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nadiawritessomething · 2 months

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ЕАRTH 42 | PART 1

Its rules, politics, lore, and why you shouldn't underestimate this element of the plot.

Many of you have asked to read my thoughts/analysis on Earth 42, and here I am!

I want to make sure to mention that the author of this post does not support any racial stereotypes, hatred of certain characters, or false information, so if you happen to find any of the above, please let me know right away.

I will continue this branch of my thoughts if this has at least one loyal reader, really. I have a lot to say about each character from Earth 42, you could tell that this is my fandom profile. I am here only for these analyzes.

So, I'd like to start by saying that many fans see Earth 42 as just a "scary and uncomfortable place" where fires are always burning and gunshots are always heard. And this description is not fundamentally wrong, it has its reasons: this is how the authors showed this universe at the end of the movie. Earth 42 was supposed to give the viewer goosebumps and the feeling that "something is wrong here" — and they did a great job!

But our task, as fans, is to develop the ability to see what the authors have deliberately left beyond the surface perception. So to speak, to "dig deeper," because it is the unwillingness of many to analyze beyond the surface level is the thing that leads to hedcanons about the toxic, evil Miles G or abusive 42Aaron. Both of these characters seemed "alien" and reserved, and therefore received this label from the fans.

But what is Earth 42 in the simplest of explanations? The answer lies in its LORE, which we also forget about quite often. Earth 42 is controlled, in whole or in part, by the Sinister Six. The Sinister Six is a group of 6 "classic" Spider-Man villains, including Electro, Vulture, Sandman, Dr. Octavius, Kraven, and Mysterio.

It's hard to say how long the Six ruled New York (or the world). Each of the official sources gives different information on this point. For example, the official art book "Across the Spiderverse: the art of the movie" says that the Sinister Six Cartel "took over the world", Jameson on TV says that they are only "fighting" for the control over the "streets" (it is not known whether it is a specific neighborhood or the whole city) and does not say anything about the whole WORLD that they hold in their hands.

Nevertheless, we, as viewers, can see the influence of the Sinister Six on at least Brooklyn clearly: Electro, for example, has his own 2G coverage and cell phone company, Octavius has his own corporation, and Vulture has an entire company. We can only guess at the exact purpose and goal of these companies because of the way the logos look, but it's easy to guess that they are most likely just bought out "old" brands that the Six, like every group of highly skilled, respectable villains, simply named after themselves and seemingly significantly degraded the service itself (c'mon, 2G coverage is a mockery of people, Mr. Electro)

We have to remember that there are people living under this tight control of supervillains (who are certainly smart or scientists, but I don't think they have ever run for politics), that everything we saw on the screen was not just a set piece effect - real citizens live in this place, struggling to exist in unknown conditions.

The fact that New Yorkers don't feel comfortable is shown not only by the lights and sounds of police sirens, but also by the details in the background.

For example, more than 80% of the windows in the high-rise buildings of Earth 42 are dark and faded, as if no one lives there (in contrast, Earth 1610 has many bright windows in almost every building shown). The poster of the popular song "Always 21" on the background of the 42nd dimension turns into "Never 21", which seems to hint that 1) children in this city do not hope to live to adulthood 2) the Six does not care about the state or quality of life of the citizens under their control.

Even the Morales' house itself shows the state of the Earth: the furniture is older and more "shabby", and the large wardrobes are replaced by old, neat nightstands on 42. A light bulb flickers in the corridor, and the only noticeable, bright light source is in the kitchen (this lighting was also done to draw the viewer's attention to Aaron and Rio standing there, but I am a supporter of the idea that no solution leads to one result only).

(By the way, in contrast, Aaron's apartment is more "modern" - there is a bike, several computers with headphones, and wires scattered around the place. I think it's more likely that Aaron has more money than Miles or Rio in general - he clearly showed us that when he "gave" money to Ms. Morales. There's a chance that this is the property he accumulated while working for Kingpin. Or maybe he's just lucky, lol)

On Earth 42, the colors green, black, and purple predominate. Not only do they signify the colors of the Prowler as an symbol, but are also quite cold and "unwelcoming" in their own right, especially this dark shade of green mixed with almost black rain.

At some points, there is also blue on the screen (mostly in the scene with the Mural), but this is most likely just the way the Sony's show the color scheme of nighttime.

If you ask me about my theories about Earth 42, I think the Six will be here for at most 5 years, at least 2 years. I think so precisely because it takes time to control a city (let's leave out the "whole world" part for now, because it's rather vague and was mentioned only once, let's just take New York for now). Even if we take into account the fact that the Sinister Six clearly did not agree to any "civilian" agreements, and local business bonafide owners were most likely asked to be removed, time plays a big role in fully controlling the power grid or building their laboratories/enterprises, it cannot be done in a month or even two. Especially if we consider that neither the city nor the enterprises themselves were empty: they still had potential customers and employees (if they were willing to work, of course, as 42Rio does, which is about two shifts a day on average).

We were also made to understand that Jeff's death was somehow connected to the Six's rise to power, as his mural is labeled "hero," which makes it clear that he did not die peacefully or from illness, and in the criminal situation close to Brooklyn 1610, there was no reason to die "heroically" because Spider-Man always kept things peaceful and calm there. My theory suggests that Jeff was probably one of the few police officers who did not agree to go over to the Six, and therefore paid with his life.

Jeff's death (if we take the photo in the Morales house, where Jeff, unlike the identical one on 1610, is not present, and Miles G looks younger than the conventional 13 years) occurred before Aaron's (1610) death, but if we take the closest dates to it, two or three years, at least. And, if we take the moment of Jeff's death as the "beginning" of the Six rebellion, we get this period of time as the minimum point in the chronology.

Speaking for the residents of the local Brooklyn, we should definitely check the depression statistics, I think the world has never seen anything like it. On Earth 42, guns are canonically encouraged and legalized (billboards with the words "Got a gun?" on one of the early concept art), no one prevents fires and sirens, and the city looks like a complete chaos. And so those who did not find a way out in their past lives descend into crime, which is permitted here, and those who are less risky work from morning to night for a pittance.

Another interesting detail is that, despite all this, they are still quite... selective in their thoughts about their rescue. So, again, Jameson is on the TV literally begging for a vigilante to be sent to them, whom the Daily Bugle will support one hundred percent, while Miles G, the Prowler, the full-fledged vigilante of this city, walks by.

This indicates that the inhabitants of Earth 42 do not perceive the Prowler as a vigilante, and probably places him only one step above the conventional Mysterio or Octavius. Most likely, this is due to the fact that 42 lost their Spider-Man, and therefore desperately want him, a heroic, "proper" savior, and an antihero who can blow up a building or tie up a bunch of people when needed... is not so necessary. I'll come back to this part in the analysis of Miles G, but for now, let's just leave it as an analysis of the mentality of the local minds - they are desperate enough to ask for help directly, but not desperate enough not to ask for it on their own terms.

We can't really talk about details such as censorship, certain moments of life, or the infrastructure of Earth 42: we don't have a lot of information about it, so we can only make hedcanons.

In my hedcanons, the sides of the coins are called "Mysterio" and "the Lizard", and many new holidays have been introduced, such as "Octavius Glasses Day" or "National Electro SIM Card Day".

So far, we can only say that the Six has almost complete control over the city, its life is drowning in sadness and a continuous dark path, and people are trying to survive in all this, like drowning in water.

In conclusion, I can only say that Earth 42 has much more than just "fear and fire". It is, first of all, a world of suffering and hopelessness, showing all that Earth 1610 could have become (what Miles could have become) if it hadn't gotten Spider-Man. It's a place of horrors and habits, a place of agony and strange peace, a place of lovers and desperate people, a place of loss and oblivion.

...And an incredibly interesting universe for analysis and thoughts. So please think of it as such.

Tag list: @hobiebrownismygod @futureblackfilmaker @igorsnumber1fan @0luna123 @teaboot

#across the spiderverse #atsv #miles 42 #miles morales #prowler miles #miles g morales #earth 42 miles #spiderverse #aaron davis #jefferson morales #earth 42 #analysis #I hate this “10 imges per post” thing #LIKE I NEED MORE #MORE PROOFS PLS #LET ME SHOW MORE PROOFS #anyways hope you liked it!#will tag everyone in the comments

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yujo-nishimura · 5 months

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The Escape - Part 26

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 - Part 8 - Part 9 - Part 10 - Part 11 - Part 12 - Part 13 - Part 14 - Part 15 - Part 16 - Part 17 - Part 18 - Part 19 - Part 20 - Part 21 - Part 22 - Part 23 - Part 24 - Part 25

After he ended this speech and the crew members were determined to not only escape Baroque works, but also fight them in case they would try to pursue you all again, Buggy stepped towards you, asking you to come to his cabin. You hoped he couldn't see from your face what you had been thinking the whole time.

The tension between you and Buggy was almost unbearable as he sat on his chair and you just stood with your back against his door. The sense of disconnection between the two of you lingered, and it seemed that every attempt to mend the relationship and create a healthier dynamic only served to reinforce its toxicity and strangeness. Each time you strove to bridge the gap and find common ground, one or both of you succumbed to the overwhelming power of emotions. "How is your hand?" the captain asks, his voice pulling you back to the present moment. You shift your gaze towards your hand, which is still wrapped in bandages, a reminder of the injury you had inflicted on yourself amidst all the chaos. “It is fine. I have forgotten that I actually had an injury.” You answer honestly. He seems to be satisfied with this and nods.

“Thank you for coming out and rescuing me.”

“I could say the same, Captain.” “May I ask now, why are the marines and Baroque works after you? I know we had this conversation before and you are somehow hesitant.. but I feel if I have a crew member on board where I am not the only one who considered her valuable I might have the right to know why others think the same,..”

"I believe the reasons why the Marines and an assassination syndicate find me intriguing might be quite different from what you perceive as valuable," you say, a playful tone lacing your words. Sensing an opportunity to lighten the mood, you decide to employ a flirtatious joke, taking a slow and deliberate step closer to the captain.

Buggy's eyes widen, caught off guard by your sudden approach. He quickly rises to his feet, his expression shifting from surprise to seriousness.

“Y/n. Please, just try to be honest here with me. Is this something you can share or shall I never ask again and just accept that I have a potential danger on board…?”

You sit down on his bed, the comfortable pillow and sheets push back against you, you crave for a comfortable sleeping place like this since your hammock is not the best place to get rest in.

“Sit down again and I will tell you.”, you breathe out heavily, looking into his deep green eyes, you want to feel these eyes on your forever and you want him to trust you and know more about you than anyone else. You feel ready to let him into your life. More than ever before. Buggy listens, sitting down, his face full of anticipation.

“When I was still in Windmill village and Luffy was still small and innocent, I was 5 years older than him and already in trouble with the world government and the marines.”

Buggy just looks at you, he does not interrupt you now, giving you the time to share your story.

“In fact I was the leader of a rebellious army, nothing serious, just the things you do as a teenager when you are charismatic enough to gather some people around you and if you feel like you want to make a change.”

You cannot endure his gaze any longer and you rest your eyes on your own bandaged hand for a while.

“We were unhappy with the tax collector in Windmill village. I had started a peaceful protest and a campaign against him, although he was sent directly by the world government we thought he was taxing us too much, he came too frequently and the people who had less always had to pay more. It was just a way of terrorizing the oppressed and poor…”

You sigh again, it seemed like this had happened a long long time ago somewhere else, not in the world you lived in now.

“One of my fellow revolutionary members took the whole thing too seriously. I think he also wanted to impress me. His own family was especially affected by this, he was one of the poorest kids in the village and his frustration eventually turned into rage. One day he decided to kill the tax collector in our name and as I tried to stop him, I realized that his anger was beyond my control.”

You gaze at Buggy once more, your eyes filled with sincerity and earnestness.

"He waited for the collector at his house and killed him brutally with a knife. We later discovered that he was not only dispatched by the World Government, but he was also a high-ranking Marine general. Once I learned of this, the World Government began to pursue me as well, as I was the leader of the entire movement," you recount, your voice carrying the weight of the injustice that befell you.

Buggy, with his head slightly tilted, has been attentively listening to your narrative. Now he quickly interrupts you: "But was there no trial? Did they not realize that you were not responsible for these actions?"

You let out a slow, weary sigh. "No," you respond, your voice tinged with sadness. "This individual left a note in his house, claiming that I had inspired him to commit this heinous act. They couldn't find him. Some speculate that he fled on a ship the same day, while others believe he took his own life. Regardless, it does not matter to the World Government who will be punished. They simply require someone to blame, someone to execute."

The absence of a fair trial, the absence of an opportunity to prove your innocence, highlights the unforgiving nature of the World Government's pursuit. You and Buggy both understand the unyielding determination of those in power to find a scapegoat and impose their brand of justice.

Buggy gets up from his chair now, walking towards you and sitting down next to you on the bed. You can feel the warmth of his body, being so close to you you start to feel dizzy again.

“This is why I decided to become a pirate. If I am an outlaw and wanted anyway, then…”

Your voice breaks because Buggy has put his hand on your knees, a very innocent gesture. He did not want to interrupt you, but he also wanted to show his support.

Curiosity fills his eyes as he gently asks, "But if you're wanted, why have I never come across your wanted poster?"

You take a moment to steady yourself, feeling the closeness between you making it difficult to find the right words. With Buggy being so near, you muster the courage to respond, "Different name, different hairstyle." It's a brief explanation, but in this intimate space, it is enough to convey the lengths you've gone to conceal your true identity.

#one piece #buggytheclown #buggy the clown x reader #one piece buggy #buggy x reader #buggy x you #long fanfic #long reads #nanowrimo 2023

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spaceshipkat · 1 month

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oh fuck. what happened this time?

the usual things (i’m tired of the selfpub to tradpub pipeline, but i’ll spare the rehash of why) (also it’d be great if trends didn’t make or break an author’s chances of 1. selling a book in the first place and 2. doing well enough to earn back an advance so an author can start to receive royalties) and a new thing i learned of today (some of tradpub has apparently begun making some of its authors print their own physical ARCs, since they’re more expensive than eARCs and unfortunately ARCs don’t have a great return rate—aka not enough people leave reviews or spread the word about a book they’ve read an ARC of. yet another problem is that publishers can’t distribute the author-printed ARCs for the author because the publisher didn’t print them itself)

but also what’s going on with Bethany Baptiste. if y’all haven’t seen, i’ll try to sum up what i know of the present situation: she sold her debut years ago and was supposed to also publish years ago (i think around 2022?). her editors fucked it. (from what i’ve heard over the years, sourcebooks is notorious for fucking it. this is not a new phenomenon where they’re concerned, but it’s double fucked because Bethany is Black and as we all know publishing caters first and foremost to white people.) then she was supposed to debut earlier this month (March 2024) but “printing issues” forced sourcebooks to push her release date back to the end of this month. this week, she tweeted that sourcebooks has continued to fuck it, and today (3/21/24) sourcebooks tweeted that her new pub date is this May, again citing the aforementioned “printing issues” (whatever the fuck that actually means with regard to Bethany’s specific situation is anyone’s guess)

it’s just…very, very disappointing for countless reasons: that tradpub is willingly fucking over an incredibly important voice in publishing overall, but especially YA SFF; that publishing continues to undervalue Black voices; that time and time again anyone who is not cishet and white (and, more often than not, a man) will get the shaft; that tradpub continues to prove it is literally falling apart at the seams and no one is actually sure how to fix it. for instance, apparently S&S sent out an email to agents apologizing for editors who are “unresponsive,” except whoever made the decision to send that email thinks “unresponsive” means three weeks, which is just absurd given how overworked editors are. by this, i take it to mean S&S is gonna try to push editors to reply to submissions within three weeks, which is fucked. (i hope i am misreading what this means, but i am pretty sure i’m not.) not only will that harm editors who are already overworked and underpaid, it’ll likely have detrimental effects on authors since it’s unlikely an editor will be able to make a sound decision in that timeframe and get their entire editorial staff (anyone who participates in acquisitions meetings, when editors bring a book they want to buy before their publisher on the whole) on board. i have watched this industry change so goddamn much over the last decade, to the point i barely recognize it anymore. i remember when the Big Five was the Big Six. i remember when an author could hit a bestseller list through quality rather than the volume of noise surrounding their book. i remember when publishers still did marketing for their authors (and even then it wasn’t great, but the fact that was better than it is now? dear fucking god authors are so fucked). i remember when an author’s advance was based on the quality of their book, rather than the number of followers an author has—i remember when the latter was the goddamn exception to the norm. i remember when an author could be sent on tour by their publisher rather than paying out of pocket if they wanted to meet readers. i remember when an author could dream of making a living through their writing. now that’s fucking laughable. now you’ll be lucky to make north of a nice deal ($1 - $49,000) and you’ll barely see a sniff of publisher-led marketing on that money—on any money. (remember, that’s why tradpub is snapping up selfpub successes and popular fanfic with the serial numbers filed off. those won’t require as much marketing because the author has already personally done the heavy-lifting.)

now to be fair, tradpub is a little better in some ways: representation is a bit more common now, for instance, even if still woefully sparse—on every side, from authors to agents to editors to publicists etc etc; john green isn’t topping the bestseller lists for years and years (though CoHo and sjm are)—and bestseller lists are a bit more fluid, even if they don’t seem to carry as much weight and still largely ignore anyone who isn’t cishet and white (and likely a man) (go look at Kennedy Ryan’s insta post from the past week when she hit the NYT list); and it’s good that most of editing is done virtually rather than by hand, since we need to save trees (however much i would have loved getting a physical copy of my book in the mail sprinkled with editorial notes). but overall? tradpub is on fire and im so fucking tired.

#ask #anonymous #publishing industry #i don’t wanna talk too much about how sourcebooks fucked it because #some of what i know is through a friend w the publisher and bethany hasn’t shared everything #so some of my understanding is based on assumption #BUT it is true about the pub dates/‘printing issues’. you can look on her twitter for proof.#also i have it on good authority about her release date getting pushed back and back and back #i trust the person who told me—not only personally but for knowing what happened #wrt how sourcebooks fucked it

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summerfevers · 19 days

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if you’re up to it i would very much like to know your white collar neal timeline🎤🎤

this turned out to have many asides and be very long so the tl;dr is: peter have you considered that he's just a twenty-something teenage girl :( ?

timeline:

neal born 1984 ish. he's an aries and a millennial

neal, ellen, and neal's mom go into witsec 1987, neal age 3

2003 adler scandal i fucking guess. neal age 19

neal arrested probably mid 2005, 21

neal goes to jail for the first time, i want to say early 2006, age almost 22

pilot is set late summer 2009, age 25

same-sex marriage legalized in new york june 24th 2011, they talk about this in season 3 episode 14 which is soon after. neal's 27

more or less a year later–let's go with less–neal tells sam that he has spent the last decade running from the truth he learned at 18. taking him literally that it was 10 years ago he is now 28 it is the end of season 4 and 2012

the end of season 4 to the series finale is less than a year. he is 29 its 2013.

when we see him in paris he might be 30 but that doesn't count To Me

i present my evidence:

i don't know where we got "neal is 35" from i cant make it work. neal and co. went into witsec (which i have actually since learned is not available to people living in dc, they have their own version but it is not overseen by the federal marshalls, i don't think they can give you as many legal documents like a ssn, and they don't help you set up your new life as much? something about neal's life that would be interesting to explore.) when he was three and ellen says in season 4 that she's been in witsec for Nearly three decades. confirmed 33 or under in season 4

he also says to "sam" more than once that he's spent the last decade running from the truth he learned at 18–he very well could be rounding down here and mean like 12-13 years but i am Choosing to Believe he meant that literally. we are now at youngest 28, it is the last episode of season 4.

now due to the way the show is structured and the fact that it is never really winter. ok maybe winter 1 time because i can see in my mind neal in his little wool coat and earmuffs but largely it is summer and we never have a christmas episode. anyway due to All That our only real anchor in the timeline is that the episode where diana is Grappling with her engagement to Christie happens immediately following june 24th 2011, when same-sex marriage was legalized in new york. and also that later that season in the commutation hearing they say that neal has served 2 years of his sentence. so the pilot was set in 2009 when it aired we are at one year/season. but as the series goes on the episodes and even seasons have increasingly shorter gaps between them, and by season 6 we haven't even finished our four years. by the end of season 4 i want to say we are three years into his sentence and he's 28. between the end of season 4 and when neal dies in season 6 there has got to be less than a year that passes. actually deadass why was neal so obsessed with the pink panther case ending his sentence early we are like months out king. i get the injustice the system is broken they'd keep him forever but to people outside his circle he must have looked sooo silly for that. but whatever. he is 29 when he dies and 30 when we see him again in paris, his roaring 20s of crime and incarceration over.

Anyway where the "neal is 35 or at least claims to be much older than this timeline would say he is" probably came from in-universe is that the adler scandal takes place SEVEN years before s2 when peter confronts neal about it. 2003?????? guys the thing we have to understand, to embrace, about neal's personal timeline is that i do not think anyone in that writers room was really grasping how much they had neal do in so short a time. 2003 he is like 19 guys. maybe by the time peter says it was 7 years ago it was 2011 ? and the adler thing was 2004? but no that couldn't work because it's mid 2011 like a year later in s3. so basically neal walks out of st louis and has a magical girl transformation through which he immediately becomes a great conman and criminal. and he meets mozzie basically straight away. he should still be in like calculus and ap lit at this juncture. and then they go right into the adler con ??? and neal is obviously lying through his teeth to everyone saying he is at least 21 but probably more along the lines of 23. and while most of his aliases are eventually found out by peter if no one else, no one ever goes "wait IS HE a teenager?" no one is guessing this.

so we spend a couple months fucking around and fucking UP with adler, kate probably doesn't know how old we actually are, this relationship cannot actually last very long at all because we are truly on a time crunch right now. we have less than three years for neals entire criminal career before he goes to jail. i know i said on the bullet list he went to jail early 2006 he has got to have been arrested like summer 2005 at the latest to be tried and sentenced by then and i feel like even that might be tight because he was suspected of so many other things they wanted to get evidence for. but how is neal teaching kate to be a criminal less than a year into his own career. i think neal must have been a hardcore improv kid for this to work honestly. i bet he competed. so our golden days of mozzie neal and kate against the world lasts maybe a year at best before neal and kate fight and she leaves and he spends months trying to get her back and get her attention and commits a truly breathtaking amount of crimes in this time.

also i'm skipping through forging bonds right now trying to flesh out this timeline and it was incredibly shady of peter and co to see that kate is doing so much to stay hidden from her ex boyfriend and then to reveal her to neal in order to catch him. like that was fucked up they didn't know neal yet he hadn't been suspected of violent crimes but they didn't know why kate was working so hard to escape him. like it worked out ok (arguably, but that could be a different post) but they had no reason to trust neal not to hurt her like this. she could have been running from an abusive situation he's known to be a talented criminal with no fears about escalating his crimes he could have killed her. one thing about the fbi is that they never once care about kate's safety and it does indeed get her killed one day.

in conclusion neal is known as one of the best forgers in the world when he is arrested in 2005 at age 21 maybe 2 years into his criminal career. here i am 21 what have i accomplished

#hiiiiiii LOVE your wc fic explorations of neals childhood are everything To Me and really your characterization of danny brooks is exactly #the kind of child neal would have to be for him to have been essentially a child prodigy at white collar crime #truly hes gotta be canon #also one more thing why is james in that flashback like have a good day at school 🥰 or whatever. neal is 2 or 3 and his mom didnt seem #to work so he didnt have daycare. where tf is he going #anyway thank you for coming to my ted talk future talks will discuss my conflicting opinions on how neal and kates relationship is treated #in canon and how neal was obviously not an early 2000s emo kid but frankly? maybe he should have been. good night #white collar #poplars.txt #just put this throufh a word counter 1200??? sorry.#this post is nearly twice the word count of the assignment i was procrastinating while i wrote it 🧍

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piscesseer · 4 months

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Twelve Days of Yule for the Modern Witch

Inspired by this tumblr post. I have decided to plan a ritual (big and small) for each day with the intention of bringing in hope and prosperity for the coming year. Here, I am adding some history of what the days might have meant. Some of the days may correlate, some I am doing what is best for me.

You may use each day as you see fit! These are just suggestions and ideas to make the most of this magical season and to go into the New Year with intention.

Day 1, December 20: Mother’s Night & Ritual Cleansing

The first night of Yule was known as Mother’s Night. This day was set aside to honor the disir (female ancestral spirits) and Freya as Vanadis, the head of the disir. Many people choose to give their direct maternal line ancestors high honors on this night. We can honor and offer thanks to our female ancestors, those who are believed to watch over our families and help us in times of need.

A good way to start Yule is to cleanse your house. Out with the old, in with the new. Contemplate what you need to get rid of physically and spiritually. Begin setting up your Yule altar, decorating your house and/or tree.

Light your first candle (preferably white) with purification and truth. Place it on your altar and this first candle is lit with the intention of cleansing and protection.

Physically clean your home and spiritually purify your home with your preferred cleansing tools.

Seal and protect your doorways from wandering spirits.

Take a ritual shower or bath and cleanse yourself.

Day 2, December 21: Light the Yule Log

The second night of Yule is The Winter Solstice. With the darkness being at its longest this day, we face our fears from last year in an effort to not be controlled by them in the coming year. We are also honoring the darkness as it comes, using it to contemplate the things that we want to get rid of.

Light a second candle (silver) with the intention of endings.

Symbolically gather what you’re letting go of by writing it down on slips of paper.

Use the flame to burn old habits (safely).

We can also decorate with symbols of the sun, to celebrate the year to come, and encourage the return of light. Decorate the Yule Log with orange slices, and other symbols of Yule, light it and drink wine (or juice).

For those who like things that are spooky, here is an article on The Wild Hunt’s connection to Yule. The dead are said to be closer to the living during winter. With the lengthening of nights and the shortening of days, the spirits of friends, family, and ancestors had a greater opportunity to participate in life. The Wild Hunt and Yule were a ritual cycle that helped the living to move on from their attachments to the dead, and prepare for the new life that would come with the longer days and the spring, which couldn’t be too far away. As Odin's howling host came to collect the dead, one could find comfort in the fact that those whose time had come had now passed.

Many would stay indoors for fear of being swept up by The Wild Hunt. Many put out offerings for Odin and it doesn’t hurt to cast extra protection either. Use light to stay warm and safe inside. If you’re so inclined, put on a scary Christmas or winter themed movie like I will be.

Day 3, December 22: High Feast

The third night of Yule is known as the High Feast of Yule! In honor of Thor and Frey, gods of power and fertility it’s fitting to have a hearty feast. You can research traditional Viking feasts, but I think any warm, rich food would be great.

Consecrate two candles (red and gold) for these with symbols of hope, courage and love!

Day 4, December 23: The Sun’s Return

Rejoice! The Sun has returned. Each day, The Sun will grow brighter and brighter. We may not notice at first, but do not lose hope.

Contemplate the calmness in knowing that darkness is ebbing.

Contemplate the birth of “the Son” and the Sun, and the potentials that they bring for peace and better things.

Consecrate two candles (red and gold) for these with symbols of hope.

Day 5 & 6, December 24 & 25: Christmas

Celebrate Christmas as usual. In Pagan tradition these nights are sacred and time for community. This can mean covens, friends and family! We can respect the holidays that our loved ones choose to celebrate by partaking in these traditions too.

Do some inner work, from letting go towards what you want to bring to yourself.

Consecrate two candles (green and gold) for these days.

Raise a glass to hospitality and good health.

Day 7- 11 , December 26 - 30: New Goals

We have transitioned from letting go to a new beginning. Each day is brighter. Set a few new goals.

Consecrate the candles (green) for these days with symbols of new light and hardiness.

The winter will be cold and long, make short term goals, focus on the next three months.

Write down these goals and place them on the altar.

If you want to look at old traditions, here is a list of things to honor and contemplate on each day.

7 - In Pagan tradition, there was a feast of Thor to honor the god of war and to ask for protection. It’s a good time for long-term protection spells and wards.

8 - Honor spirits of snow and ice! If it’s a snow day, go outside and take in the beauty of the cold weather, even if it’s not your favorite. It’s a great day to start an ice candle.

9 - Traditionally honors Odin, the god of war and the dead. Contemplate your values and wisdom you’ve gained from your spiritual practices.

10 - Sacred to Sunna and the ancestors. Relax and honor the changing seasons and those who have guided you through them.

11 - Scared to the goddesses and Valkyries. Honor the cycles of life.

Day 12, December 31: New Years Eve

Put the New Year in motion! Celebrate New Years as usual.

Consecrate a white candle with symbols of prosperity.

It’s time to leap into action with our short-term goals. At midnight, as the year takes its first steps, we take our first steps with it by burning our goals in the 12th candle’s flames.

#celebrations #holidays #yule #winter solstice #midwinter

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hldailyupdate · 1 year

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Louis Tomlinson is revelling in the feeling of hitting No.1 as a solo artist for the first time.

As the Doncaster singer and his team told Music Week in our cover feature, Faith In The Future was a painstaking process, with Tomlinson poring over every detail. He was obsessed with the physical product and the connection he hoped it would have with his devoted fanbase.

Faith In The Future, the star's first album for BMG, debuted at No.1 on consumption of 35,239 units (14,944 CDs, 9,577 vinyl albums, 1,501 cassettes, 6,790 digital downloads and 2,427 sales-equivalent streams).

Tomlinson’s debut solo album, Walls, debuted and peaked at No.4 on first week sales of 14,729 in February 2020, and has since gone on to achieve consumption of 72,329 units. Faith In The Future, then, sold more than double its week one total.

“I like anything that's tied to a physical release because that's what I grew up with,” Tomlinson told Music Week. “It's nice to have something to hold and we put cool little inserts [into the records].”

Here, in a previously unseen extract from our interview, we look into the future with Tomlinson and talk, success, perception and his Away From Home festival What are your biggest dreams and ambitions that Faith In The Future is out in the world?

“To keep growing the festival would be great. The next target will be next year, maybe the year after. I'd love to do it over two days. And I'd love to play on the Sunday, because that will give me a really clear indication of whether it can live outside of the context of myself. Because in an ideal world, if I can keep growing this festival, one day, I won't play it and we could still put it on and that will be really cool.”

Are there any artists you look to in terms of careers you'd want to emulate?

“It's hard to think like that... I don't really compare myself to others. Look, the most important thing for me is that I can keep making the music I love and touring it to the extent I have been. So, in terms of what a dream might be, if I can still be touring in 10 years, I'll be buzzing.”

Faith In The Future sounds in parts like a record made by a band rather than a solo act. Have you ever thought about doing something like that, rather than under your own name?

“Definitely, yeah, and it's a good point. Around halfway through making Walls, I had a conversation with my manager at the time, because I [was thinking about] a number of things, the sessions I was going into and the natural perception and judgement around coming out of a band like One Direction... I had this plan in my mind that was, not quite like a Gorillaz kind of vibe, but something where I could hide who I am, and maybe people like the song first, and then be surprised that it's me. I definitely went through that process in my head. I mean, I might still do it one day, I do like the idea.”

Where did that idea come from?

“From the fact that I felt frustrated about the perception and the judgement I'm always going to be up against. I understand that I've lived long enough now, that's why I have to play the long game, but it’s about chipping away at this idea of me as a solo artist and someone coming out of a band.”

How do you feel about where you’re at in life now?

“Where I'm quite lucky in my life is that my job keeps me feeling forever like I'm 18, it just has that way about it. We're always moving about. But when I go and spend my personal time with my son in LA, it gives me... That's when I feel, you know, like a responsible 30-year-old. I put my Dad hat on and I'm almost taking on a slightly different version of myself, because that's what's required as a parent.”

-Music Week on Louis and Faith In The Future. (21 November 2022)

#louis tomlinson #louis update #music week #article #november 2022

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marengogo · 1 year

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hello heres are some naked series ideas if you don't mind ahem

jikook in japan ( when asked whats your fave memories of that day) sir jungkook said watching jimin playing on his phone until 5 am they were almost late for their flight lol

bon voyage commentary ( they asked jungkook the difference between bv1 and bv2) lmao he couldnt answer i wonder why😏

the fact that jungkook keep telling people namjoon is the reasom he joigned bighit dont sit right with me its like theyre a layer to it we'll never know... cos as a 14-15 yo he didnt even talk through it to his parent or sum.. and their first meeting tho i cringe...

minimoni idk why but i dont like that pairing...

in the soop jimin imitates the way jungkook "snores" and me thinks its the other kind cos who in their right mind snores like that are they fr💀

This is that famous ASK I have spoken about at the beginning of me answering ASKS.I received this ASK August 22, 2022 and it took me this long because of how I decided to tackle it. To begin with, there were a lot of topics I didn’t want to just breeze over (like the NamKook part). In addition, the tone of the whole ASK got me a bit itchy in all the wrong places, so I’ve been trying to keep my cringe at bay.

Hence … dear Anon, I do apologize for the delay in replying to this ASK, but here I am! And I’ll discuss the cringe-feeling I had with the tone at the very end, so hang in there with me that is if you are still around, cause gurl/boi/enby more than half a year is admittedly a long-ass time, I’ll give you that 😬😬.

So I’ve begun speaking about Minimoni and NamKook in the posts right here so please feel free to read those → MINIMONI & NAMKOOK. For the rest, let’s beginning with the first part of the ASK.

“JIKOOK IN JAPAN”

Anon is referring to a specific infamous? moment that happened during BTS’ AbemaTV Christmas Special interview on December 21, 2017, which you can find kindly translated here by BangtanSubs. As always I base whatever I discuss on all the Original Content (OC) provided so, I’d always advise watching this content before continuing reading if you haven’t already.

I think I have touched the subject of translating privately in my DM, but I can’t quite recall if I have on my blog. Some of you may know that I can speak Japanese, to a level where I mostly don’t need subtitles (unless there is a vocab I don’t know which I then have to look up). Now translating for a fandom like BTS is: TOUGH AF.

As you know we have solo stans, shippers, casual listeners, here only for the boys interaction, but not the music-stans, YOU NAME IT stans, so when someone provides you with a translation, for the most part they have to decide amongst 3 choice/courses of action:

Just translate the words and you can figure out implied meanings

I will translate in a way that the implied meaning is understood even if they didn’t say those words

Just translate the words, then take some time to make notes and explain what it could mean and also add already known facts with regards to the statement.

If you ask me, choice 3 would have to be the way to go; always. BUT LET’S BE REAL. It takes hella time to translate correctly. Imagine having to explain everything, every time, when the demand for instant translations is so high, particularly in a fandom like ours, especially when there are many moments which translators feel nobody should misunderstand.

Also, choice 1, prevents for the most part being attacked by people in the fandom, whereas choice 2 is the quickest way to getting things spectacularly wrong if you turn out to have mistakenly interpreted what you thought they meant. All of the aforementioned, are the reasons why Choice-1-Translators are the most common. But if I may add my 2 cents, do take the time to find some Choice-3-Translators when/if you can. Obviously, not for everything, but when/if in doubt, look for multiple sources until you are sure you’ve found various reputable, different-in-nature, sources who agree on the same meaning.

Good Choice-1-Translators are hella quick, 95% accurate and rely heavily on context. So what is the context of this Jikook-moment.

Following is the context as righteously translated by BangtanSub:

This is the actual Japanese part without the translate caption:

おもしろトーク is the construct which was translated as “funniest story”, which is not wrong, but like A LOT OF ANYTHING in Japanese it has nuance and other meanings. The word おもしろい (read omoshiroi) mainly means “interesting” and the second most common meaning is “funny”, as something funny is culturally considered also interesting it’s a bit complicated a concept to understand but stick with me for a sec. Anyways, the person with the most interesting/funniest answer would win the price.

As they start answering, J-Hope begins with promoting his solo songs off the bat, which has nothing to do with his questions, hence in a way, it was kinda funny/interesting for him to answer like that LOL. And then it is JK’s turn.

Now, this was 2 months after they had gone to Tokyo together and we know just how much they loved talking about this trip. They literally took every chance to mention it.

So when JK decided to talk about that trip, instead of an experience of them presently being in Japan, I’m sure nobody was shocked, however what I think happened then was that people gave too much importance to the “memorable” part instead of the “funny/interesting” part. I believe that JK told that story because the fact that they stayed up until 5am was truly memorable because it was truly funny/interesting to him.

What happened in those hours that they remained awake using JM’s phone? I don’t know. But using JM’s phone seems to be something that JK does more often than not now lowkey JK doesn’t seem like someone who really uses, or cares much about his own phone.

In fact, if anything, the rest of the members seem to be the ones who were almost worried as to what JK would say. Hobi decided to just give him the gift before even allowing him to finish, JM seemed to agree with that idea, everyone seemed to be just waiting to see what would happen, almost like when JK told the “rainy day” story during BTS Festa 2020. JK seems to really like having everyone wonder what he is about to say, almost to the point where they are borderline anxious; he really liked likes that.

SO TO ANSWER YOU/ANON: JK didn’t say he was watching JM until 5AM though he might have, who knows right?. They were on JM’s phone until 5AM, doing what? If they don’t tell us; we will never know, but also I really don’t think JK would have shared something personal between the two of them if JM wasn’t okay with it but that’s just me. So basically, I really don’t think this was a big moment for Jikook. Interesting/funny? Sure. Moving On!

“BON VOYAGE 2 (BV2)”

The live Anon is referring to is BTS’ reaction and commentary to their first episode of Bon Voyage Season 2.

These 2 lives both used to be on vlive. However, as we all should know, vlive and weverse have now merged, AND UNFORTUNATELY FOR US, these two particular lives seem to have been lost in the interweb as I couldn’t find them on weverse might try and look better later, BUT, you know me OC.OG. (Original Content OG), wasn’t going to pull up to this ASK reason why I ended up only answering to 1 ASK … without finding a way to make everyone participate in the same discourse, so I didn't stop until I found links to both cause;

It may take days IT TOOK ME FOREVER, but guys, the interweb never really forgets so keep trying, IT IS ALL OUT THERE after that, if you can't find anything, like anything in life, please do ask for help, but my people, at least give it a solid try first.

Aloha, Hawaii!:

Special Commentary Live:

dailymotion

BACK TO THE QUESTION! Just like the previously discussed “Jikook in Tokyo” Jikookers, who MOST LIKELY were not around when this happened, saw the following cut out clip and started thinking that perhaps JK was alluding to the things that he and JM went through BV2, and proceeded to make this a significant moment because of the way JM looked at JK when he was trying to explain the difference between Season 1 and Season 2.

Don’t get me wrong. I do think that the way JM looks at JK in this situation is actually endearing and unique to them, and I’ll explain why. If you watched the commentary video, quite clearly, JK HAD NO CLUE WHAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SEASON 1 AND SEASON 2 WAS, at least with regards to them as a band, which was what that live was about “BTS reacting to Bon Voyage Season 2”.

And the members knew that he didn’t, which is why they proceeded to start teasing him, saying that perhaps Namjoon should help him, but JK is a SORE LOSER; we all know that. He likes to win, no matter what, so he was going to say something, regardless of whether or not it was going to make sense or be impressive, and I think JM knew that and I think that THAT was the reason why JM was looking at JK in that way; he was waiting to see what this boi was going to come up with, and while doing that, his expression betrayed him for a couple of seconds, revealing that, even just that part of JK, was so cute, and like, “Why is he so cute even with stuff like this?!...” kinda way.

SO TO ANSWER YOU/ANON: JM wasn’t staring at JK in that way because he thought about the fact that, for example, they didn’t show them in their room, or that perhaps they might have been playing footsie, ETC, which CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG, you seem to be implying?

This may come as a shocker but I honestly don’t believe that Jikook is out there trying to out themselves. I think they are conscious of the situation they are in, be it a homophobic country, members' safety, or global repercussions. They know that, and they live with it the best they can. Believe it or not, they are very careful, until they are not; for a second or two in front of the camera, or longer off-camera AKA fuck up slightly. We still don’t know completely the type of humans they are, but whoever they are and whatever they choose to be for each other, once again; THEY ARE DOING THE BEST THEY CAN TO LOVE, LIVE & SURVIVE.

Moving on to the last part! FINALLY.

“IN THE SOOP - 1”

Anon is talking about this particular moment from IN THE SOOP 1 Episode 1:

If you want to watch the whole episode:

dailymotion

I’ll keep this VERY short …

SO TO ANSWER YOU/ANON: No. I don't think that JM was imitating JK moaning. Because this is what you were implying right? If you had watched the whole episode though, you’d see that JM also imitates RM, so what? JM is randomly going around describing how members moan in their private lives? Common’ Anon …

And I will conclude this LONG-ASS POST discussing why I felt cringe by your whole post: IT WAS THE WHOLE “IMPLYING”. There was a general sexual and dissing undertone to your ask, and I might be wrong about my vibe-check, so as always feel free to correct me, but I really … was like *shiver-down-my-spine* about it.

I am an adult. I don’t mind discussing adult topics. But like everything in life, there is a way and way to approach the topic. When it comes to people who, for the most part, are NOT DISPLAYING THEIR PRIVATE, AND SEXUAL, LIVES OVERTLY, you must know and understand there are boundaries right? Because even though they are not that open and out, the members are sensual beings in their craft and some also a little bit in their ways, and this part they don’t seem to mind displaying and THAT PART WITHIN PROPER REASON, ETIQUETTE AND BOUNDARIES I am very happy to discuss.

NAKED is not a series I started to begin an AV CONTENT channel, it is a series to strip down moments to their core. Just re-explaining in case it was lost in translation. The fact that I just so happen to be a very sensual and flirty being is all about me.

So let us not project. Okay?

Alright. Good. I’ll let y’all go, I'll continue answering ask later when I get back home from work!

Always respectfully yours 💜🫰🏾,

Marengo.

#ASKS #PART OF THAT ANON'S ASKS #Jikook #Let's be upfront

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louisupdates · 1 year

Text

MUSICWEEK

21 November 2022

Louis Tomlinson is revelling in the feeling of hitting No.1 as a solo artist for the first time.

Here, in a previously unseen extract from our interview, we look into the future with Tomlinson and talk, success, perception and his Away From Home Festival…

What are your biggest dreams and ambitions that Faith In The Future is out in the world?

Are there any artists you look to in terms of careers you'd want to emulate?

Faith In The Future sounds in parts like a record made by a band rather than a solo act. Have you ever thought about doing something like that, rather than under your own name?

Where did that idea come from?

How do you feel about where you’re at in life now?

Interview by Charlotte Gunn

#musicweek #louis press #louis tomlinson #21 november 2022

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terraliensvent · 2 months

Note

I’m really scared I’m going to out myself by posting this but to be honest I don’t even want to be in terras anymore so I don’t really care. It needs to be said. This isn’t even about the species itself or the mods.

I’m a 21+ y/o system, and I can tell you that I’ve had my fair share of discrimination from other ‘systems’ - most being underage - within this community specifically, multiple times, because most of my alters are ‘too normal’, blunt, whatever. I mean fuck, I had somebody tell me that I made their group feel unsafe because I’m a *persecutor* who is ‘too cynical’. That’s incredibly fucked up and it screwed us up for a short while. As if…persecutors don’t exist for that exact fucking reason.

I don’t agree with every point most blogs make about fake systems, but at this point it’s hard NOT to think that kids do this shit for fun because when they’re faced with an actual alter, they cower and cry ‘you’re making me UNCOMFORTABLE!!’ if they’re not a silly quirky person. I’m so sick of it and this behaviour has had us fakeclaiming ourselves for months because we felt fucking awful about existing.

I feel like I have the right to criticise people’s behaviour towards me because this IS discrimination, no matter how you wanna view it. And it’s normalised in Terras because mods don’t want to allow fakeclaiming (which is fair) but. Come on. Please do some self reflection if you are one of these people.

exactly anon, this is the kind of consequences i was talking about in relation to DID fakers

(adding a read more to this post because i got pretty introspective)

DID kids love to use their various talking points, one of which being that you should never ever even THINK that someone is faking, and even if they are, theres no negative effects to them presenting their warped perception of the disorder as truth.

many DID fakers will tell you that the only ramifications of their nonsense is that DID becomes more discussed and people become more aware of it, and then more people might realize they also have DID

what they dont realize is that a lot of their rhetoric pushes out medically diagnosed people who dont fit into their new definition, despite the fact that their definition is completely false

im gonna use the autism faker crowd as an example since its pretty much 1 to 1 and i have more personal connection to it. this is gonna be a bit of a side tangent but i promise i have a point

for context, i am an adult with a corporate job who suspects themself of being on the autism spectrum. as a slight tangent, personally, i prefer to use the term asperger’s to describe myself despite the history of the term because most of the people i interact with on a day to day basis are on the older side, and in general the social interpretation of asperger’s more closely aligns with my presentation than how many older people (however wrongly they may be) interpret autism.

now, i was in the process of seeking a diagnosis, but because of extraneous circumstances and loss in my family, its pretty much halted. however, i dont think im going to continue this process because for the most part, i have low support needs. granted, as a child i can see areas where i may have needed assistance and understanding, but now as an adult im pretty much aware of what things trigger me and i can implement self soothing strategies in my day to day settings. i can manage my life, and seeking a diagnosis now wouldnt really do a world of difference because i dont have a strong need for accommodations.

despite my low support needs, i still drift on the edges of autistic discussion groups (mostly on reddit), just to see other people who live life like me, who have to put a little extra effort into social situations, and who have to fight tears when touching an incredibly common texture in the same way that i do. and what i see in these groups is that autism fakers are making the lives of autistic adults harder than they actually have to be.

when you tell illness fakers that they are taking resources from people who need them, they will often say “what resources? there arent any systems in place to help people who struggle, so why do you care?” when they couldnt be further from the truth

i see post after post of autistic adults who NEED support, who go to irl support groups for assistance, and are turned away because there is no space. i see autistic adults who are ostracized among other autistic people for being weird or for interacting strangely, and when they explain themself, theyre pushed further because “well all these ‘autistic’ people can operate fine, why cant you?”

suffice to say, i think the crowd of people who fakes disorders and turns them into flashy trends are incredibly selfish, and terraliens in particular is full of that crowd.

(also for future posts ill try not to be so long winded, im not gonna delete any asks talking abt syscourse and stuff like this because i dont really believe in deleting asks, but i want to try and keep it more brief going forward)

#closed species vent #terralien #closed species #terraliens #vent #syscourse #mod rambles

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sysmedsaresexist · 1 year

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Maybe its bad on my part but im native, trans, bi, afab and disabled... Ill never get an actual diagnosis just because of one of those but all 5? No way and tbh... I dont think it'll do me any good other than give me another hurdle when it comes to getting gender affirming care or adopting or even getting treated like an adult. Me and my system are ok and i dont experience distress from my system enough to think i need psychological help.

Idk if i can handle some white ass cishet abled doctor walking up and saying i dont have it and gaslighting me.

I hope this dosent conceded cause thats not my intention but even though im anti-endo, i get their distrust in the medical system and why diagnosis is something many wont persue. 1 because many of them know the doctor will diagnosis them correctly(as having trauma or having something different) and 2 because american doctors are not a safe place like... Ever. If your not a cishet abled white man.

So, a lot to cover here.

I'm white, afab, trans, bi, with multiple partners. I was diagnosed at about 21, and I've been in and out of therapy ever since. I'm also Canadian. Getting diagnosed was the best thing to ever happen for me, and I have several friends with the same experience.

And several who had bad experiences.

My experience will not be everyone's.

I am not pushing for anyone to get diagnosed. Doing so is a personal choice, and a decision that should be made by you, and your therapist if you have one. There are many reasons someone might get diagnosed (access to resources and specific care, financial support, etc) and just as many reasons someone might not want to get diagnosed. You also don't need a diagnosis to get the help you need.

What I DO want to people to hear is: whatever decision you make, do it with the REAL facts.

If you're going to choose not to get diagnosed, don't do it based on bullshit you see or hear on the internet. I made a post several months ago about someone going around saying that a diagnosis will stop you from getting housing, a job, and being able to buy alcohol, of all things, as if you have to present your mental papers to the cashier.

None of those are true. Gender affirming care also can be still be given and received, with an added step of a psychiatric evaluation (which is mandatory in Canada anyways for everyone, regardless of mental health, so if you think about it, you're not really losing anything). You can still adopt and have a family. You can own a home and have a job.

If you take anything away from my blog, it should be this:

Know your rights, and know how to exercise them

There are assholes everywhere, I'm not denying that. There are people who will bend rules and laws and who will use personal information (like diagnoses) against you. I'm not blaming anyone who has had this happen to them, either, as if they should have preemptively known better. No, that's not it at all.

Being aware that it happens, though, know that you have rights-- you're protected by employment, privacy, and human rights laws (yes, even in America, I debunk more American myths than Canadian). You do not need to disclose for work, except for positions in the military, certain healthcare positions, and when working with vulnerable sectors, and even in those cases, not always, and it can't affect their decision to hire you. You don't need to disclose for housing. You don't need to tell anyone anything, and you shouldn't, unless you need reasonable accommodations, and once they have that information, it can't be used against you. Don't let them. Easier said than done, I know, I've let things slide myself that, looking back, I wish I hadn't. Sometimes it's just easier, even if it's not right.

Point is, when in doubt, question everything. Do your own research, find your own answers, look for sources, question facts you see that aren't cited.

When you make decisions for yourself, be certain you're making it for the right reasons, and with the right information.

#syscourse

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feedingtheflockministry · 1 year

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Need for Light

If I’m trying to read without adequate light, I automatically reach for the lamp.

That’s why I’ve always marveled at how Scripture reminds us that there will be no need for lamps or the light of the sun in Heaven. The Lord Himself will be our light. In fact, Revelation 21:23 describes the heavenly city of Jerusalem this way: “The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.”

No need for the sun or moon…such a strange concept for us. Yet, it’s also a beautiful reminder of Jesus, the True Light, who gives light to everyone (John 1:9).

Today, it seems like more and more people are groping about aimlessly in the dark, their backs turned to the only Source of light they’ll ever need. The enemy has deceived them by making the darkness into a false light of freedom. However, the temporary feelings of liberty offered by the darkness will eventually be met with the light of truth.

1 Corinthians 13:12 says, “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.”

There will be a day when our faltering eyes will see Jesus as He is. Face to face, we will gaze into the eyes of the Lamb—the True Light who illuminates our hearts and exposes all things. Until that day, we must remain in Him. Through the dark days ahead, as the culture sinks deeper into the false light of the adversary, we must keep our lamps burning until the Bridegroom comes.

Be encouraged today. No matter how dim your circumstances seem, you can walk in the light as He is in the light. As 1 John 1:7 says, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”

We have need of the light, need of the One who purifies us from all sin and keeps us until the day of His return. Don’t let the enemy deceive you into thinking your eyesight is fine without Jesus. All the things of this earth will grow dim in the light of His glory. Rest assured the True Light is coming—the only light you’ll need for all eternity. By Jennifer Wade

#scriptures #bible teaching

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thegayestminotaur · 5 months

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What’s your All or Nothing AU about? I’m pretty curious about it, IK it focuses on Dr. Venture (had hair LOL) and Dr. Orpheus. Srsly I am interested about it and its lore. 👀

I'm really gonna try hard to be brief here.

The basic gist is that after Season 2 Ep. 10 "I Know Why the Caged Bird Kills", Byron and Rusty start dating. Their relationship is rocky at first for various reason, like the fact that Rusty is kind of a terrible person and has a lot of internalized homophobia and Byron's unresolved trauma following his divorce along with his rather lawful personality clashing with Rusty's chaotic nature. They do fall in love, of course. I'm not in the business of writing a slowburn with this one. Dr. Henry Killinger showing up during Season 3 Ep. 2 "The Doctor Is Sin" is a major turning point for Rusty in the fic. Upon the revelation that Rusty is in love with Byron, Killinger switches from setting Rusty up as a supervillain to setting him up for superscience success. Ya know. Because Byron wouldn't like dating a villain. It's hard work, but by following Killinger's 'Action Plan', Rusty's able to go from literal joke to a superscience powerhouse. The fic is split into two parts. The first part is a pretty straightforward romance that goes over Rusty and Byron's relationship up to and a little ways after them getting married during the events of All This and Gargantua-2. The second part is more of an action-thriller that goes over Rusty's fight against... well... everybody. First it's just Guild, but after Rusty gets shot in the head during a protest in NYC, he declares war on the NYPD. Not like, actual gunfire and bullets war, but when you're a billionaire living in the USA, you can do a lot of shit that makes life difficult for people and Rusty is nothing if not petty. By sheer unbridled spite, he starts threatening to tip the balance of power that the OSI has carefully maintained so Hunter declares him too dangerous to live. Turns out, though, that it's incredibly hard to kill Rusty now since he has been training to not be hit and also is married to a dude who can bring people back from the dead. But while Hunter is concerned with Rusty taking over the world because he's too petty to stop and think, Rusty's concerned with something way beyond the scope of governments and Secret Governments. Aliens. Okay, okay, hang on, now - Aliens are canon to Venture Bros. In Season 2 Ep. 5 "20 Years To Midnight" we actually see two different aliens. One of them happens to be one I quote all the time with the wonderful line "IGNORE ME!" But like... if Jonas Sr was communicating with aliens to the point where 20 Years To Midnight happens and he maybe felt like the construction of Gargantua-1 was necessary (this is just me speculating) then why don't we see them again? (Probably because the series was cancelled i'm fiiineeee :'''3) but I think with both Rusty and Byron advancing their respective talents in leaps and bounds to the point where OSI considers them too dangerous to be left alone, then a threat from outside Earth makes perfect sense.

Plus, this way I can also write "Hyper-Competent 21, The Monarch, and Dr. Mrs. The Monarch Threesome" because The Monarch always steps up his game to match Rusty's EMA (Equally Matched Aggression Rating) and I love that also sooo But why does Rusty have hair? During the events of the fic, Rusty takes a look at the DNA sequences his dad left behind and realizes that his genome is fucked up. (This is canonically confirmed in Radiant is the Blood of the Baboon Heart, but is something that you can glean through other episodes/seasons.) In fic, he goes in and uses gene therapy to patch things up a bit which causes some minor physical changes.

Don't get me wrong, I also love canon Rusty. He's a pathetic lil meow meow, a totally wet lil bastard, and I love him. I have nothing wrong with his bald headed-ness, but this way you/I can see the progression of him in fic from Pathetic Bastard to Hyper-competent Alien Fighter depending on how much hair and which facial scars he has. Same thing with Byron and his scars and how pointy I draw his ears and teeth.

#venture bros #all or nothing au #ask tag #rusty venture #byron orpheus #rustyxbyron #anon asks #asks #asks open #good question #kind of a long answer #god there's so much more to this #already the fic is like 200k words and i'm not done with the first part yet #though this is the first draft and i kinda just write until i'm done and then trim down

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dawnfelagund · 9 months

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Independent Archive Survey

What concerns about independent archives do you have?

small archives can close without warning: 72% multiple small archives make it harder to find fanworks to read/view: 71% crossposting to multiple archives is time-consuming: 54% activity on small archives may be too low or drop off over time: 49% small sites can become cliquish or otherwise exclude some fans: 48% I'm unsure if software is being maintained and regular backups made: 44% small sites may not have the features I want or have come to depend on: 43% smaller sites may be difficult or unfamiliar to use: 39% I may have a smaller audience for my fanworks, fewer comments, etc.: 35% I may not be able to archive all of my fanworks in one place: 32% small archives put too much power/control in the hands of one or a few people: 22% my fandom friends may not be interested in the same archives I am: 21% I don't have any concerns about small archives: 1% I don't know: 2% Responses in the "other" field:

many of the concerns about the otw apply to smaller archives as well

site design - i haven't seen a single-fandom archive whose design i like as much or find as easy to use (as a reader and author) as ao3. given the choice between reading the same fic on swg and ao3, i'll chose ao3 because it's easier on my eyes

subcat of "too much power" -- smaller archives may go down if the maintainer can no longer fulfill their duties

Fics being used in AI without author consent, changing/unclear guidelines, fanworks being removed without warning (ie. FFN, LJ, at the will of moderators bc they don’t like xyz)

Responses: 82

Analysis

What leaped out at me in these results was the most-chosen concern: that small archives may close without warning. I have come to think of the unannounced archive transfers/closures of archives in the Tolkien fanworks fandom as its "collective trauma" and felt myself rather dramatic for using those particular terms, but this suggests I'm not that far off-base. The whole concept of independent community archives, in my mind, is predicated upon an assumption of caring that exceeds what a large organization (like the OTW) or for-profit site (like FFN or Wattpad) can reasonably be expected to muster. The closure of a small site, without warning and the chance for people to save fanworks, undermines that basic assumption. Future archive owners, take note: What can you do to alleviate this worry that your archive will rip the rug out from under its users? This is definitely an issue I believe we need to address collectively moving forward. What do best practices in this area look like?

Difficulty finding fanworks to read/view is hot on the heels of archive closures, however, as far as concerns. With these data in hand, I'd love to know more about the specifics of this concern. Is this around search features (which were mentioned in another free-response field elsewhere in the survey) not working as well as they should? Is it about having to visit multiple sites, especially when those sites may not have new content every day? What can a small site offer that makes it easier for users to access new fanworks without having to visit daily? (Social media? Newsletters? What else?)

The middle of the pack in the data are mostly concerns around convenience and traffic, the latter of which translates into not just comments but feeling like a site is part of a living community. It's hard to argue with convenience; smaller sites are less convenient than a large site that includes everything or almost everything. Furthermore, the ubiquity of large sites—specifically AO3—makes "different" feel like "inconvenient" when it's actually not. The fact that a small archive doesn't behave exactly like AO3 is not an inconvenience anymore than it is an inconvenience when the produce section is the right in Grocery A and the left in Grocery B, but people will treat it as such because they have become so ingrained to doing and seeing and experiencing things only one way. (This is probably true of the internet and websites more broadly.) As site owners, we have to remain cognizant of how we can offer what AO3 et al cannot—which I would argue is community and consideration for individual users and fandom cultures—and how we can support new creators and visitors as they use something not-AO3.

Finally, the two lowest concerns surprised me. I thought that, in light of what has happened with the OTW this year, "too much power/control in the hands of one or a few people" would rank much higher. Perhaps it is knowing that those in leadership roles are people you know, versus people who feel at best unreachable and at worst are entirely anonymous, that makes the difference, the fandom version of the small-town ideal of being able to trust someone on the basis of a handshake (and the fact that you will have to look each other in the eye during routine community encounters). Perhaps it is an assumption of transparency that comes with that knowing. I'm sure I was not the only person surprised by the breadth and depth of dysfunction at the OTW, but I always had a sense back in the day about which small-site archivists were struggling to keep up with their sites, or which communities were dramamongers, or which moderators played favorites or otherwise acted in ways that were unfair.

The last concern, about using archives that one's friends do not, is an interesting shift because I recall this as a primary reason for some fandoms, including Tolkien, not adopting new platforms in the past (e.g., Dreamwidth and Tumblr), because one's friends weren't there. I wonder the extent to which this lack of concern reflects the lack of community on large sites. Convenience and universality have superseded community and connection as considerations—but that's part of the point, isn't it?

What is the independent archive survey?

The independent archive survey ran from 23 June through 7 July 2023. Eighty-two respondents took the survey during that time. The survey asked about interest in independent archives and included a section for participants interested in building or volunteering for an independent archive. The survey was open to all creators and readers/viewers of fanworks.

What is an independent archive?

The survey defined an independent archive as "a website where creators can share their fanworks. What makes it 'independent' is that it is run by fans but unaffiliated with any for-profit or nonprofit corporations or organizations. Historically, independent archives have grown out of fan communities that create fanworks."

Follow the tag #independent archives for more survey results and ongoing work to restore independent archives to fandoms that want them.

Independent Archives Survey Masterpost

#independent archives #fan studies #fanfiction archives #fandom data #independent archive survey #one more data set to go!

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girlbob-boypants · 10 months

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1-21-25 for uh Guild Wars? or whatever you want

You know what yeah let's be violent about my beloved game. Oh okay this was a lot more than I expected uh lets put that under the cut

1. The character everyone gets wrong

You think I'd say my precious baby boy BUT its Caithe. She's an incredibly interesting character who is denied the actual on screen depth and arcs she needs. It's an interesting case where the people who hate her are missing the points and the people who stan her talk like she's actually given an arc instead of simply plopped into the story with a "she's better now." The key example being the fact that she doesn't show up in s4 until THE END OF EPISODE FOUR??? That's hardly her fault cause for whatever reason THATS when she's allowed to actually give a fuck about the daughter she loves so much that the moment that daughter cared about the fact that WE WERE BEING MURDERED she ignored Aurene for fuck knows how long?? And then admitting that is enough for them to ignore the psychic connection Aurene canonically has with the Commander so they can just. Set Caithe to post therapy with no real story. The people who hate her act like she's personally the cause of every single problem in the game and that setting her on fire and replacing her with a man will fix everything. Meanwhile the people who stan her claim her story was sooooo good and 100% justified and didn't fuck with things or have problems. She's a brilliant concept that post HoT is executed in a parking lot. And while her parts in EoD are perfectly fine and logical it's just...ugh. She's barely there and exists purely to limit Aurene's screentime with the Commander. Which sucks cause I love both of them.

21. Part of canon you think is overhyped

All of EoD. I am going to pick at a certain part, actually. Rama as a character and especially the entire story with the cop father he has was TRASH. Not as in it's a bad idea but in that it's so terribly done. The lack of build up, the fact that it's the ONLY RATIONAL PERSON WITH A PROBLEM WITH JOON'S MONOPOLY OF TECH who turns out to be King Fascist, the way they just don't explore Li's whole being Kurzick like Rama (or at least I think that's what was being implied? It was literally just Rama saying his Secret Name in front of us and then not addressing it). It all goes nowhere and means very little beyond the strike mission. Like no we aren't going to explore this corruption of the cops, we aren't going to discuss why the society of Cantha would cultivate a minority joining a supremacist group, and we're ESPECIALLY not going to explore Rama's feelings about it for longer than a minute or two. Didn't you know his entire story is that he has a crush on a cop? Don't ask for depth, don't ask why the only people who have an issue with forest polluting tech monopolies are fascists and ecofascists, and don't ask us to give Rama lines that aren't mcu zingers. Take what you get and go make really fucking questionable jokes mocking his hat without expecting more of the expac that brutally murdered Icebrood Saga and gave us CHAMPIONS.

Not too fond, really.

Also the beast races but that's not really controversial to say it's just true. But I hate the Kodan, Grawl, and Centaurs especially. Whoever wrote their parts in s2 and s3 should be hit with a bat and robbed.

25. Common fandom complaint that you're sick of hearing

This one I'm actually having trouble with rn. The obvious answer is character hate and, no, I don't mean character criticism. I mean things like 'i hate Trahearne cause he sucks his voice is annoying and he's overhyped' and the many, many death wishes. This feels like a cop out but I barely scroll the tag anymore cause the game is in a weird space in my heart so I only really engage with it as I see fit for myself. Which is mostly nostalgia tinted thoughts about past seasons and expacs but hey. Better than being a rage filled ball of spite and bad faith readings like I've been in the past with things I've fallen out of love with.

I'd also say I got tired of the weird relationship gw2 has with strikes and raids both from newbies AND vets alike? This game kinda sucks at making the endgame accessible for everyone and I'm vividly aware of that but vets complain that it's stale while gatekeeping to the point of intimidation and newbies all sit and stare at the training LFG without doing anything like these groups are a match made in hell and if anet just learned how to make something like the ff14 duty finder it'd probably be a lot easier but that would require work and admitting that having some kind of role system would make class and party designs easier.

#girlbob.txt #anonymous #gw2 #hi i like this game i promise #it's really cool and fun and also [eldritch screaming]

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mo0nl0v3r · 1 year

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th!nspo challenge ;

NOTE : I'm only gonna update this on this tab cause I don't want my other posts to get lost in this series thing... also my stats are already uploaded so imma start on day 2 :) NOT PRO

DAY 2 : i'm 5'2.... i do like my height sometimes i wish i was taller so i could present as thinner but its not one of my biggest problems

DAY 3 : I have a Pinterest board that I love its called tattoo inspo (I made it with a bunch of ballet & hour-class grunge girls in it. I named it tattoo inspo so it doesn't present weird cause it sounds like thinspo plus I can put skinny people with dope tattoos in

DAY 4: my greatest fear is that I'm gonna look sick or lose hair that's terrifying to me

DAY 5: I'm doing it for myself but the praise doesn't hurt :) also the way i could wear anything and look good sounds amazing

DAY 6 : sometimes nothing crazy but occasionally do slip up and eat a couple unhealthy things

DAY 7 : my parents do know that i try to eat healthy and that i "occasionally" count calories and try to lose weight . They think its a good thing

DAY 8 : i dont have one yet i just try to do as many crunches and sit-ups i can and i try to walk at least 1 mile a day

DAY 9 : I don't know honestly , sometimes i think they do but they've never said it to my face .

DAY 10 : freedom tbh

DAY 11 : @green-tea-111 i love there thinspo

DAY 12 : i usualy eat whatever i want but at a restriction

DAY 13 : I'm losing weight in both a healthy way and a unhealthy way because its not the point where its bad for my body but it can take a tole on my mental health sometimes

DAY 14 : My UGW is 102lb i really wanna get down there cause that would not only mean I would be like skinny but it would get my BMI down to 18.5 and thats the minimum healthy BMI. so def ideal

DAY 15: i am not vegan or vegetarian... i did try it a couple years ago and i actually gained weight cause i would only eat carbs so def didn't work for me

DAY 16: well literally for as long as i can remember probably around age 10 or 11 but most recent decision to lose weight was back in September of this year

DAY 17: I do have disorded eating

day 18: pasta , gordita tortillas , chocolate , chips , candy , ice cream , ritz crackers

DAY 19: tbh yesterday i had a happy meal

DAY 20: calorie counting or portioned eating cause diets are really hard for me

DAY 21 :

pants : medium or size 10

shirts : medium (but i prefer baggier stuff)

DAY 22: 7 pounds at birth ;) no but actually 100 pounds it was in 2019 i was in dance and i would dance 3-5hours a day and i did have distordered eating at the time and i gained due to my depression and binging

DAY 23 : a little... it didnt start it but it definitely helped

DAY 24: im not pro ana and i am definitely not pro mia, bulimia tears you apart so quickly its just sad especially when you do research on how it effects your body and how it only deteriorates you instead of making you thinner

DAY 25: i have unfortunately, it was rough i did it on occasion for about 2 weeks before i decided to do research and decided it wasnt for me

DAY 26: Wearing whatever i want and being less insecure. I cant wait till im skinny so i can just be happy with whatever i wear

DAY 27: I’m cool with food being infront of me I usually struggle most with it when its late or im alone cause thats when i tend to eat the most

DAY 28: It would be cool but its not what i want most i really want thinner arms and a tiny waist

DAY 29: unfortunately its mostly western beauty standards ( im part mexican and have very mexican features ) so its rough when i want the hour glass waist and a slope nose cause my body just hasn’t been able to do that

DAY 30: 10 facts about me

10:

#pro ana #th!nspo #tw ed relapse #ed trigger warning #ed rant

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amortensie-moved · 1 year

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heyyyyyy nixie!!!! how are you? i've missed randomly stopping in to admire the cats on your blog, hit you with a string of incoherent nonsense, and then disappear again. in fact, i've missed it so much that i've come to do just that <3

so,,,,, if you saw me ask cass these same questions, don't think about it. in fact, forget you saw it at all because it makes this soooo much more mysterious,,,,,, i have some random yet specific questions for you to answer. they will make some semblance of sense in approximately 14-21 business days, i promise.

what is your favorite food?

favorite color?

favorite song(s)?

favorite tv show/movie?

favorite book genre?

favorite hobby?

do you have any random habits?

what is your love language (when it comes to giving and receiving)?

what is one thing that you think you’re just incredibly amazing at? (the more random the better, asdfghjklkjhgfd)

what is one thing we should never entrust you to do/complete?

what languages do you speak/understand? are you currently learning any?

what is your ideal type when it comes to a romantic partner?

if you were getting a small tattoo (and I mean babie size) where would you get it?

is there anything simply iconic about you that you think the public ought to know?

anyway, ily bestie <3

OLIVE!! HI!!!

super glad to see you on my blog! i’m doing quite well, thank you very much! i’ve missed your presence so much, and like you, i’ve also been on and off in activity in this site due to personal busy-ness.

while i am a teensy bit curious, the questions do seem like such fun, so here are my responses after the cut:

1. i love love love sinigang! its this filipino soup that i’ve only ever tasted homemade, and boy it is delicious! this is a recipe that nearly every filipino household has memorized in their own little way, and it just reminds me of home

2. yellow :)

3. once upon a december from anastasia or alternatively, to mix it up, your ex lover is dead (final fantasy mix) by stars

4. ohh this question is hard. a recent fave of mine is the sound of magic which is constantly giving me brainrots every other day, but merlin is a show that will constantly live in my heart!

5. classic literature! i love all types, but gothic literature is particularly interesting to me. also love fantasy!

6. my favorite hobby is crocheting and knitting! i group them together as they are essentially the same fiber art, just different methods to create v similar things

7. i sing random opera notes when i’m nervous lol ( not particularly good at it, but somehow vibrato and high notes are unlocked in those occasions )

8. i give love through gifts! my go-to gift is to crochet a tiny heart stress plushie for people and ahh theyre and i get so happy giving them. i love sharing food or even just odd things i find. as for receiving, i am such a sucker for words of affirmation. heartfelt silly notes my beloved <3

9. i am practically an expert at untangling yarn and knots by now. after being into the fiber arts for about three years, its safe to say i’ve done it far too much.

edit: i forgot to mention this before, but proud to say that one of my weirdest best talents is that i can accurately mimic a goat sound. in addition to this, i can make rlly weird sounds out of this and shift the vowels so it just sounds really odd and cursed 😭. its hard to explain— but its my favorite trick to show off and make people laugh in confused horror

10. i am known for being one of the biggest hazard myself. i am super clumsy, and my sense of self preservation is usually thrown out the window when it comes to tasks that are physically taxing. in addition to this, my fatal flaw is perhaps my un-athleticism

11. other than english, i’m understand tagalog! it is my first language, and while i don’t speak it much, i understand it fluently. as for learning, i’ve been studying french for two years now, however i am far from fluent (yet).

12. ooh this is an interesting question! i haven’t had a non-fictional crush in a while hah so its more difficult to narrow down a specific type. besides the general criteria ( like not being an asshole ), overall, i just look for someone who is really sweet and caring! being smart is also a big plus for me, as i would like someone whom i can share my academic interests with. and i’d prob like someone who is a tad more extroverted than me to balance my reservedness. think golden retriever energy.

13. i would prob get one below my ear on my neck. i feel like its a cool enough place, and i can always hide it with my hair or makeup if necessary.

14. i am like halfway through owning a small business hah. at the moment, i’ve just been selling locally through crochet/knit commissions, but i am in the process of expanding to online! and, for anyone who is a mutual and interested, i might share my public insta acc for it via dm if you pinky promise not to share it linked to my tumblr ( it has semi - personal info )

#letters #learn about nixie #olive tag #mutuals

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