#it's such a fascinating thought: what will kim do if The Revolution comes? | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

erosjeon · 5 years

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Part 1|?

⇢ In an age where information can save you or kill you; the concept of wrong place at the wrong time is a funny one. What do you do when you’re accused of stealing the hard-drive that holds restricted information belonging to the government? Particularly when they send a lethal robot to take you down?

Pairing⍮ Jeon Jungkook x reader, Kim Namjoon x reader Genre⍮ robot!au, angst, slow-burn and eventual smut (no specific warnings in this chapter) Word-count⍮ 4.6k

A/N: This fic couldn’t have dropped at any other time just as fitting to celebrate the belated birthdays of my loves Jungkook and Namjoon who also happen to be the main two characters. It’s also my birthday hehe! I had not actually planned to drop this now as a celebration at all since I had written it almost a year ago and had edited and gone back a thousand time. I think its safe for me to say that I had not worked any harder on any other fic on this blog so I hope it receives some love 💜

He took slow careful steps down the familiar stairs confined by white sterile walls leading down to his private laboratory. Tonight marks his fifth year anniversary in that building that filled with tranquillity that was anything but pleasant.

A sigh escaped his lips as he lifted the laminated silver card that hung around his neck to grant him entrance to the lab before he moved his hand to the switch by the door to turn on the lights. His fingers tugged at the plastic material and lifted it off his chest and into some place on the counter.

Kim Namjoon – robotics and autonomous systems specialist. 25.

At first glance, the place appears abandoned. There were barely any white coats other than his floating in choreographed concentration along the benches, as was usually the case. The smell of the setting agar and the faint humming sound of running machinery – as well as the lack of dust quickly dismissed any ideas. The modernity of the laboratory is showcased by the giant steel frames surrounding soundproof glass that welcome a view of the city where the light further brightens the dull lab, contrasting the black metallic roof above and floor below.

Everything was the way he left it the night before, it has been a routine for him now after having completed the project of a life time and for someone so young – it was achieved way too early. He had fallen into a slump, he knew he would never be able to re-create what he had any better. He will never feel the same way he did the first time – the time when he laid his eyes on the smooth sun-kissed coloured skin that capsuled anything but natural. The devices he had the honour of being able to craft and create were the easy part of his job, a task that he was able to do by the end of the third semester years ago while he was still learning at college. It was the half nature of his creation that posed potential for the project to fail as nature screamed at the fusion of what should not.

He ran a hand through his hair as he paced to the pile of paper on the end of his desk where his leather chair waited awkwardly, looking through the notes that he compiled through the years that now serve as a reminding memory as if their content were not engraved in every one of his brain cells. He let out a bitter laugh as he looked at the not so innocent words in the initial research and proposal that gave life to what he had made today.

14th of October, 2015.

Robots.

A concept that has been anciently configured. The fascination with ‘artificial beings’ has been around for thousands of years, evolving recently with the onset of the Industrial Revolution in order to create complex machines powered by electricity with the sole purpose of conducting their allocated tasks - reducing the need for human assistance.

Human reliance on artificial intelligence has increased drastically over the years – first beginning in factories using simple fixed machines programmed to do a single action, over and over again repeatedly. The use of machine for different number of tasks followed right after, extending to the creation of human-sized robots with the capacity for near-human thoughts and movement and so has their purpose.

How to make robots softer or more compliant… less like rigid machines? How can we combine human and artificial intelligence?

Biohybrid robots

Robotics with tissue engineering. They serve as a promising candidate for improved research investigation by providing biological dynamic system template through biological design. The concept of dual nature seems to have chance of success as although previous studies have shown that using skeletal muscle tissue on metal tend to shrink through the course of the tissue culture, it was not the case when an antagonistic pair were grown.

22nd of April, 2017.

Repurposing project to military (I don’t know how to feel about this, but Seokjin says I can’t do anything about it).

Military Robots

The need for reducing human casualty in war has become increasingly apparent by the public outcry and the great downfall in the number of men enlisting into the army over the years. The world is evolving at such a rapid pace which forced the need for rapid adjustment to be almost compulsive, maybe that is what has allowed technological advances in the robot industry and invention to highlight the possibility of using robots in warfare which has been once regarded a topic of science fiction. The use of automated weapon systems is now considered the future of modern warfare and has become largely invested in for research and development by many countries.

Another sigh escapes his lips as he piles the scattered papers into their usual folder and away into the second drawer that he’ll open once again this time, next year. Leaning back in his leather seat and dropping his head back, he realised how much of a mess the place was. It was as if the storm outside had moved beyond the walls and into his rather suffocating workplace but he didn’t have time to think about cleaning up when far more important matters were to be done first.

His mind wandered to the stranded bot on the other side of the building who needed to have his microbiology screen completed today. There was an undeniable thrill in the routine tests he was in charge of, he looked forward to every instance where he finds himself a few feet away from his cell, not that anyone can blame him. He has never had actual contact with the robot – no one has before. He was programmed to comply with his assigned schedules, he knew when and where he had to stretch his arm across the metal barrier to sit it on top of a glass plate where they are strapped automatically to lock him in place for specimen collection.

He wished he had more authority when it came to the fate of him – he didn’t wish to have him locked away for all this time with minimal socialisation, all of which he knew were to be of consequence one day, inevitably.

The walk to the confinement was as any usual – the corridors dark and quiet. Not many people opt for night shifts in the field of his speciality for many reasons, some that undeniably reside in the depths of his mind every single day. This job is by no meant not your typical, there was risk in every move you make – especially when the guards are a bit too tired and a bit too unobservant in the late hours of the night. The secrecy of the projects withheld within confinement were much too important than human lives, the consequence of any fault is to be faced.

Two metal doors opened swiftly as he scanned his card by the projecting blue light. His anxiety swam to the surface as he dwelled on the chances of something going wrong. He knew he had to conquer his fears before coming face to face with the bot he gave life to. He knows just how capable he can use that against him - how he can use anything to manipulate him.

He felt ashamed to admit that despite having built him piece by piece, he almost knows absolutely nothing about what goes in his computer mind. The second nature of Jungkook granted him that liability, the little ability and free will to conceal himself as he wishes from anybody without being coded onto one of these computer screens. Thinking about it now makes the uneasy feeling more difficult to go. There’s endless possibilities of things going wrong, the main concern being the possibility that Jungkook lets loose and decides to use his strength against the metal baring his own nature against his maker.

When the sound of the buzzer resonated in Namjoon’s ears to remind him of the job to be done, an unexpected guard emerges from the side door, he stops his footing a few inches away and inspects Namjoon fully despite the authorisation he received at the gate.

“What? No more naps on the job, Mr. Min?” Namjoon snickers, before giving his old friend a warm embrace, “I didn’t know you were back from suspension, what happened to you anyway?”

“Piss off Kim, one of you has either been a snake or that stupid janitor has ratted me out and told them what happe- anyway it’s nothing, I’m back. There.”

“What? What happened?”

“I said, it’s nothing”

“Look Yoongi, if this concerns your job which requires you to be alert for a reason then it is something, for god’s sake what happened? Is this concerning the bot?”

Yoongi sighs before he contemplates saying anything, If the higher ups know then Namjoon also has a right to know, “He attacked him, Namjoon.”

Namjoon’s whole world seemed to have paused when he processed the three words, he’s attacked someone. Jungkook, he’s attacked somebody and…. “What did he do?” Namjoon blurts, he needs to find out more. Why would Jungkook do anything like this unstimulated?

“Well he twisted his wrist till all his bones cracked broken-”

“No, I didn’t mean the bot. What did the Janitor do, did he say anything? Do anything”

“What?” Yoongi asks confused, “I don’t know? Maybe? I heard him speak but you can’t hear much out here. I promise it’s not because I was asleep, I was actually awake the whole day that day.”

“He must’ve said something to push him into violence. What’s the janitor’s name? details?”

“Woah, woah! Look I’m just a guard, man. Take your investigation somewhere else, go ask Seokjin or something.”

“Seokjin knows?” Namjoon feels betrayed, Seokjin out of everyone who was meant to support him unconditionally. His supposed best friend. At least he knows where his royalties lie.

“Of course, he was the first respondent. Was walking in the hallway when it happened actually. Great timing”

“And what did Seokjin do?” he looks down at Yoongi with a blank look, he knows that this was no coincidence. Seokjin’s job position has never required him to be on field, since when was he authorised to enter confinement? None of it made sense.

“I don’t know, I guess he talked both of them down or something. All I know is he was here, took the dude out afterwards for medical attention and they were both gone. Bot was still inside. So, as I said, Seokjin is your guy here I won’t be much help.”

“I see. If you remember anything you know who to look for” Namjoon leaves before completing his sentence to enter the sterile room to find the instruments.

He throws a blunt needle, alcohol wipes, fluid container and gloves on a tray after sterilising his hands. All the routine now familiar to him. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something is wrong, something is happening and he knows none of it. Jungkook has been in contact with a human for the first time in his existence, and he just attacks.

Letting the air trapped in his lungs out in a sigh, he puts on the gloves before making it to the double doors leading to the cell. Another buzzer sounded, this time no guard was present. He needed to know when this incident happened, he needed to know more. It was his responsibility if anything else goes terribly wrong, even though he was taken off the assignment.

Jungkook’s arm was already present by the time Namjoon walks to the edge of the cell. A small rectangular glass above allows him to have eye contact with the bot as he wiped his injection site clean, he knew he had to be calm and collected, as if he had no idea what he’d done. Grabbing the needle, he connected the end with the container before injecting it into a vein and drawing out blood.

Thirium

Blue blood as they call it, it’s the fluid that powers the androids biocomponents, it circulates to provide energy and electrical information as our nerves do. It is an extraordinary finding which has allowed hybrids to exist now as they do. But unlike human blood, it evaporates after a few hours and becomes invisible to the naked eye when it comes into contact with oxygen. Perfect for an erasable terror in war where there won’t be any remains to tell the story if the bot’s purpose fulfilment fails.

He knows he shouldn’t instigate a conversation, there were cameras everywhere. If seokjin hasn’t told him anything about the incident then there is a high likelihood it was only meant for a select few to know about it. They had even suspended Yoongi and he doubts that it was because his inability to do his job properly, this ‘incident’ had been done on purpose. Maybe a test? But he had to say something.

“How are you feeling?” he finds himself asking.

But there was no response. Jungkook was looking straight at him and the answer was clear. He wasn’t feeling anything, his eyes completely vacant. What had they done?

“You know, I’ve been meaning to apologise. I know how uncomfortable it feels to have blood drawn… and here you are getting it done weekly. I wish there was a different way to get your routine tests done. This one is going to be sent for microbial examination.”

Namjoon carefully removes the container from the needle, placing it onto the tray before taking his gloves off. He was not really expecting an answer, he was probably reprogrammed to be silent.

“I am sorry for what’s happened to you” he whispers. Not fully sure Jungkook would understand what he’s referring to. He just has a feeling that he hadn’t just randomly lashed out. He has never done that to him.

“You should not be apologising for getting your job done, sir” he hears the bot’s voice from the other side of the door, the dull eyes he was staring into turning rather soft before his hand was withdrawn and the flap closed shut followed by the sound of automated machinery.

Had he just gotten his un-programmed first sentence?

Has Jungkook spoken like that before? There was so much to find out.

As Namjoon made his way back to his private laboratory, he realised how wrong he was regarding his human capabilities. He might have created him but he knew absolutely nothing about the human side of Jungkook for he still has living tissue within him. His mind wandered to a specific conversation he had with Seokjin months ago.

7th of July, 2018.

“He is ready.” Seokjin speaks before he moves the pipette above a beaker, watching the mixture slowly swirl into hues of pink as he releases the chemical fluid. “He’s trained for a long time, he’s more than ready now. We have kept him thirsty for way too long.”

Namjoon sighs before turning away from the laboratory’s senior - his senior.

“Ready to murder every single human on this earth!” he releases a suppressed breath, “He hasn’t even had a single contact with a human before! With zero social skills, we’d be releasing a fucking killing machine!”

“That’s what he’s designed for, remember? We don’t need him for anything else” the senior replies before taking steps towards his subordinate, “Besides, all we have to do to control him is to log on one of these damn computers. He’s already loaded with all the chips required, everyone who we want safe will be safe.”

“We were told he’d only be used in war, we didn’t sign up for this - all of this risk, millions of dollars for a single girl! They could easily have hired someone to do their dirty work.”

Namjoon looks down at the stained bench as his senior joins him.

“He might have cost us millions but I’m sure you can imagine how much more we’d lose if what we know goes out to the rest of the world. This one is out of your hands, I’m afraid”, he patted his shoulder before making eye contact “you seem to be getting too soft for this field of work, Dr. Kim. They wouldn’t be too impressed knowing that, especially not when you’re the creator of something so lethal.”

“You didn’t even witness anything that went down, I’d like to see you act all brave when he’s standing inches away from your face with the intent to kill – for being isolated all these years!”

He had thought so lowly of the bot he’s made from seeing him tackle bodies of plastic and various other instruments as part of his training. Although it is better to be safe rather than sorry he can’t bring himself to think that Jungkook would project his training on someone innocent, why would he harm someone he was not programmed to harm as Seokjin had promised.

Jungkook was to be released next week for his mission, he had received this information on the bulletin the next morning. Namjoon had no regard to time at this point, the night blended into day while he looked through any file he can access on the system, he knew he had to be careful with his investigation to avoid arousing suspicion. He was not stupid after all.

He vaguely remembers the mission Jungkook was set to complete, he had thought it was originally due to fatigue but now that he thinks back, Seokjin had not told him much – and after being removed from the bot’s case, he knows nothing at all. The last training he personally conducted with Jungkook haunted him.

28th of August, 2018.

“Let me run it one more time.”

“It’s your third time already, he’s got it alright. He’s a machine!” Jin sneers as he fondles with the biohybrid’s file.

“Part machine.” Namjoon throws him a look before turning to meet his creation. “State your mission, again”, he orders.

“Eliminate target Y/N L/N”, a monotone voice responds back.

“And?”

“For fucks sake!” A familiar pestering voice behind him speaks again.

“I’m trying to follow the damn safe-conduct instructions here! If you can’t stand it then please, you may leave.”

Namjoon tries to collect his focus onto the robot sat in front of him, hoping that his supervisor won’t run his mouth again for all this is crucial in understanding even the slightest about the way his robot interacts with humans.

He had personally kept an eye on him through his training the past few months since his awakening, gawking from the camera lenses at the way he moves, the way he eats and drink, the way he speaks and conducts human like activities in isolation as after all – the bot was given a schedule to follow for the purpose of serving the scientists knowledge regarding his nature since personal interaction with him was not a viable option.

He was able to witness how he progressively began to speak less like a robot, his voice slowly losing that flat monotone only to flourish into a soft and almost musical one, how he became better at feigning freedom of expression as he recites what was stealthily stored into his system. He learned that just like humans, the robot required to eat and excrete, he’d observed that it had been awkward for him to do at the beginning; he would have been fooled to think of him as a child if it was not for his built body - and the lifelessness that lays between his irises. There was only one issue, he never had the chance to study his interaction with others and he has absolutely no idea what his human side is like, nothing regarding his though process and how much conflict that would bring to prosecuting his commands, there is only one way to truly find that out.

“Alright.” He palmed his face as it crunches in knowing soon regret, this is a terrible idea but what other choice does he have “What’s your name?”

“Jeon Jungkook.”

He had to find out more about Y/N too. He had one week to do all of this, one week to find something solid and halt the mission till he found more time to investigate into Seokjin, and the incident.

It was that time of the year again, the transition of autumn into winter is not one to be easily recognised when the flakes of snow have started falling ever since early September, just like the way the days have slowly converged into nothing but a stack of passing hours interrupted briefly by doses of sleep. There is no distinct moment where the frost has started chipping away at your skin, you think to yourself.

If you had to describe yourself, you could confidently tell the next person how painstakingly slow-paced your life was. You were nothing but an uneventful person, with an uneventful life. Everything had a schedule, your days began with a morning cup of coffee from your old (almost broken) machine that needed replacement, at 7 in the morning. You’d have not long enough before having to leave the house and attending the unnecessary meeting at your current job at POC where you worked as a reporter. This would typically be when your manager tells your team off for not working your butts hard enough to catch a break. On most days, there would be no one with good news worthy to report after the meeting, which is why Ollie, your manager, ensures the meeting comes first.

You’d spend the rest of your day in your cubicle by Park Jimin, he was your co-worker, and also your close friend. Jimin would usually be one of the few people with a story on the waiting list when the team had not caught anything worthy enough for news and you can’t help but be envious of that sometimes albeit his very hard work. You want to be like him one day, you think.

Work would usually end around 6pm, this is when your forehead is against the table and your eyes are closed shut. You were exhausted, because even though you leave the office at 6, your work never really ends. As soon as you stepped foot out of the intimidating building, you were basically out on field. You try not to get yourself too obsessed with catching a lucky break but you can’t help but feel desperate sometimes. Nevertheless, you usually would grab a takeaway and head home. On a good day, you would be having a barbecue dinner with Jimin and a bunch of other colleagues of yours. Today was not one of those days. It’s also not one of those days where you are enthusiastic to find a celebrity on a date with another to report on.

The way back home was pleasant. You had opted to cook food at home rather than a takeaway to give your body a bit of a break since you remember the groceries you’ve brought home the day prior. You were already thinking of what to make when you locked your apartment door shut, a carbonara sounded absolutely delicious, especially with fresh mushrooms. You left your bag on the sofa by the door where your makeshift living room is. Truth is, you still have not finished renovating your apartment despite having moved here 6 months ago. You were too busy worrying about newspapers to even think about buying a decent coffee table that could be in the centre of the room.

You were letting out a sigh and pulling at the camera that hung around your neck when a figure had moved within the darkness of your flat. You don’t remember inviting anybody over… your nerves shook as you thought of the possibilities anyone you know is inside with you right now. Did you just walk into a robbery of your own home?

“Hello?” you shout out, not knowing where the figure had moved to. You had to think of something.

You managed to grab the tennis racket from the box of all-random-things in attempt to defend yourself, thanking the disorganised part of yourself for having everything sit in the box knowing it’d come handy one day. If this is how you’re going to die then the least you can do is defend yourself. How pathetic would it be to get killed in a robbery? You could just walk right out but how would you know the person won’t chase after you like a dog.

“I know you’re in there, come out!” you tried to sound strong, knowing full well that you’d shit your pants if whoever it is inside shows themselves. Did they have a weapon?

“Hello?” your hands are now shaking, you decided it’s wise to call the police and have them deal with it. The stillness of your apartment did nothing but install more anxiety and fear in the pit of your stomach.

You were walking to where you had left your bag to reach for your phone when the sound of movement and hurtle had caused you to hurry your movements. Someone was behind you. You could feel the heat emit out of their body and into yours, they were close when the phone was in your hand and all you had to do was dial the emergency but you were too late. You gulped - this is your end.

“Drop the phone.” you hear the man behind you say, the sentence resonating in your head as you had thought of what could happen if you just tapped the green button. You decided that nothing could be worse than what you are possibly about to experience when you hit dial and the phone rang but before you could even comprehend you were forcefully turned and pushed against the wall, causing you to meet your offender eye to eye.

You couldn’t stop the gasp that escaped your mouth when his fingers wrapped around your neck and started squeezing.

You had imagined the worse when you thought of who would take away your life if you had to leave earth that way. You were expecting perhaps… someone filled with hatred, covered with scars that had driven them to commit such an act against you, or maybe just someone plain crazy and evil. But the person who stood in front of you was anything but. He was young, beautiful even. You couldn’t stop yourself from admiring the long brown locks that separated at the centre of his head at the top, the soft doe-like eyes that were filled with emptiness and his soft pink lips. Why would someone like that - so innocent looking, a stranger, want to harm you? What had you possibly done to deserve being choked to death?

Your vision was giving away when you finally brought your hand to claw at his skin, your voice not strong enough to make out any word when the panic had finally set in, you were vibrating in sheer panic when you felt the air refuse to leave your lungs and your eyes started filling with tears, “Please, stop!” you wanted to cry out but to no avail when your vision started fading to black.

#bts fanfiction #jungkook fanfiction #bts x reader #jungkook x reader #namjoon fanfiction #namjoon x reader #bts robot au #bts fluff #bts angst #bts fanfic #robot au #robot jungkook #bts #slow burn #crystal steel #unedited #also forgot to say some stuff are inspired by detroit become human

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ficclique · 4 years

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Fic Clique hosts choices for our top fics of the decade - as featured in our Minisode from Jan 3rd.

Brenna’s choices:

Honorable Mentions:

Worldwide Lonesome by loindexter (BTS)

2018, 39k, Yoongi/Jin

The biggest gut-punch I’ve ever felt from a character confession. The Jin of this fic has stuck with me every day since reading it. This fic examines sexuality in a way that made me feel seen & I love that.

Timeshare by Astolat (HP)

2016, 14k, Draco/Harry

This is sort of a stand-in for all of astolat’s drarry fic, which as a bundle are one of my top fics for the decade. They are fics that feel like instant-classics and the variety of characterizations, stories and tropes helped establish astolat as perhaps my all time favorite fic author. Timeshare won out above the others because it’s one of the fics that helped us decide to do this podcast! Thank you Timeshare!

Top 5 picks:

The Student Prince, by Fayjay (Merlin)

2010, 145k, Merlin/Arthur

A fic that has defined fanfiction for me. Perhaps the fic that first convinced me to love fanfiction. Something I keep coming back to and have reread numerous times. Funny, heartfelt, just different enough from the canon versions of characters. Perhaps the only University AU I will ever fully love.

The Love Song of the North American Douchebag, by Gyzym (Star Trek RPF)

2013, 25k, Chris/Zach

If you want to hear me (and my lovely co-hosts) discuss this fic in depth, then I recommend listening to Episode 6! However, one of our listeners also submitted this as a top fic of the decade, so I’m going to add what the lovely Scout said:

“JESUS FUCKING CHRIST, I HOPE I CAN SWEAR. I'm not even in this fandom. The world building is just THAT good. It's one of my highlights *because* of its power to draw me in as a standalone. So much fucking talent in the transformative work community. The banter, characterization, sardonic-ness of this – international impact baby!”

Not Easily Conquered (series), by dropdeaddream & whatarefears (MCU)

2015, 117k, Steve/Bucky

An incredibly, precise, gut-wrenching trilogy. Each part is astounding both together and apart. A devastating exploration of love and dedication. One of those fics that created a Fandom Moment. I sobbed through the entirety of part 2 when I first read it. Womb to tomb, sweetheart.

Azoth by zeitgeistic (HP)

2013, 88k, Draco/Harry

A stunning exploration of magic beyond JKR’s universe. A timeless coming together of two characters. A frankly genius use of a plot device (and something as simple as a school project) to foster an incredibly touching and meaningful relationship, one in which they are not able to find what they need to complete their task until they find what they need in each other. ALCHEMY BABY!

Honeysuckle Arch by junkshopdisco (1d)

2015, 46k, Niall/Harry

Perhaps the most I’ve ever related to a character in fic. The Niall of this fic lives in my heart, and I feel like reading him helps me understand myself, and everytime I come back to it I understand him better too. It’s a touching portrayal of a character coming to terms with their sexuality in a way that feels completely grounded and who is surrounded by characters who love them, even if they don’t always know how to show it.

Nicole’s choices:

Honorable Mentions:

Protostellar by ninamondays

bts, 64k, pub 2019, Namjoon/Jungkook & Taehyung/Jimin

Space, cryogenics, fate, reincarnation, class struggles, revolution, climate change, character death. Having hope is punk rock. Processing grief is a slow and ugly process. [deep breath] Have I ever felt so profoundly touched by a fic while I was reading it?

the other thing by cornfields

hockey rpf, 16k, pub 2015, Jamie/Tyler

An absolutely unflinching look at personal accountability and internalized homophobia. What happens when your self-hatred has collateral damage? It’s about healing but it’ll fucking hurt first. Bleached out vibes. Makes texas feel very big, and the world feel very, very small. A story I’d only trust a fic author to tell.

Top 5 picks:

Murmuration by fringecity (indiachick)

bts, 167k, pub 2018, Yoongi/Jimin/Taehyung

Film noir/murder mystery meets gritty sci fi and superpowers. Everyone is morally gray. You Will sob about Kim Taehyung. A masterclass in plot. Felt like a trilogy all wrapped tightly into one fic. A kaleidoscope. An unfurling. This fic mesmerizes.

The River and the Deep Green Bend by liquidmeasure

1d, 70k, pub 2016, Harry/Niall

Dark tower au, but only technically. Makes me want to believe in the multiverse. An arid western, a sideways coming of age story, an elegy. The first time I’ve ever cried because an ending was perfect.

the undiscovered country by indigostohelit

hamlet, 56k, pub 2014, Hamlet/Horatio

What else can I say about this fic. What else can I Fucking say.

(note: we discuss this fic at length during episode 5)

All Things Shining by Askance and standbyme

spn, 142k, pub 2013, Dean/Castiel & Sam/ofc

A story about miracles. Literary as hell, with long luxuriant scenes that never drag. Masterful characterization. The thing I wanted from spn fic—connection, plot, and a fic that not only can handle the lore of the show, but is willing to expand upon it.

Who Painted the Moon Black by throughthedark

1d, 95k, pub 2013, Louis/Harry

Hunger games crossover. Doesn’t just use the other fandom for setting, but entirely inhabits it. I had to stop partway through my reread because I knew I’d have nightmares, but this fic never stops hoping. Trauma is not an ending. This fic is certain of that the whole way through.

Reid’s Choices:

Honorable Mentions:

songs from the ash, by explosivesky, 2017

Critical Role, Percy/Vex, Keyleth/Vax, 54k, WIP (sort of)

rockstar/movie star AU

A fantastic example of how fic can just standalone as really good original fiction. A lovingly rendered, devastating and beautifully crafted portrait of four broken people doing their best to navigate through their lives and around one another.

delta, by sharpa, 2019

BTS, rapline ot3, 60k

What happens when you’re a public figure who gets unwillingly outed, and two people you used to love reach out to offer you sanctuary? You make Reid cry, that’s what.

Top 5 picks:

Salt on the Western Wind by Saras_Girl, 2013

Harry Potter, drarry, 60k

Immediately post war, bond

It represents a lot of what I was looking for when I started really getting into Drarry fic, which was an exploration of what canon wouldn’t give me. My favorite Drarry fics have always been the ones that let them dig into their shared trauma, and while this fic isn’t the heaviest one I’ve read, I think the fact that it’s set literally hours after the Battle of Hogwarts ends lends itself well to that concept. I couldn’t have a list of the decade without a Drarry fic, tbh.

The Great Sealand Takeover, by whalehuntingboyfriends, 2015

Roosterteeth/Achievement Hunter RPF, ot6 (gavin, michael, ray, geoff, ryan, jack), 365k

FAHC

When I think about fics that set the standard for a fandom, this is one of the first ones that comes to mind. This fic means a lot to me because it was my introduction to RPF, and in addition to its intricate plot and fandom-constructed lore, also was a take on poly relationships and found families in a way I had never experienced before, with themes of belonging and a love that transcends typical convention.

The Twice-Told Tale by arysteia, 2012

Marvel, steve/tony, 15k

This fic hits a sweet spot for me where it does have some of that 2012 tower-fic nostalgia, but I also think it holds up well in terms of what I (and fandom) find so fascinating about Tony, which is all this grief and trauma that he struggles so hard to process, and the way puts himself at the center of attention to obfuscate the fact that he keeps everyone at a long arm’s length.

There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe, by Shoshanah-ben-hohim, 2015

Hockey, Sid/Geno, Canon Divergent, 77k

& the whole series, including There is a Field, I’ll Meet You There, Alex Galchenyuk/Olli Maata, 131k

When I think about this fic I want to scream from every rooftop I’ve ever been on “please read this fic”. The way it weaves together details to provide a level of grounding and realism in what sounds like the most absurd concept for a fic just floors me. The empathy and compassion and fear in this fic just gets at the most tender parts of my heart, and the fact that it’s ostensibly a ship fic, and yet Sid and Geno spend nearly the entire fic with no communication, but instead are just holding on to the innate truth that they know about one another to get them through this crazy endeavour they’re on elevates the entire fic for me.

what comes after, by poppyseedheart, 2018

Roosterteeth/Achievement Hunter RPF, mavinseg (gavin, meg, michael, lindsay), 36k

Dystopia/Spy AU

When I first read this fic, I finished it and I put it down and then I spent a few days feeling like I was just sort of wandering around in a haze because every single thought was consumed by this fic. In addition to its impeccable worldbuilding and the tone work that it does with its setting, I don’t know that I had ever resonated so deeply with fic characters before. Reading this felt like someone had pried my ribcage open one by one and revealed the softest, most tender parts of me and then went “I’m going to write something that targets this.” This fic is an ode to loss and love, to mourning something that you once had and then hesitantly and clumsily opening yourself up to building something new, and recognizing that, impossibly, that new thing you built can somehow be better than what you had before.

And I felt all of these things, I felt like my world had just been shattered by this new author I discovered… and then, somehow, I became her friend. Then through Nic I met Brenna, and now when I think about this fic I not only love it for being a work of art, but also for being representative of the thing that brought me to two of the most important people in my life, and that to me will always make it my favorite fic I’ve ever read.

#fic clique #fic recs #multifandom #minisode #fics of the decade

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teaboot · 5 years

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hi i hope its okay to ask about your career? i'm on a crossroads in my life and one of the paths im interested in is fashion but im just so... torn? and i don't think many ppl take it seriously, like, as sth you do in life unles you profit really well... my family certainly doesn't see it as an option an im just very curious about your experience w/ studying and working in the industry

Honestly? I never in my life expected going to college for fashion. He'll, I spent half my childhood topless and barefoot in jean overalls, covered in dirt with a snake in each hand. My best friend from grades 4 through 7 was a sheep. I brought that sheep to a school dance. Seriously, fancy clothing was never for an instant a topic in my mind.

I always figured it was sort of shallow, you know? Fashion was for dumb rich people who paid too much for shoes you couldn't even hike in.

What I DID love, however, was Costume Design. All the cool outfits and armour and prosthetic bits in The Dark Crystal, and Star Wars, and Lord Of The Rings. And the practical effects! Ohhh I could go on. I loved it. I wanted to help create that magic.

And to be a Costume Designer, I had to go to school for Fashion Design.

And I will tell you right now: if someone is in a fashion design course? Good for you. It's hard work. But if you've GRADUATED your fashion design course?

Ho-lee-fuck. You have my immediate respect.

Getting a fashion design degree is a four year commitment, usually. Because I'm an idiot, I decided to finish it in two. And I did! But out of... I believe a starting class of 15-20? Only four of us graduated.

To highlight the worst of it? My family is poor. Pretty much all my classmates were either ludicrously wealthy or at least well-off. I had duct tape holding my sneakers together, and I worked on group projects with people wearing Louis Vuitton who had maids back home. They were nice enough, but the cultural disconnect was more jarring than I'd expected.

And the actual class work is hard. The people coming in with fantasies of becoming the next Kim K with little to no real physical labour or skill involved dropped out pretty quickly.

See, knowing how to draw was part of it, but the whole spectrum of classes involved Fashion History, Color Theory (Which is an ENTIRE course on just colors!), Life drawing, Digital illustration (for both factory instructions AND fashion images), Fashion illustration, Concept design and development, GERBER training (The only digitizing program for making patterns, apparently, which is garbage and makes me cry), Patternmaking, Trends (And how to predict/utilize them), Advertising, Basic web design, textile sciences (where we learned how to make fabric, design fabric, and analyze various materials and weaving/knitting techniques), and then the ACTUAL design and construction classes, where we finally got to learn how to use industrial machines and do a million sample pieces to cover sewing and ironing techniques before moving onto designing and sewing our own ideas.

If it sounds overwhelming, good. It IS overwhelming. I can't speak for others, but my mental and physical health both tanked. I worked 20 hour days and spent weeks at a time on campus without going home, mostly because I couldn't afford the train. If you have the opportunity to use the full four years, DO NOT RUSH LIKE I DID. It will CONSUME YOU. There were so many days where I woke up in a bathtub or under a table and thought, 'I made a mistake. I can't do this. I'm an idiot, I should quit, my life is hell.'

Really, I think the only reason I didn't because the only thing I am more than dumb is stubborn, and I have amazing friends and family who I could call and talk openly to, and I'd already flushed enough money down the campus toilet that quitting now with nothing to show for it would have been a move of eternal regret.

...BUT- and I must insist, BUT- I LEARNED SO MUCH. I had hardass teachers who made me cry, I learned about a system of corporate corruption and greed that starts with a seed and ends in farmers shooting themselves in the field and mothers losing children in villages across the world and the $3 dress you buy off the rack and the laws that make it possible. I learned that there are ways to Fuck that system, and I learned how to change that system. I learned where the problems are. I learned where the lies and misconceptions are. I learned about disability and ableism, fat shaming, diet culture, ageism, social hierarchy, revolution, historical trends that keep coming back and ideas so appealing that they didn't stop until people end up dead.

It's fascinating. It changes your worldview and the way you think. People need to know that fashion isn't just clothing- its everything from the way you hold your body to the food you eat, the color of your skin and hair, your wedding ring, your dog, your living room wall. It encompasses EVERYTHING, and I love that.

That being said, I graduated tired and hungry and went off to work a desk job just to breathe a little for about a year. Then I made fashion flats for factory production for a while, because the pay is good and I know how.

And I have so many opportunities open to me, now. I could work in a high-end boutique. I could be a patternmaker for wedding gowns, prom dresses, suits, costumes, bathing suits. I can and HAVE worked backstage in fashion shows. I can be a tailor, a costume designer, a stylist, a personal shopper, a curator- there are so many directions I can go from here, and for a while I even did small clothing adjustments for people to help ends meet.

It's a collection of skills I will always have that I can always use, no matter my social standing. I could lose my house, my family, my job, my mobility, but so long as I can communicate or hold a pencil I will have a valuable skill.

I'm in the process of applying for the IATSE film union, to be a costume designer. It's been four years since I started. I'm nervous, and excited, and anxious, but worst case scenario I can't get a foot in the door? I can make clothes for my children. I can tailor my own suits. I can do repairs for friends and neighbors. I can go to a store, look around, and say, "That's a bad deal. That's a bad investment. I can get good value out of this instead", and that's good, too.

At the end of the day, though, you know the most important thing I've learned?

My job is not my life. My job is what SUPPORTS my life. Having a job I love would be nice, but it's still only secondary.

Sorry, I ramble. Hope I could help!

#Suicide tw #fashion design

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ucflibrary · 5 years

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Every October UCF celebrates Diversity Week. This year’s dates are October 14 - 18, and the theme is Empowering Equity. University-wide departments and groups champion the breadth and culture within the UCF community, and work to increase acceptance and inclusion for everyone at UCF and the surrounding communities.

One of the fantastic things about UCF is the wide range of cultures and ethnicities of our students, staff, and faculty. We come from all over. We’re just as proud of where we are from as we are of where we are now and where we will be heading in future.

UCF Libraries will be offering a full slate of Diversity Week activities. To learn about the upcoming events visit: guides.ucf.edu/diversityweek

Join the UCF Libraries as we celebrate diverse voices and subjects with these suggestions. Click on the link below to see the full list, descriptions, and catalog links for the featured UCF Celebrates Diversity titles suggested by UCF Library employees. These 12 books plus many more are also on display on the 2nd (main) floor of the John C. Hitt Library next to the bank of two elevators.

And thank you to every Knight who works to help others feel accepted and included at UCF!

Girl, Stop Apologizing: A shame-free plan for embracing and achieving your goals by Rachel Hollis In Girl, Stop Apologizing, Rachel Hollis sounds a wake-up call. She knows that many women have been taught to define themselves in light of other people—whether as wife, mother, daughter, or employee—instead of learning how to own who they are and what they want. With a challenge to women everywhere to stop talking themselves out of their dreams, Hollis identifies the excuses to let go of, the behaviors to adopt, and the skills to acquire on the path to growth, confidence, and believing in yourself. Suggested by Sandy Avila, Research & Information Services

It Ain't So Awful, Falafel by Firoozeh Dumas Zomorod (Cindy) Yousefzadeh is the new kid on the block . . . for the fourth time. California’s Newport Beach is her family’s latest perch, and she’s determined to shuck her brainy loner persona and start afresh with a new Brady Bunch name—Cindy. It’s the late 1970s, and fitting in becomes more difficult as Iran makes U.S. headlines with protests, revolution, and finally the taking of American hostages. Even puka shell necklaces, pool parties, and flying fish can't distract Cindy from the anti-Iran sentiments that creep way too close to home. Suggested by Cindy Dancel, Research & Information Services

Lean in: women, work, and the will to lead by Sheryl Sandberg with Nell Scovell Lean In continues the conversation around women in the workplace, combining personal anecdotes, hard data, and compelling research to change the conversation from what women can’t do to what they can. Sandberg provides practical advice on negotiation techniques, mentorship, and building a satisfying career. Suggested by Katy Miller, Research, Education & Engagement

Out of Many Faiths: religious diversity and the American promise by Eboo Patel In this inspiring and thought-provoking book, Patel draws on his personal experience as a Muslim in America to examine broader questions about the importance of religious diversity in the cultural, political, and economic life of the nation. He explores how religious language has given the United States some of its most enduring symbols and inspired many of its most vital civic institutions―and demonstrates how the genius of the American experiment lies in its empowerment of people of all creeds, ethnicities, and convictions. Suggested by Richard Harrison, Research & Information Services

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi Persepolis paints an unforgettable portrait of daily life in Iran and of the bewildering contradictions between home life and public life. Marjane’s child’s-eye view of dethroned emperors, state-sanctioned whippings, and heroes of the revolution allows us to learn as she does the history of this fascinating country and of her own extraordinary family. Intensely personal, profoundly political, and wholly original, Persepolis is at once a story of growing up and a reminder of the human cost of war and political repression. Suggested by Cindy Dancel, Research & Information Services

Reclaiming the Black Past: the use and misuse of African American history in the twenty-first century by Pero Gaglo Dagbovie In this wide-reaching and timely book, Pero Gaglo Dagbovie argues that public knowledge and understanding of black history, including its historical icons, has been shaped by institutions and individuals outside academic ivory towers. Drawing on a range of compelling examples, Dagbovie explores how, in the twenty-first century, African American history is regarded, depicted, and juggled by diverse and contesting interpreters—from museum curators to filmmakers, entertainers, politicians, journalists, and bloggers. Suggested by Richard Harrison, Research & Information Services

Savage Feast: three generations, two continents, and a dinner table (a memoir with recipes) by Boris Fishman The acclaimed author of A Replacement Life shifts between heartbreak and humor in this gorgeously told, recipe-filled memoir. A family story, an immigrant story, a love story, and an epic meal, Savage Feast explores the challenges of navigating two cultures from an unusual angle. Suggested by Megan Haught, Teaching & Engagement/Research & Information Services

Text Me When You Get Home: the evolution and triumph of modern female friendship by Kayleen Schaefer From Broad City to Big Little Lies to what women say about their own best friends, the stories we're telling about female friendship have changed. What used to be written off as infighting between mean girls or disposable relationships that would be tossed as soon as a guy came along are no longer described like that. Now, we're lifting up our female friendships to the same level as our other important relationships, saying they matter just as much as the bonds we have with our romantic partners, children, parents, or siblings. Suggested by Megan Haught, Teaching & Engagement/Research & Information Services

The Best We Could Do: an illustrated memoir by Thi Bui This beautifully illustrated and emotional story is an evocative memoir about the search for a better future and a longing for the past. Exploring the anguish of immigration and the lasting effects that displacement has on a child and her family, Bui documents the story of her family’s daring escape after the fall of South Vietnam in the 1970s, and the difficulties they faced building new lives for themselves. Suggested by Richard Harrison, Research & Information Services

The Moment of Lift: how empowering women changes the world by Melinda Gates In this moving and compelling book, Melinda shares lessons she’s learned from the inspiring people she’s met during her work and travels around the world. As she writes in the introduction, “That is why I had to write this book―to share the stories of people who have given focus and urgency to my life. I want all of us to see ways we can lift women up where we live.” Melinda’s unforgettable narrative is backed by startling data as she presents the issues that most need our attention―from child marriage to lack of access to contraceptives to gender inequity in the workplace. And, for the first time, she writes about her personal life and the road to equality in her own marriage. Throughout, she shows how there has never been more opportunity to change the world―and ourselves. Suggested by Sandy Avila, Research & Information Services

Tinderbox: the untold story of the up stairs lounge fire and the rise of gay liberation by Robert W. Fieseler Buried for decades, the Up Stairs Lounge tragedy has only recently emerged as a catalyzing event of the gay liberation movement. In revelatory detail, Robert W. Fieseler chronicles the tragic event that claimed the lives of thirty-one men and one woman on June 24, 1973, at a New Orleans bar, the largest mass murder of gays until 2016. Relying on unprecedented access to survivors and archives, Fieseler creates an indelible portrait of a closeted, blue- collar gay world that flourished before an arsonist ignited an inferno that destroyed an entire community. The aftermath was no less traumatic―families ashamed to claim loved ones, the Catholic Church refusing proper burial rights, the city impervious to the survivors’ needs―revealing a world of toxic prejudice that thrived well past Stonewall. Suggested by Richard Harrison, Research & Information Services

Womanish: a grown black woman speaks on love and life by Kim McLarin Searing in its emotional honesty, Womanish is an essay collection that explores what it means to be a black woman in today’s turbulent times. Writing with candor, wit and vulnerability on topics including dating after divorce, depression, parenting older children, the Obama’s, and the often fraught relations between white and black women, McLarin unveils herself at the crossroads of being black, female and middle-aged, and, ultimately, American. Powerful and timely, Womanish draws upon a lifetime of experiences to paint a portrait of a black woman trying to come to terms with the world around her, and of a society trying to come to terms with black women. Suggested by Megan Haught, Teaching & Engagement/Research & Information Services

#featured bookshelf #ucflibrary #ucf celebrates diversity #booklr #suggested reading

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kprciffdw · 3 years

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Ratchet and Kim Possible Chronicles: The Solanian Revolution-Part 13

After a long flight, they managed to arrive at the moon system. As soon as they got out of the ship, Kim and Ron were immediately mesmerized by the atmosphere of the first moon. Ratchet took notice of this instantly. Ratchet: "Uh…are you… guys…OK?" Ron: "Whoa…just look at this place…What kind of freaky moon is this?" Kim: "I know, I can't even make out what this is."

Ratchet walked beside them and looked out at the atmosphere. Ratchet: "Oh! That's right, you have yet to see something like this. I keep forgetting about that." Kim: "Oh, no big. You're use to this; we're not. I have to admit, this is breathtaking." Ron: "Yeah, it is. But not literally, thank goodness…because…you know, being in space and all." Kim: "True. I hate to admit it, but Drakken is right; there are some things even I can't do." Ratchet: "Come on, let's get moving."

He walked off, Clank followed after him. Kim: "OK…we're coming…"

They went after Ratchet and Clank. Continuing on their way through the first of the Obani Moons, they took some time to look around. The entire place had some nice scenery with some plants all over the place, such as trees; something that amazed Kim and Ron. There were also some lava pits which they made strides to avoid.

They were soon able to reach another moon which had a metallic outer appearance. This also greatly astonished Kim and Ron. Ratchet, however, seemed annoyed by them being enthralled by their surroundings and snapped them out of it. Ratchet: "Yeah, I know you're both fascinated by all of this but we have to keep going; we're on a mission." Kim: "Uh…yeah…right…we'll be right there…"

They eventually hurried off. They ran through the second moon. There were robots everywhere but the group managed to handle them without a problem. It was a very long trek through the moon; they kept going until they reached a certain point of the moon.

Soon enough, they ran into Skidd, or rather, he ran into them. Skidd: "Cover me!"

He tripped and fell directly in front of them. Everyone but Ron seemed displeased to see him. Skidd: "Man down!" Ron: "Skidd!" Ratchet: "Skidd? What are you doing here?"

Skidd got himself back up and dusted himself off. Skidd: "Oh! Um…I was just…looking for some action. Thought I might help you guys out some more." Ratchet: "OK…so…what exactly…brings you to…the Obani Moon System?" Skidd: "No reason. Just scoutin, around, lookin' for a way to help you dudes and dudette out. And wouldn't you know it, I ran into you guys…here…of all places…" Ratchet: "Uh…yeah…great…" Skidd: "So…um…what now?" Ratchet: "Hm…"

Ratchet looked around. He looked up and noticed something. Ratchet: "Hey, guys! Look!"

Everyone else looked up and noticed a very large mechanical moon. Ron: "Whoa! Is that another moon?" Kim: "Seems like it…" Rufus: "Whoa…" Ratchet: "That's not all, that moon appears to be encased in an omega-class disintegration field." Ron: "Uh…yeah…I don't have any idea what any that means." Kim: "I'm guessing that it's some kind of force field and whatever is going on there, it can't be good." Ratchet: "My thoughts exactly, Kim. But how do we get up there? Hm…perhaps Wade can help us out with this. We could have him hack into that generator over there and shut the field down." Skidd: "Hey, no need to have that computer dude do anything like that. Just let me take care of this. I even brought this with me."

Skidd pulled out a crowbar. Kim: "Uh-huh…a crowbar…" Ratchet: "Yeah…that's clearly as helpful as Wade." Skidd: "Stand back, I'm like a trained professional."

He walked up to the generator. The group watched his lackluster attempt to tamper with it. Ratchet: "Well…this isn't exactly what I call impressive; not even second-rate." Kim: "At least he's putting forth more effort to help us out than Qwark." Ratchet: "(sigh) True…"

They continued to watch Skidd's efforts, which was still lackluster. Kim: "I'll have Wade hack the generator, anyway."

Kim pulled out her Kimmunicator. Just then, they heard a chime. Clank: "Incoming call from the Galactic Rangers."

The rangers were calling the group from a battle in another alien metropolis called Blackwater City, asking them to come and help them out. Ratchet: "Come on, guys, the rangers need our help." Skidd: "Yeah, I'll, uh, stay here and work on this generator thingie." Ratchet: "OK, you do that. Give us a call if anything comes up." Skidd: "Awesome! Catch ya later, guys."

The group walked off. Ratchet: "Hey, Kim, did you get Wade to work on that thing?" Kim: "He said he's already on it." Ratchet: "Great. I know Wade can handle it. Skidd, on the other hand, well…I really am not too sure about…" Kim: "You and me both."

They returned to the ship, got back in and flew off.

They arrived on the planet where Blackwater City is. From there, they flew through the skies above the city. Ratchet pressed a few buttons on the console. Immediately afterwards, the windshield of the ship opened up. Ron: "Oh, no, not again."

They were ejected from the ship, with Ron screaming. Ratchet grabbed on to Clank and attached him to his back.

They were free-falling towards the city and arrived in the middle of the battle taking place. Ranger: "Glad you and you team could make it, sarge. The noids have been hammering us like you wouldn't believe." Kim: "Well, we're here, so you don't need to worry anymore." Ratchet: "Come on, guys. Let's go take down some Tyhrranoids."

They rushed into the heat of battle.

There were Tyhrranoids everywhere, with more of them coming. During the battle, Kim received an upgrade of her Combat Gloves and Combat Kicks from Wade, increasing her fighting capabilities. The Tyhrranoids seem to be outnumbering the rangers, but Ratchet, Kim and everyone else really held their own. It was a fierce battle, but thanks to Ratchet and his group, the battle was tipped in their favor. Soon enough, the battle was over and the Tyhrranoids were defeated. The rangers praised the group and thanked them for their help. Just then, the Kimmunicator went off, Kim pulled it out. Kim: "Yeah, Wade?" Wade: "Kim, I've been doing a little digging aside from trying to hack that generator on that moon. I found out something interesting. Now, you guys mentioned something to me about a robot pop star named Courtney Gears, right?" Dr. P.: "Wait! Hold on for a sec."

At that moment, Dr. Possible appeared on the screen beside Wade. Dr. P.: "What's this I hear about some kind of robot pop star?" Ratchet: "Dr. Possible! Hey, what's up?" Kim: "Yeah, we know of Courtney Gears. She is apparently a huge sensation of the Solana Galaxy. However, she hates organic life forms as much as Dr. Nefarious. We watched a music video of her singing about her hatred of them." Ron: "A very hurtful music video at that." Kim: "And she wants to wipe them all out. You could say that she's in league with Nefarious." Dr. P.: "Those dang pop stars are just the worst kind of people! One minute, they're singing and entertaining people; the next, they're siding with evil masterminds and wiping out all life forms." Ratchet: "Uh…are pop stars from Earth generally like that?" Kim: "No, not really." Ron: "But close enough." Wade: "Anyway…like I mentioned before, I've been doing some digging and found out that there is a special event being held at Annihilation Nation in which one of the major prizes is a chance to meet the Solanian pop icon herself." Ratchet: "What? Really? That's great! Just the break we have been looking for." Wade: "I wouldn't be too sure about that. If Courtney really does hate all organic life forms like you said, then she would want nothing to do with you guys." Ratchet: "Don't sweat it, Wade. Meeting with her is a grand prize of Annihilation Nation, so she would have to interact with us regardless. Besides, it could be the only chance we have to ask her what she knows about Dr. Nefarious and his evil plans." Wade: "Well…alright. I wish you the best of luck but I don't think you'll be able to get much out of her." Kim: "I don't think so either but we'll give it our best shot."

Kim tucked away the Kimmunicator. Ratchet: "Come on, let's get back to Annihilation Nation pronto." Kim: "OK."

They went over to where the ship landed, got back in and flew off.

#Ratchet and Kim Possible Chronicles #Kim Possible #Ratchet and Clank #Up Your Arsenal #Ratchet #Clank #Ron Stoppable #Rufus #Skidd McMarx #Wade #Kimmunicator #Galactic Rangers #Dr. Possible #Solana Galaxy

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ifanfictiondreamerworld · 5 years

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Ratchet and Kim Possible Chronicles: The Solanian Revolution-Part 19

He walked off, Clank followed after him. Kim: "OK…we're coming…"

Soon enough, they ran into Skidd, or rather, he ran into them. Skidd: "Cover me!"

He tripped and fell directly in front of them. Everyone but Ron seemed displeased to see him. Skidd: "Man down!" Ron: "Skidd!" Ratchet: "Skidd? What are you doing here?"

Ratchet looked around. He looked up and noticed something. Ratchet: "Hey, guys! Look!"

Skidd pulled out a crowbar. Kim: "Uh-huh…a crowbar…" Ratchet: "Yeah…that's clearly as helpful as Wade." Skidd: "Stand back, I'm like a trained professional."

They continued to watch Skidd's efforts, which was still lackluster. Kim: "I'll have Wade hack the generator, anyway."

Kim pulled out her Kimmunicator. Just then, they heard a chime. Clank: "Incoming call from the Galactic Rangers."

They returned to the ship, got back in and flew off.

#Kim Possible #Ratchet and Clank #Ratchet and Kim Possible #The Solanian Revolution #ratchet and clank up your arsenal #Ratchet #Clank #Ron #Rufus #Skidd #Obani Moon System

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learningrendezvous · 5 years

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Women's Studies

ALL WE'VE GOT

By Alexis Clements

ALL WE'VE GOT is a personal exploration of LGBTQI women's communities, cultures, and social justice work through the lens of the physical spaces they create, from bars to bookstores to arts and political hubs.

Social groups rely on physical spaces to meet and build connections, step outside oppressive social structures, avoid policing and violence, share information, provide support, and organize politically. Yet, in the past decade, more than 100 bars, bookstores, art and community spaces where LGBTQI women gather have closed. In ALL WE'VE GOT, filmmaker Alexis Clements travels the country to explore the factors driving the loss of these spaces, understand why some are able to endure, and to search for community among the ones that remain. From a lesbian bar in Oklahoma; to the Esperanza Peace & Justice Center in San Antonio run by queer Latinas; to the WOW Cafe Theatre in New York; to the public gatherings organized by the Trans Ladies Picnics around the US and beyond; to the Lesbian Herstory Archives in Brooklyn, the film takes us into diverse LGBTQI spaces and shines a light on why having a place to gather matters. Ultimately, ALL WE'VE GOT is a celebration of the history and resilience of the LGBTQI community and the inclusive spaces they make, as well as a call to action to continue building stronger futures for all communities.

DVD (Color) / 2019 / 67 minutes

I AM THE REVOLUTION

By Benedetta Argentieri

I AM THE REVOLUTION is an empowering portrait of three determined women in the Middle East who are leading the fight for gender equality and freedom. Politician Selay Ghaffar is one of the most wanted people in the world by the Taliban and yet she still travels through Afghanistan to educate other women about their rights. Rojda Felat is a commander of the Syrian Democratic Army, leading 60,000 troops to defeat ISIS, including freeing their hold on Raqqa and rescuing its people. And Yanar Mohammed, named by the BBC as one of 100 most influential women in the world in 2018, pushes for parliamentary reform in Iraq while running shelters for abused women. Despite battling seemingly overwhelming obstacles, all three women display resilience, bravery and compassion. I AM THE REVOLUTION challenges the images of veiled, silent women in the Middle East and instead reveals the extraordinary strength of women rising up on the front lines to claim their voice and their rights.

DVD (English, Arabic, Kurdish, Pashtun, Color) / 2019 / 72 minutes

93QUEEN

By Paula Eiselt

93QUEEN follows Rachel "Ruchie" Freier, a no-nonsense Hasidic lawyer and mother of six who is determined to shake up the boys club in her Hasidic community by creating Ezras Nashim, the first all-female ambulance corps in NYC.

In the Hasidic enclave of Borough Park, Brooklyn, EMS corps have long been the province of men. Though the neighborhood is home to the largest volunteer ambulance corps in the world known as Hatzolah, that organization has steadfastly banned women from its ranks. Now Ruchie and an engaging cast of dogged Hasidic women are risking their reputations, and the futures of their children, by taking matters into their own hands to provide dignified emergency medical care to the Hasidic women and girls of Borough Park. In a society where most women don't drive-and a few minutes can mean the difference between life and death-how do female EMTs transport themselves to the scene of an emergency? And how does Ezras Nashim combat a behemoth like Hatzolah, which possesses political clout throughout New York City?

With unprecedented and exclusive access, 93QUEEN follows the formation and launch of Ezras Nashim through the organization's first year on the ground. We witness the highs and lows of creating an organization against incredible odds, as well as the women's struggles to "have it all" as wives and mothers. And in the midst of this already ground-breaking endeavor, Ruchie announces that she had decided to take her burgeoning feminism even further when she enters the race for civil court judge in Brooklyn's 5th Municipal Court District. Through it all, we see Ruchie and the other women grappling to balance their faith with their nascent feminism, even as they are confronted by the patriarchal attitudes that so dominate Hasidic society. As Ruchie observes, while making dinner at 3 a.m., "I sometimes wonder why God created me a woman. If I'd have been born a Hasidic man, I don't think I would have half the problems I have."

DVD (Color) / 2018 / 90 minutes

COUNCILWOMAN

By Margo Guernsey

COUNCILWOMAN is the inspiring story of Carmen Castillo, an immigrant Dominican housekeeper in a Providence hotel who wins a seat in City Council, taking her advocacy for low-income workers from the margins to city politics.

The film follows Castillo's first term as she balances her full-time day job as a housekeeper with her family life and the demands of public office. She faces skeptics who say she doesn't have the education to govern, the power of corporate interests who take a stand against her fight for a $15 hourly wage, and a tough re-election against two contenders. As Castillo battles personal setbacks and deep-rooted notions of who is qualified to run for political office, she fiercely defends her vision of a society in which all people can earn enough to support themselves and their families.

An eye-opening look at entrenched power in American democracy, COUNCILWOMAN is essential viewing for Latinx, Immigrant, Political Science and Labor Studies courses.

DVD (English, Spanish, Color) / 2018 / 57 minutes

HOME TRUTH

By April Hayes and Katia Maguire

Filmed over the course of nine years, HOME TRUTH chronicles one family's pursuit of justice, shedding light on how our society responds to domestic violence and how the trauma from domestic violence tragedies can linger throughout generations.

In 1999, Colorado mother Jessica Gonzales experienced every parent's worst nightmare when her three young daughters were killed after being abducted by their father in violation of a domestic violence restraining order. Devastated, Jessica sued her local police department for failing to adequately enforce her restraining order despite her repeated calls for help that night. Determined to make sure her daughters did not die in vain, Jessica pursued her case to the US Supreme Court and an international human rights tribunal, seeking to strengthen legal rights for domestic violence victims. When her legal journey finally achieved widespread national change and she became an acclaimed activist, Jessica struggled to put her life and relationships back together.

DVD (Color) / 2018 / 72 minutes

LOVESICK

By Ann S. Kim & Priya Giri Desai

In India, where marriage is a must but AIDS carries a stigma, what are HIV-positive people to do?

After discovering India's first case of HIV in 1986, Dr. Suniti Solomon left a prestigious academic post to found India's premier HIV/AIDS clinic. Twenty-five years later, India now produces its own anti-retroviral medications, enabling Dr. Solomon's to patients live longer - and face the pressure to marry. At the age if seventy-two, and in the twilight of her bold and unconventional career, Dr. Solomon has taken on a new role: marriage matchmaker. Like other Indian matchmakers, Dr. Solomon matches by religion, education, and income; but she also matches by white blood cell counts and viral loads. For her, this isn't just about romance - it is a way to stem the spread of HIV and fight stigma.

LOVESICK interweaves Dr. Solomon's personal and professional journeys with the lives of two patients: Karthik, a reticent bachelor, and Manu who, like many women in India, was infected by her first husband. As Karthik and Manu search for love, they learn how to survive under the shadow of HIV. Shot over eight years and told with humor and compassion, LOVESICK is a surprising and hopeful story about the universal desire for love.

DVD (English, Tamil, Hindi, Color) / 2018 / 74 minutes

MARCELINE. A WOMAN. A CENTURY

By Cordelia Dvorak

MARCELINE. A WOMAN. A CENTURY is a fascinating portrait of the persevering French filmmaker, writer, and Holocaust survivor Marceline Loridan-Ivens (1928-2018).

Marceline was only 15 when both she and her father, a Polish Jew from Lodz, were deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau. She survived but her father didn't, and Marceline had to find radical and unconventional ways to heal after the tragedies of the war. In 1961, she appeared in Jean Rouch and Edgar Morin's landmark film Chronicle of a Summer, which gave birth to the term cinema verite. Later she married the legendary Dutch documentary director Joris Ivens, traveled with him to Vietnam, and co-directed films such as 17th Parallel: Vietnam in War (1968) and How Yukong Moved the Mountains (1976).

Filmed as she was nearing 90 years old and living in Paris, MARCELINE. A WOMAN. A CENTURY spans the broad arc of her life from Holocaust survivor to political activist to combatively critical filmmaker. Looking back on the momentous events she experienced and filmed such as the Algerian and Vietnam Wars and the Chinese Cultural Revolution, MARCELINE is a thought-provoking chronicle of a remarkable witness of the 20th century.

DVD (French, Color, Closed Captioned) / 2018 / 58 minutes

PRIMAS

By Laura Bari

PRIMAS is an evocative and poetic portrait of two Argentine teenage cousins who come of age together as they overcome the heinous acts of violence that interrupted their childhoods.

When Rocio was 10 years old, she was dragged from her bike by a stranger, raped, set on fire and left for dead. Now a teenager, she still grapples with memories of the nightmarish assault that left her body scarred. Together with her cousin Aldana, who was sexually abused for years by her own father, she lives, laughs and shares her story. Traveling through Argentina and Montreal, the two cousins embark upon a program of theater, dance, and circus that helps them process complex emotions. Little by little, they manage to rebuild the lives that were so brutally stolen from them and free themselves from the shadows of their past.

A humanistic exploration of familial love, creativity, and courage in the wake of sexual violence, PRIMAS is a moving tribute to the deep strength of resilient women.

DVD (Color, Spanish) / 2018 / 95 minutes

REST I MAKE UP, THE

By Michelle Memran

The visionary Cuban-American dramatist and educator Maria Irene Fornes spent her career constructing astonishing worlds onstage and teaching countless students how to connect with their imaginations. When she gradually stops writing due to dementia, an unexpected friendship with filmmaker Michelle Memran reignites her spontaneous creative spirit and triggers a decade-long collaboration that picks up where the pen left off.

The duo travels from New York to Havana, Miami to Seattle, exploring the playwright's remembered past and their shared present. Theater luminaries such as Edward Albee, Ellen Stewart, Lanford Wilson, and others weigh in on Fornes's important contributions. What began as an accidental collaboration becomes a story of love, creativity, and connection that persists even in the face of forgetting.

DVD (Color) / 2018 / 79 minutes

THOUSAND GIRLS LIKE ME, A

By Sahra Mani

A THOUSAND GIRLS LIKE ME is an awe-inspiring verite documentary that tells the story of a young Afghan woman's fight for justice after experiencing years of physical and sexual abuse at the hands of her father.

Khatera Golzad was brutally raped by her father for thirteen years, resulting in numerous pregnancies, most of which ended in forced abortions. But two reached full term. Despite her many attempts to file charges, neither the Afghan police nor the legal system helped her. In 2014, she appeared on national television to publicly accuse her father, finally succeeding in bringing her case to court despite threats from male relatives and judges who labelled her a liar.

A THOUSAND GIRLS LIKE ME sheds light on the broken Afghan judicial system and the women it seldom protects. In a country where the systematic abuse of girls is rarely discussed, Afghan filmmaker Sahra Mani presents a story of one woman's battle against cultural, familial, and legal pressures as she embarks on a mission to set a positive example for her daughter and other girls like her.

DVD (Color) / 2018 / 52 minutes

YOURS IN SISTERHOOD

By Irene Lusztig

YOURS IN SISTERHOOD is a performative, participatory documentary inspired by the breadth and complexity of letters that were sent in the 1970s to the editor of Ms.- America's first mainstream feminist magazine. The film documents hundreds of strangers from around the U.S. who were invited to read aloud and respond to these letters written by women, men and children from diverse backgrounds. Collectively, the letters feel like an encyclopedia of both the 70s and the women's movement- an almost literal invocation of the second-wave feminist slogan "the personal is political." The intimate, provocative, and sometimes heartbreaking conversations that emerge from these performances invite viewers to think about the past, present, and future of feminism.

DVD (Color) / 2018 / 101 minutes

BREAST ARCHIVES, THE

Director: Meagan Murphy

Real women reveal their breasts and uncover personal truths in this gently provocative documentary exploring embodiment, womanhood, and the power of being seen.

The Breast Archives features nine women's personal stories of empowerment. Baring their breasts and their hearts, the women share the unique journeys they've made with their bodies, from their formative years of hiding, shame, and disconnection to adulthood and the discovery of what it means to be a powerful woman. As the women slowly reconnect with their body-based stories they find a reservoir of strength and wisdom that lies within their breasts.

DVD / 2017 / 57 minutes

FEMINISTA: A JOURNEY TO THE HEART OF FEMINISM IN EUROPE

By Myriam Fougere

FEMINISTA is a lively and inspiring feminist road movie that explores the largely unrecognized yet hugely vibrant pan European feminist movement. Filmmaker Myriam Fougere joined an international group of young feminists who were traveling across twenty countries - from Turkey to Portugal, by the way of the Balkans, to Italy, Spain and Portugal - to make connections and unite forces with other women. She witnessed these determined activists participating in political gatherings, supporting homegrown local feminist struggles, exchanging strategies, and inventing new ways to resist and fight for change. Revealing how feminism is transmitted from one generation to another, FEMINISTA provides a rare glimpse into a widespread feminist groundswell movement, possibly one of the largest and unrecognized mass political movements that is very much alive and well throughout Europe today.

DVD (Color) / 2017 / 60 minutes

TRACKING EDITH

Director: Peter Stephan Jungk

When she wasn't working as a Soviet agent, she was taking photos of workers and street children in Vienna and London, documenting poverty and social deprivation. Being a secret agent doesn't seem to have come naturally to the photographer Edith Tudor-Hart. But she did manage to recruit Kim Philby, and act as one of the architects of the Cambridge Five, the Soviet Union's most successful spy ring in Great Britain.

Edith was director Peter Stephan Jungk's great aunt, his mother's cousin; in Tracking Edith he tries to unravel the truth about his great aunt's life - a spy with a conscience and hidden family secrets.

DVD / 2017 / 92 minutes

SPEED SISTERS

Director: Amber Fares

The Speed Sisters are the first all-woman race car driving team in the Middle East. Grabbing headlines and turning heads at improvised tracks across the West Bank, these five women have sped their way into the heart of the gritty, male-dominated Palestinian street car-racing scene. Weaving together their lives on and off the track, Speed Sisters takes you on a surprising journey into the drive to go further and faster than anyone thought you could.

DVD (Arabic and English with English subtitles) / 2016 / 80 minutes

HARPER LEE: FROM MOCKINGBIRD TO WATCHMAN

Director: Mary McDonagh Murphy

To everyone's surprise, fifty-five years after the publication of "To Kill a Mockingbird" Harper Lee is publishing another novel. "Go Set a Watchman" was written before Lee's beloved masterpiece, as director Mary McDonagh Murphy explains in this update of her 2011 documentary Hey Boo: Harper Lee and "To Kill a Mockingbird". Murphy's Harper Lee: From Mockingbird to Watchman brings the story up-to-date as it sifts through the facts and speculation surrounding Lee and both her novels, and includes interviews with Lee's older sister, close friends, and literary admirers, from Oprah Winfrey to Wally Lamb.

DVD / 2015 / 82 minutes

ALTINA

Director: Peter Sanders

Altina is the provocative portrait of an American trendsetter whose free spirit defied convention. A woman ahead of her time, Altina Schinasi was born in 1907 in New York City; the daughter of a tobacco tycoon and decedent of Sephardic Jews, she upended the expectations that accompanied her position. Altina was a paradox: simultaneously seductive and reserved, her genteel upbringing was in sharp contrast to the bold sexuality of her art and her life.

In addition to creating whimsical works of art and sculpture, Altina invented the glamorous Harlequin 'cat's-eye' eyeglasses, worn by the likes of Lucille Ball and Peggy Guggenheim, and as well directed an Oscar-nominated documentary about Nazi brutality told through the drawings of German expressionist artist George Grosz. Altina's life was anchored in the social and political issues of the time: helping Jewish refugees escape the Holocaust; providing aid and shelter to friends who were targeted by Joseph McCarthy's Un-American Activities campaign; and being involved early on in the struggles of Martin Luther King Jr.

Directed by her grandson Peter Sanders, the film captures this unpredictable woman whose bold, uninhibited passion for life is an inspiration for all.

DVD / 2014 / 80 minutes

I AM FEMEN

Director: Alain Margot

They are known around the world as the topless female activists who fight corrupt and patriarchal political systems. Their weapon of choice is their bodies- which they place front and center in protests around the streets of Kiev, where the group began, and all across Europe.

Oksana Shachko is FEMEN's creative backbone. As a teenager, her fascination with religious painting led her to consider entering a convent, but in the end she used her many talents to create FEMEN and devoted herself to a life of activism.

With I am FEMEN, director Alain Margot paints a portrait of the bewitching and many-faceted Oksana, while also revealing the stories of the brave young women around her who put their bodies on the front line in the fight for justice and equality.

DVD (Russian and French with English Subtitles) / 2014 / 94 minutes

ANITA: SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER

Director: Freida Mock

An entire country watched transfixed as a poised, beautiful African-American woman in a blue dress sat before a Senate committee of 14 white men and with a clear, unwavering voice recounted the repeated acts of sexual harassment she had endured while working with U.S. Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas. That October day in 1991 Anita Hill, a bookish law professor from Oklahoma, was thrust onto the world stage and instantly became a celebrated, hated, venerated, and divisive figure. She has become an American icon, empowering millions of women and men around the world to stand up for equality and justice.

Against a backdrop of sex, politics, and race, ANITA reveals the intimate story of a woman who spoke truth to power. Directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Freida Mock, the film is both a celebration of Anita Hill's legacy and a rare glimpse into her private life with friends and family, many of whom were by her side that fateful day 22 years ago. Anita Hill courageously speaks openly and intimately for the first time about her experiences that led her to testify before the Senate and the obstacles she faced in simply telling the truth. Anita Hill's graphic testimony was a turning point for gender equality in the U.S. and ignited a political firestorm about sexual misconduct and power in the workplace that resonates still today.

DVD / 2013 / 77 minutes

HALF THE ROAD

Director: Kathryn Bertine

Half the Road is a documentary film that explores the world of women's professional cycling, focusing on both the love of the sport and the pressing issues of inequality that modern-day female riders face in a male dominated sport. With footage from some of the world's top UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) races to interviews with Olympians, World Champions, coaches, and managers, Half the Road offers a unique insight into the drive, dedication and passion it takes for a female cyclist to thrive.

The documentary highlights significant inequalities that separate men's and women's professional cycling including: shorter race's than men's events, lower prize money granted to female winners, a lack of union or standardized salary to support female pros, factors which limit the length and success of professional female cyclist's careers. These institutionalized pitfalls demonstrate the shortcomings of Title IX and similar legislation and explores how women can achieve equality, support, and equal pay with their male cycling counterparts.

DVD / 2013 / 106 minutes

MERCEDES SOSA: THE VOICE OF LATIN AMERICA

Director: Rodrigo H. Vila

In 1960s, prior to her fame and international acclaim, Mercedes Sosa defied expectations by drafting, together with four other young musicians, the "Manifesto del Nuevo Cancionero" ("The New Songbook Manifesto"). How did this manifesto make an impact on youth culture in Argentina and future generations of Latin Americans? How much did the "Nuevo Cancionero" influence the development of the "Nueva Trova Cubana," the folk-music revolution driven by its message of social and political change? How did Sosa's ideology affect the politics of both emerging and developed countries? Apart from the millions of records she sold, the thousands of international concerts, her countless fans and detractors, Mercedes Sosa left behind an indelible legacy, an ideal that has not become a reality yet but which keeps pushing forward. Mercedes Sosa, The Voice of Latin America is an intimate and informative journey into the world of a ground-breaking artist and activist.

DVD (English, Spanish, Portuguese and French with English Subtitles) / 2013 / 93 minutes

PINK RIBBONS, INC.

Director: Lea Pool

The ubiquitous pink ribbons of breast cancer philanthropy - and the hand-in-hand marketing of brands and products associated with that philanthropy - permeates our culture, providing assurance that we are engaged in a successful battle against this insidious disease. But the campaign obscures the reality and facts of breast cancer - more and more women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, and face the same treatment options they did 40 years ago. Yet women are also the most influential market group, buying 80 percent of consumer products and making most major household purchasing decisions. So then who really benefits from the pink ribbon campaigns - the cause or the company? And what if the very companies and products that profit from their association have actually contributed to the problem?

In showing the real story of breast cancer and the lives of those who fight it, Pink Ribbons, Inc. reveals the co-opting of what marketing experts have labeled a "dream cause."

DVD-R / 2012 / 98 minutes

GIRL MODEL

Directors: David Redmon & Ashley Sabin

Despite a lack of obvious similarities between Siberia and Tokyo, a thriving model industry connects these distant regions. Girl Model follows two protagonists involved in this industry: Ashley, a deeply ambivalent model scout who scours the Siberian countryside looking for fresh faces to send to the Japanese market, and one of her discoveries, Nadya, a 13-year-old plucked from her rustic home in Russia and dropped into the center of bustling Tokyo with promises of a profitable career. After Ashley's initial discovery of Nadya, they rarely meet again, but their stories are inextricably bound. As Nadya's optimism about rescuing her family from financial hardship grows, her dreams contrast against Ashley's more jaded outlook about the industry's corrosive influence.

DVD-R (English, Japanese and Russian with English Subtitles) / 2011 / 77 minutes

OUR CITY DREAMS

Director: Chiara Clemente

Chiara Clemente's affecting documentary strings together the self-told narrative of five women artists of all ages, each of whom has a passion for making art inseparable from her devotion to New York. Swoon, the youngest, exhibits cut-outs directly on city walls and subways, and exudes idealism and energy while carrying a two by four the way some women would a briefcase. Cairo-born Ghada Amer mixes media - embroidering with painting - to confront sexual taboos that cross cultural boundaries. After experiencing The New York Dolls in San Francisco, Kiki Smith realized she needed the energy of the city to create her paintings and sculptures. Marina Abramovic, originally of Belgrade, is a performance art pioneer who often uses her own body as a canvas. And Nancy Spero returned from Paris with artist-husband Leon Golub in 1964, to meld art and activism during the Vietnam War and become, in her own words, "a woman warrior."

DVD / 2008 / 87 minutes

http://www.learningemall.com/News/Women_1908.html

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cryptnus-blog · 6 years

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23 Fascinating Bitcoin And Blockchain Quotes Everyone Should Read

New Post has been published on https://cryptnus.com/2018/08/23-fascinating-bitcoin-and-blockchain-quotes-everyone-should-read/

23 Fascinating Bitcoin And Blockchain Quotes Everyone Should Read

Even though Bitcoin and blockchain are still in their infancy, they have both been the “talk of the town” as experts contemplate the potential ramifications—good and bad—for virtually every industry. As the leading cryptocurrency, Bitcoin is the first exposure many people have to blockchain technology. Many compare the transformative effect of blockchain to the disruption caused by the Internet, search engines and Google that changed the way we work, shop and communicate with one another. Everyone from world leaders to CEOs, and industry experts to investors are being asked their thoughts about Bitcoin and blockchain. Here are just a few of their opinions.

“It’s gold for nerds.” —Stephen Colbert, Comedian

“Bitcoin will do to banks what email did to the postal industry.” —Rick Falkvinge, Founder of the Swedish pirate party

“Bitcoin is a technological tour de force.” —Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, investor, and philanthropist

“Every informed person needs to know about Bitcoin because it might be one of the world’s most important developments.” —Leon Luow, Nobel Peace Prize nominee

“Bitcoin is the most important invention in the history of the world since the Internet.”—Roger Ver, Bitcoin angel investor, and evangelist

“Bitcoin, and the ideas behind it, will be a disrupter to the traditional notions of currency. In the end, currency will be better for it.”—Edmund Moy, 38th Director of the United States Mint

“Stay away from it. It’s a mirage, basically. In terms of cryptocurrencies, generally, I can say almost with certainty that they will come to a bad ending.”—Warren Buffet, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway

“Still thinking about #Bitcoin. No conclusion – not endorsing/rejecting. Know that folks also were skeptical when paper money displaced gold.” —Lloyd Blankfein, CEO of Goldman Sachs

“[Bitcoin] is a very exciting development, it might lead to a world currency. I think over the next decade it will grow to become one of the most important ways to pay for things and transfer assets.” —Kim Dotcom, CEO of MegaUpload

“It’s money 2.0, a huge huge huge deal.”—Chamath Palihapitiya, the previous head of AOL instant messenger

“[Virtual currencies] may hold long-term promise, particularly if the innovations promote a faster, more secure and more efficient payment system.”—Ben Bernanke, Chairman of the Federal Reserve

“There are 3 eras of currency: Commodity based, politically based, and now, math based.”—Chris Dixon, Co-founder of Hunch now owned by eBay, Co-founder of SiteAdvisor now owned by McAfee

“I am very intrigued by Bitcoin. It has all the signs. Paradigm shift, hackers love it, yet it’s derided as a toy. Just like microcomputers.” —Paul Graham, Creator of Yahoo Store

“I really like Bitcoin. I own Bitcoins. It’s a store of value, a distributed ledger. It’s also a good investment vehicle if you have an appetite for risk. But it won’t be a currency until volatility slows down.” —David Marcus, CEO of Paypal

“Bitcoin is a classic network effect, a positive feedback loop. The more people who use Bitcoin, the more valuable Bitcoin is for everyone who uses it, and the higher the incentive for the next user to start using the technology. Bitcoin shares this network effect property with the telephone system, the web, and popular Internet services like eBay and Facebook.” —Marc Andreessen, entrepreneur & investor

“Instant transactions, no waiting for checks to clear, no chargebacks (merchants will like this), no account freezes (look out Paypal), no international wire transfer fee, no fees of any kind, no minimum balance, no maximum balance, worldwide access, always open, no waiting for business hours to make transactions, no waiting for an account to be approved before transacting, open an account in a few seconds, as easy as email, no bank account needed, extremely poor people can use it, extremely wealthy people can use it, no printing press, no hyperinflation, no debt limit votes, no bank bailouts, completely voluntary. This sounds like the best payment system in the world!”—Trace Mayer J.D., a leading expert on Bitcoin and gold

“Bitcoin is a remarkable cryptographic achievement, and the ability to create something that is not duplicable in the digital world has enormous value” —Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google

“You can’t stop things like Bitcoin. It will be everywhere, and the world will have to readjust. World governments will have to readjust” —John McAfee, Founder of McAfee

“Virgin Galactic is a bold entrepreneurial technology. It’s driving a revolution. And bitcoin is doing just the same when it comes to inventing a new currency.” —Richard Branson, entrepreneur, business owner for Virgin empire

“Ten percent of my net worth is in this space.”—Mike Novogratz, hedge fund manager, Galaxy Digital Assets

“Blockchain is the tech. Bitcoin is merely the first mainstream manifestation of its potential.”—Marc Kenigsberg, founder of Bitcoin Chaser

“Whereas most technologies tend to automate workers on the periphery doing menial tasks, blockchains automate away the center. Instead of putting the taxi driver out of a job, blockchain puts Uber out of a job and lets the taxi drivers work with the customer directly.” —Vitalik Buterin, co-founder Ethereum and Bitcoin Magazine

“Maybe I’m just too old, but I’m going to let this mania go on without me.” —Jeffrey Gundlach, DoubleLine Capital CEO and Chief Investment Officer

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kprciffdw · 3 years

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Ratchet and Kim Possible Chronicles: The Solonian Revolution-Part 9

They began their exploration of the underwater base. Shortly after they begin their travels, they ran into Skidd. Kim: "Hey, you're one of those guys we saw back on the Phoenix." Ratchet: "Skidd, what are you doing here?" Skidd: "My code-name is "Shadow-Dude." Remember it well, dudes and dudette." Kim: "Uh…OK?" Ron: "So, what's happenin'?" Skidd: "Well, black-ops are my es-speciality. I figured you guys could use my help." Kim: "Thanks, but no thanks, we can handle things ourselves." Skidd: "Alright, I'll just take my Hacker and go back to the ship. Ron: "Whoa, hold on a sec., another cool alien device? How does it work?" Kim: "Ron." Ron: "What? He has a really cool looking piece of alien tech. I'd like to see how that thing is used." Ratchet: "Ron, you may have a point but I don't think…" Ron: "Roger that, Shadow-Dude, you can stay if you would show off that cool device, right, guys?"

Kim and Ratchet exchanged looks of discontent with each other. Skidd waited in anticipation for their answer. Ratchet: "(sigh) Alright, you can come with us." Skidd: "Awesome! This is gonna be sick!"

He rushed off as the rest of the group stood by for a bit. Ron: "You know, that guy is awesome!" Ratchet: "Ron, you can be infuriating from just trying to understand you sometimes." Kim: "Well, so far, he seems a lot more helpful than Qwark, that's for sure. At least he was able to come all the way here to help us out." Ratchet: "Yeah, but…(sigh) you…have a good point there, Kim."

They went off after him. As they continued on, they found that Skidd was, in fact, very helpful. The entire place was filled with gross-looking mucus-like creatures called Ameboids. The group saw those creatures in the latest vid-comic they received. Kim: "Ew, these things look even more gross than in that vid-comic." Ratchet: "Hm…it did mention that these things were manufactured by Dr. Nefarious. This would have to be his base." Clank: "Ron, you do not seem revolted or even frightened by these creatures in any way." Ratchet: "Don't tell me; it's because they aren't monkeys, right?" Ron: "Yep, that's exactly right." Ratchet: "(grunt) Ron! Seriously!?" Kim: "Good thing Qwark didn't pair up Ron with that one-eyed monkey; that's probably the only thing that he didn't do wrong." Ratchet: "Heh! You would be right about that, Kim."

They kept going until they reached the last chamber of the facility. Skidd was spooked very easily by the sound of an unknown voice. He ran towards a nearby warp pad and dove on to it, warping out of the room. The group recognized the mysterious voice as a shady person they encountered during their previous adventure. They made their way towards a submarine near them and drove it to another part of the underwater base.

As soon as they arrived, Clank spotted an air duct nearby. Clank: "There is the ventilation shaft." Kim: "So, this is where you need to part ways from us and get started on your part of this mission." Clank: "That is correct, Ms. Possible." Ratchet: "OK, while you do that, we'll work on getting through this place with the help of Wade's holographic Tyhrranoid."

Kim pulled out the Kimmunicator. Kim: "Wade?" Wade: "I'm on it, Kim."

With a few clicks of the keyboard, a holographic image of a Tyhrranoid appeared before them. Clank: "Best of luck, you guys."

Clank crawled through the ventilation shaft and got on working his part of the area. He managed to meet up with the monkey a little after arriving.

Elsewhere, Ratchet, Kim and Ron worked with Wade's Tyhrranoid hologram to navigate through their section of the facility. Clank did the same with his section; both sides were also able to work together at least once.

It took a while, but the group was able to reach the last chamber, which appeared to be Dr. Nefarious' office. Ratchet walked up to the office chair while holding out his wrench as it faced away from him. As he got close to it, it quickly turned around, revealing that Clank was sitting on it. Clank: "(giggle) What took you guys so long?" Kim: "Clank? What are you doing here?" Ratchet: "Weren't you supposed to meet us back at the ship like we had planned?" Clank: "I thought I would stay to lend a hand." Ron: "Did you manage to get rid of the monkey after getting here?" Clank: "Do not worry, Ron, the monkey has left the facility after I have finished working with it." Ron: "Oh, thank goodness." Kim: "Well, if you would like to help out, you could search through this entire office with us."

Ratchet looked to his side and noticed something. Ratchet: "Hey, what's this?"

He walked up to a shelf containing hundreds of CD cases of Clank's show. Ratchet: "Huh, guys, take a look at this."

He pulled one of the cases off the shelf. Ratchet: "It's the complete Secret Agent Clank holovid set."

Kim walked up to the shelf and looked at it. Kim: "Hm…it does look as though he has a lot of them." Ratchet: "Hey, Clank, this guy is your biggest fan." Clank: "That is rather disturbing." Ron: "Disturbing? The creep factor is at a major high level here." Rufus: "Whoa…creep factor!" Kim: "Did you manage to find anything on the computer, Clank?" Clank: "Yes, I have downloaded an encrypted star map. Perhaps we can have Al decode it." Ratchet: "Good idea." Kim: "Wade would also like to look into it." Ratchet: "Great! Let's get back to the Phoenix."

They make their way to a nearby sewage drop and jumped in.

After a very long fall, they wound up within the sewage system of the entire facility. After taking a dip through the nasty green sewer water, they soon ran into Lilo and Stitch again. Ratchet: "Lilo? Stitch? What are you guys doing here?" Lilo: "Oh, it's you guys. We're still on the lookout for that experiment we were searching for earlier. It eluded us on that jungle planet and we managed to track it here." Ron: "In here of all places?" Lilo: "Yeah…I was just as shocked and appalled as all of you." Stitch: "Iky! Blech!" Ratchet: "Heh, no surprise there. So, your elusive experiment ended up here, huh?" Kim: "By the way, you haven't told us what this experiment was. Can you tell us what it is?" Lilo: "Certainly. It's Experiment 597, it can generate high-quality gemstones effortlessly" Stitch: "Hm? Ita mitay!"

They looked over and noticed something within the tunnels. They rushed over immediately, they noticed right away that there were massive amounts of crystals which was nearly obstructing the tunnel. Ron: "Whoa, just look at these crystals!"

Rufus popped out of Ron's pocket and noticed this too. Rufus: "Whoa…" Clank: "I would believe this is your experiment's doing, is it not, Miss Lilo?" Lilo: "I would think so, too, Clank. No! This is undoubtedly the work of Experiment 597! Stitch?"

Stitch sniffed around for a bit. Stitch: "Ih! Cousin!" Ratchet: "It's still here, isn't it?" Lilo: "I would think so. Stitch, can you find it?"

Stitch sniffed around a bit more. Stitch: "This way!"

Stitch rushed off as the other followed after him.

They kept on going until Stitch stopped and growled out at something. The others stopped to notice what it was. Lilo: "Aha! We finally found you! You won't get away this time, Experiment 597!"

The experiment tried producing more crystal to elude them but Ratchet managed to smash through them with the use of his wrench. They kept on the chase and with some strategic teamwork, they were able to apprehend and contain it. Lilo: "Alright! We finally got you, Experiment 597!" Stitch: "Yeah! Chika! Kaboonboon!" Ratchet: "Great, you finally caught your experiment, but now we have another problem."

They looked outward and noticed the tunnels were nearly covered in crystals. Ratchet: "This entire place is nearly coated in crystals." Stitch: "Crabba no pugy." Lilo: "Guess we have a huge mess to clean up. Let's get to it, Stitch." Stitch: "(sigh) OK, they could be worth a lot." Lilo: "I was thinking the same thing." Kim: "You guys wouldn't mind if we help out, would you?" Lilo: "Not at all. The more the merrier." Ratchet: "OK, let's do it."

And with that, they got started on clearing out the entire sewer. It was a lot of work and very time consuming at that, but they were able to clear out the sewer of all the crystals. Lilo: "Phew, that sure took a lot of time and effort, but we did it. Mahalo again for helping us out." Ron: "No problem. We're always happy to help you guys out." Clank: "(giggle) Well put, Ron." Ratchet: "So, any ideas on whether or not these crystals are worth anything?" Lilo: "Not a clue. Stitch?"

Stitch grabbed one of the crystals, tossed it into his mouth and started chomping on it. He then made a shocked grimace then spat it out afterwards. Stitch: "Yuck! Naga value!" Lilo: "What? They're completely worthless!?" Kim: "Well, that's anticlimactic." Clank: "Not necessarily."

He grabbed another one of the crystals and observed it very closely. Clank: "Although less than insufficient in monetary value, the molecular structure of these crystals are unfamiliar to me. Quite fascinating, indeed."

The Kimmunicator went off again. Kim pulled it out. Wade: "I also find them to be very interesting. If you wouldn't mind, I would also like to have you guys send me all of those crystals so that I can examine them more closely."

Wade's vendor reappeared. Kim: "Sure, Wade, you can have them. They're useless to the rest of us."

The entire group placed all of the crystals into the vendor, they were all transported to him immediately. Kim: "There, that should be all of them. Let us know if you need anything else from us." Wade: "Same to you."

Kim put the Kimmunicator away. Ratchet: "Come on, let's get out of this place, I don't want to stay here another minute." Kim: "Me neither, I need a shower after falling into that disgusting sewer water." Lilo: "We better get going. Jumba and Pleakley are probably worried sick about us. It was great seeing you again." Ratchet: "Yeah, same here. See you later." Lilo: "OK, bye." Stitch: "Bye."

The group separated from Lilo and Stitch as they left the sewer and made their way back to their ship. They exited the underwater base and flew back to the Phoenix.

#Kim Possible #Ratchet and Kim Possible Chronicles #Ratchet and Clank #Up Your Arsenal #Ratchet #Clank #Ron Stoppable #Wade #Skidd McMarx #Solana Galaxy #Lilo #Stitch #Lilo and Stitch #Stitch's cousins #Kimmunicator

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