for over 200 years. This culture has kept the United States as a preeminent society. A society that has accomplished great things.

The Unites States has been a leader in keeping the world free of tyranny and fascism. Our independent spirit has tamed a wild country. Led the way in science and technology. We put mankind on the moon and was leading the way to the planets.

Do not get me wrong, we have made errors along the way, but we have consistently done our best to correct our mistakes and make amends for past wrongs. That is a key item of our culture. We will strive to improve and better our culture for all.

We have fought wars, but we have never fought a war to take land or resources from another country. We have done our best to establish the principles of freedom and rebuild war torn areas, even those of our once sworn enemies.

Having built this great country, we did not keep it all to ourselves, we welcomed immigrants from around the world to join us through a controlled and legal system. Yes, the United States is the “Great Melting Pot”, but like cooking a fine meal, adding a little salt improves the meal. Dumping in a bag of salt will ruin the meal. Culture is a fine meal.

Controlled immigration allows for the immigrant to assimilate into the culture of the United States while adding a taste of their previous culture to the mix. Uncontrolled immigration foregoes assimilation of the immigrant. Like Kudzu the existing culture is overridden and destroyed.

Illegal immigration and open borders are the human equivalent of Kudzu.

The masses storming our border are not bringing the best to our society. These illegals are not looking to become part of and contribute to our culture. Rather they are sucking out the milk of the benefits of our society while insisting on remaining loyal and promoting the very country and culture they are fleeing.

The very fact that they do not respect our borders and laws indicates a propensity to respect none of our laws. This lack of respect is made even worse by foreign countries emptying their prisons and mental institutions into this great influx of illegals.

Crime is rampant in our great cities. Our already struggling education system is made even less effective. A teacher cannot teach faster than the slowest student in the class. When a large portion of the students do not even speak our native language, the whole system suffers.

The once great culture of the Unites States is in serious decline. We are quickly becoming a third world country.

[1] source - https://www.gainesvilletimes.com/columnists/johnny-vardemans-column/how-kudzu-got-its-grip-on-georgia/

Blaze

0 notes

#culture #government #politics

[xtruss]

A sargassum ‘landing event’ on a beach in the Gulf of Mexico. The seaweed smothers coastlines, rots, kills wildlife and devastates local tourism and fishing. Photograph: Guajillo studio/Shutterstock

The creeping threat of the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt

Visible from space, an explosion of harmful seaweed now stretches like a sea monster across the ocean. Could robots save us from it – and store carbon in the process?

— By Zan Barberton | Tuesday 7 March 2023

Seaweed has been having a moment. Eco-influencers and columnists rave about its benefits, in everything from beauty products to biofuels. Jamie Oliver has embraced it as a recipe ingredient; Victoria Beckham uses it to keep off the pounds. And they’re right: seaweed is packed with nutrition, it sucks up carbon and is an amazingly versatile addition to the green economy.

But one type of seaweed is not a benign force. Vast fields of sargassum, a brown seaweed, have bloomed in the Atlantic Ocean. Fed by human activity such as intensive soya farming in the Congo, the Amazon and the Mississippi, which dumps nitrogen and phosphorus into the ocean, the sargassum explosion is by far the biggest seaweed bloom on the planet. The Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt, as it’s known, is visible from space, stretching like a sea monster across the ocean, with its nose in the Gulf of Mexico and its tail in the mouth of the Congo.

“I think I’ve replaced my climate change anxiety with sargassum anxiety,” says Patricia Estridge, CEO of Seaweed Generation, a UK startup working to make seaweed commercially viable.

Sargassum floating on the waters of Guadeloupe in the Caribbean. Photograph: Hemis/Alamy

Sargassum’s appearance can be deceiving. It is beautiful, layered like golden mats on the surface of the open ocean. Distinguished by bubble-like formations in its stems that keep it floating on the surface, pelagic sargassum has sloshed about in the Atlantic since well before Christopher Columbus sailed across the wide Sargasso Sea: in 1492, he wrote that he feared his boat would be trapped in it. But even early witnesses recognised its value: it provides a safe harbour and breeding ground for fish, turtles and other marine life. Under the surface it teems with life, like an upside-down reef.

What is alarming, is the rate at which it is growing. Oceanographer Ajit Subramaniam, who has run scientific research expeditions in the South Atlantic for 25 years, first noticed it in 2018. “Here was something I’d never seen before,” he says. “One moment we were in the blue sea, then bam! It was all around the ship for tens, hundreds of metres.”

Oceanographer Ajit Subramaniam on a research expedition. Photograph: Joseph Montoya

Unwilling to believe his eyes, he talked to other oceanographers, who confirmed that there was a huge sargassum bloom in the South Atlantic. Chuanmin Hu and his team from the University of South Florida’s (USF) optical oceanography laboratory had been monitoring it using satellite imagery since 2011 and had seen it explode in size. In June 2022, Hu estimated the size of the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt to be 24.2m tonnes – about four times the weight of the Great Pyramid of Giza.

A sargassum landing event is a spectacular phenomenon. Vast rafts arrive without warning, often in calm sunny weather at the height of tourist season, smothering miles of coastline in golden seaweed, which piles up, sometimes metres high, turning brown and fetid as it rots.

The first places to really feel the impact of sargassum were the Windward Islands in the Caribbean. Shelly-Ann Cox, chief fisheries officer for the Barbados government, has been working on sargassum mitigation for more than a decade. She describes the environmental and economic fallout as catastrophic: “Every year we’re seeing more and more countries reporting of the influx, and the devastating impacts on tourism, fishery sectors and transport.”

Workers remove sargassum from the beach by hand in the Bay of Soliman, Quintana Roo state, Mexico. Photograph: Eduardo Verdugo/AP

Sargassum assaults harm coastal wildlife and fish, and interfere with vital infrastructure, including water and power supplies. In addition, the hydrogen sulphide released when it decays has been shown to cause a range of human health problems, from mild headaches or eye irritation to unconsciousness and worse, while a 2022 paper has linked it to an increased risk of serious pregnancy complications in women living on the coast.

Wildlife is affected when sargassum blocks light to the seabed in shallower waters, while newly hatched turtles are unable to crawl to the sea over mountains of rotting seaweed.

A loggerhead sea turtle hatchling in sargassum off Florida. Photograph: VW Pics/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

Sargassum blooms fluctuate: it is most abundant in summer when the sea is calm and blue, before storms break up and scatter the golden mats. But also clear from the data, is that it is growing inexorably, fed by the climate crisis. Increased sea surface temperatures, upwelling and changing currents have combined with nutrients caused by human activity such as sewage and soya farming in the basins of the great rivers of North and South America, and Africa. Sand blown from the Sahara also brings with it iron and other essential minerals.

A more basic problem, however, is how to dispose of this contaminated biomass. Some have suggested using it as a fertiliser, but the heavy metals it contains – particularly arsenic – make it dangerous to feed to plants. Composting, too, could allow the arsenic to leach into groundwater, then drinking water and the food chain, leading several Caribbean nations to ban sargassum composting. As for industrial uses, removing the heavy metals requires so much processing that it is not cost-effective.

“There are so many climate-positive uses for seaweed, but then there are many different seaweeds in the ocean,” says Estridge. “No one could think of a commercially viable solution for sargassum.”

Jeff Davis, of the Georgia Institute of Technology, has brought together a team of undergraduates to work on this “grand challenge”. The group of young engineers and biologists travelled to the Dominican Republic to understand the scale of the problem and try to find solutions. Biology student Harshini Vummadi is exploring its uses in purifying water. Other team members have experimented with using it as a building material, or as a biofuel, using black soldier flies to “process” it, which are later removed.

Lakes Beach in St Andrew, Barbados. Sargassum is smothering Caribbean coasts from Puerto Rico to Barbados, killing wildlife, affecting the tourism industry and releasing toxic gases. Photograph: Kofi Jones/AP

“There are so many brilliant minds working on this – they just need the investment,” Cox says. But no idea has yet stood out enough to attract investment: sargassum does not, yet, seem to have the capacity to make anyone rich.

Nevertheless, Subramaniam argues that the world owes it to the Caribbean nations to help them to deal with the threat of sargassum, noting that they contribute least to the climate crisis yet are facing a direct impact. “I would like to figure out a financing model where we can actually have credit going to communities in Barbados for the carbon that is sequestered,” he says.

And sargassum’s ability to suck up carbon is behind what it probably the wildest and most ambitious plan to date: capture it using robots, bundle it up and sink it to the bottom of the sea.

Bricks, known as Sargablock, made from sargassum in Puerto Morelos, Mexico. The bricks are cheaper than traditional cement blocks. Photograph: Reuters

“There is a lot of carbon biomass associated with sargassum – about 3m tonnes in the Great Sargassum Belt,” Subramaniam notes. “Through photosynthesis it is taking up atmospheric carbon dioxide and converting that into organic carbon.” Sinking it to the bottom of the sea would store that carbon for a couple of centuries, buying the Earth time to “flatten the carbon curve”, he says.

With the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change stating that 10bntonnes of carbon will need to be removed every year by 2050 to keep global heating below 1.5C, the Great Atlantic Sargassum belt contains a fraction of what needs to be sequestered – but it could be scaled up with seaweed cultivation.

An artist’s impression of the robots that will collect, bundle and sink the sargassum. Photograph: Seaweed Generation

Estridge is forging ahead. At Seaweed Generation she developed technology to use the seaweed as a carbon sink. The firm has built a robot – “like a cross between Pac-Man and a Roomba” – to collect and sink the blooms, and she hopes carbon credits will provide the income to fund the operation.

Subramaniam and Estridge argue that the robots must sink the sargassum in the deep ocean, because in shallow waters it could rot and release methane. Subramaniam calculates that sinking the seaweed to a depth of between 2,000 and 4,000 metres will keep it submerged for several hundred years.

Both teams are testing their ideas: Subramaniam is seeing how the seaweed behaves in very deep water, while Seaweed Generation is working with partners in the Caribbean to follow the performance of the robot.

“The idea that it can be a nature-based solution for getting rid of some of this very small fraction – but still significant amount – of atmospheric carbon dioxide, I think is an important and exciting idea,” Subramaniam says.

Nevertheless, they fear it is only when the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt hits the affluent coasts of the Florida Keys or swamps the beaches of Cancún during spring break that significant investment will materialise. “Outside the Caribbean, no one is really talking about it,” says Harshini.

Sargassum floating on the surface of the ocean in southern California off Catalina Island. Photograph: Kristianne Riddle/Shutterstock

[mikkelsenqhvsvenstrup]

What Does a DUI Lawyer Cost in California, DC

Most lawyers carry out not put their very own legal fees on-line. The reason they don't happens because generally each case is different and there can be a fluctuation inside prices between consumers. However, you have to have a place to begin for DUI lawyers cost in Washington, DC. DUI lawyer cost is primarily driven by experience involving the lawyer in addition to the quantity of training the lawyer offers had in DRUNK DRIVING law. The couple of other reasons price may fluctuate between lawyers such since the overhead in the lawyer. Training/Associations When I speak of coaching I am not mentioning to law university. All lawyers possess to pass the bar and so I actually is not chatting about the bar. DUI law will be an area of law that will requires additional coaching beyond law institution and taking typically the bar. Continuing lawful education of the lawyer is very important since the laws modification and the DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE lawyer needs in order to be aware associated with the alterations. For example of this, DUI lawyers ought to be trained or "qualified" by State Highway Safety Government Standardized Field Sobriety Course. This training course is often 25-40 hrs of in category instruction. It is the identical class police officers want to take to be able to give citizens typically the Standardized field sobriety test within the streets. Another example, DRUNK DRIVING lawyers will take in order to advance their knowledge is going to be able to the annual Country wide training in Vegas once a yr put on by the National Connection Criminal Defense Lawyers plus National College for DUI Defense. Below the best DUI lawyers in the united states share their knowledge with additional DUI lawyers. Typically, the more education your lawyer has the more you may pay. Advogados Porto can only come by way of time. Yes getting older sucks, but through age comes wisdom. Just like it requires a young doctor years before he or she can be slick and experienced within his field -- the same can be applied to lawyers. It is hard intended for a lawyer in order to come out of law school and even start trying DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE cases because generally there is an amount regarding complexity to them. As you may understand there are a lot of legal professionals in the Region. Just because the particular lawyer has the license to practice in the Process of law does not imply he or she has the experience in order to handle every type of case. Normally, the greater experience your current lawyer has the particular more you are going to pay. Office and Cost to do business

This is the particular area you may never hear the lawyer talk about with the client. However, the truth is the customer pays the above your head cost of typically the DUI lawyer. The lawyer can do work cheaper and faster if this individual or she is usually using technology in order to shift cost. For example, an attorney should provide papers to his or even her client; yet , sending through the particular mail is slower and cost more. Using the world wide web along with a closed portal system the lawyer can communicate together with the client, give dates, share papers, and communicate along with the consumer more effectively and spend less. When your lawyer continues to be using paper and mailing documents they are costing you more money. Times have got changed and DRUNK DRIVING lawyers need to be even more efficient with their particular productivity. The some other part of the lawyer's overhead is definitely office space. This will be where the expense of the 2 equally lawyers differentiate. When the lawyer must pay for pebble floors and high-priced staff then he shifts the charge to be able to you. We recognize some clients really feel as though in case he's beautiful marble floors and gorgeous paintings on typically the wall he then should be good. This is simply not necessary true. Keep in mind, this is your dollars at the office. With out question, the more your lawyer will pay for his cost to do business, the more you may pay for his / her service. So precisely what should you pay for a good DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE lawyer in POWER Similar to most urban court docket houses, the dockets are crowded plus so a legal representative spends more time waiting for cases to be called which is usually why the expense of driving under the influence inside DC could prove costly than say within a countryside courthouse. Inside the Section of Columbia right now there is an uncovered minimum of two court docket appearances for DUI cases. Here are estimates for typical expense of a DRUNK DRIVING lawyer in POWER. 1st Offenses The cost for the DUI lawyer for any non-jury trial first wrongdoing cost is usually between $2000. 00 to $3000. 00 dollars. If a person pay a DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE lawyer lower than 1000 dollar. 00 maybe you are receiving what is called a "dump truck" lawyer. He merely pleads you away at the very first opportunity. Remember, some sort of lawyer provides an obligation to investigate, seek advice from and prepare the truth regardless of no matter if the case goes toward trial. Trials typically take a time or less nevertheless may be spread away based on typically the Court's schedule. subsequent Offenses, 3rd crime expense Jury Demo to get a DUI throughout the District associated with Columbia is bare minimum of $4000. 00 -$6000. 00 bucks, depending on the facts. Jury trials usually take a single or 2 times, not including ready for verdict. Become wary of any lawyer who gives guarantees. In truth, you will find no guarantees. The only real guarantee the lawyer should provide you if you are charged along with a DUI : is that he zealously advocates inside the bounds associated with the law. Remember if an specialist is used at trial, the charge could end up being higher for the reason that client is usually accountable for all expert costs. This also may not include rendering before DMV. Portrayal before DMV is usually a "stay of the particular proceeding" until the outcome of POWER Superior Court proceedings. The typical expense for DMV manifestation is $300. 00 to $500. 00 dollars.

#lawyer

[loneranger0369]

Everything is going out of control. People are losing their minds every day. Violence is on the rise. Not sure if anything can be done to get things under control. About something else, I have a Theory. They say "Karma is a bitch". Why is that so? I'm not sure if anyone wondered. Bad people do bad things (repeatedly). Good people do some bad things, yet they suffer a lot, well... because "Karma". And the bad people do not suffer at all. Not even a bit. The explanation "They did good deeds in their last life or they will do great deeds in their next life probably." Which is a pile of Horse-Shit! So... My theory.... Good people do bad things and they suffer soon, because Karma was alert and watching, then took over and punished these people. But, when bad people do bad things, repeatedly, during this time Karma was busy sucking someone's D*ck or taking someone up its *ss or more. That is why it is called a Bitch, I assume. Now take a look at UK. Ruled almost all the world. Most of the Monarchs (that ruled most of the world) died in peace, no suffering, like Elisabeth II. The population of UK may be having issues with money due to the Coronation and other stuff, but they have been living a beautiful life, when compared to the countries that were colonized like India, Pakistan and more. Now... Coming to the US. Went to Afghanistan, now destroyed. Went to Iraq, now destroyed. Went to Syria, now in ruins. People in the US are living in Peace, happily. No one facing the consequences of the US government's actions. Living in Peace stolen from the Lives of people belonging to numerous Countries is beyond a Sin. Well... No one has the time to protest against such governments of theirs. I wonder when these "powerful" people will pay the price. Will they?? Then people say "Mind your Business". But the "greatest Country in the World" itself CANNOT do that and goes around "Giving Freedom" to many other Countries..... Great World with numerous Hypocrites we live in...

And then.... In another News. Things stolen by these great Nations (but will most likely never be returned).... This gives an understanding into how great these Nations are...

#united kingdom #united states #karma #escape #no regrets #culture #belongings #Youtube