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astrobiscuits · 5 months

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Astro obs part 9

🐌 The planets in your 12th house indicate your sleeping style:

Sun in 12th house - their sleep schedule is extremely messed up; for them, daylight hours = nighttime hours and vice versa, so they have trouble being themselves during the day; their true self comes out at night

Moon in 12th house - goes to sleep very late; full moons have a special effect on these people; their intuition is more clear at night; as kids, they probably slept a lot with their mother

Mercury in 12th house - loves texting/calling people late at night; they might journal their thoughts before sleep because they overthink a lot and it helps to clear their mind or maybe they just like to relax by reading a book at night

Venus in 12th house - cares a lot about getting their "beauty sleep"; sleeps with sleep masks on, buys expensive bed lingerie, skincare night routine might be very important; loves sleeping in general lmao

Mars in 12th house - enjoys working out before going to sleep, can go to sleep angry because they tend to get into conflict more at night than during the day

I have Uranus in 12th house and i can be both a light sleeper or a heavy sleeper, depending on where i am. For example, when i'm traveling, during the first night i wake up several times, but from the second night on i sleep like a baby lmao. Another thing would be that i can't sleep in a quiet car but i don't have any problem sleeping during a thunderstorm

🐌 Mars in fire signs (Aries, Leo, Sag) and Mars in 3rd house individuals love riding motorbikess

🐌 While Mars in 9th house peeps would probably love to go on a world tour on their motorbike. The sign ruling their 9th house represents the countries they would love to visit (i'm aware that some of these can only be visited by plane, take it with a grain of salt):

♈ in 9th house: Ireland, Poland, Japan, Zimbabwe

♉ in 9th house: Cuba, Paraguay, South Africa, East Timor

♊ in 9th house: Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Montenegro

♋ in 9th house: Canada, USA, Bahamas, Argentina, Slovenia, Madagascar

♌ in 9th house: Hawaii, France, Italy, The Netherlands, India, South Korea, Peru, Bolivia

♍ in 9th house: Switzerland, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Vietnam

♎ in 9th house: Belgium, Portugal, China, Equatorial Guinea, Lesotho

♏ in 9th house: Panama, Spain, Turkey, Arab countries (Saudi Arabia, UAE), Palestine, Lebanon

♐ in 9th house: Finland, Lithuania, Romania, Tanzania, Thailand

♑ in 9th house: UK, Germany, Czech Republic, Australia, Camerun

♒ in 9th house: Greece, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka

♓ in 9th house: Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Mauritius, Saint Lucia

🐌 I have a feeling Pisces Suns like to spend their time in a garage lmao. Mostly because their opposing sign, Virgo, would hate to spend time in a garage due to how dirty it can get.

🐌As a 7th house Sun who's been in love for almost a year now (haha, are we surprised, ofcours not; i'm not even in a relationship with him but ugh we're so perfect for each other), i realised that Sun in 7th house people tend to behave differently with their partner when they're in a healthy relationship vs when they're in a toxic one

Sun in 7th house in:

♈ Aries in a healthy relationship: empowers their partner, knows how to balance me time vs us time in a healthy manner, encourages their partner to take safe risks

♈ Aries in an unhealthy relationship: impulsive, impatient, selfish, dismisses their partner's feelings, often controlled by rage, prone to abusing their partner

♉ Taurus in a healthy relationship: veryyy generous (their love language is gift giving), accommodating to their partner's wants and needs, cooks for their partner

♉ Taurus in an unhealthy relationship: stubborn af, hard to please, focused more on the material gain from their partner rather than the love they share

♊ Gemini in a healthy relationship: curious, always lightens the mood of their partner by cracking up tons of jokes or telling them funny stories, knows that communication is key to everything so they're not afraid to discuss serious topics, teaches their partner a lot of random stuff

♊ Gemini in an unhealthy relationship: superficial, doesn't have a problem moving on from their partner to another person in a matter of seconds, if they're still in school/college, then they prioritize studying over their partner

♋ Cancer in a healthy relationship: nurturing, knows how to balance babying their partner vs being babied by their partner, emotionally vulnerable, feels safe enough to present their partner to their family early on in the relationship

♋ Cancer in a unhealthy relationship: if they don't trust their partner, they tend to become emotionally closed off to hide their deep sadness; defensive, but if their partner attackes them, then they'll hide, worries excessively, avoids presenting their partner to their family

♌ Leo in a healthy relationship: treats their partner like the king/queen they are, keeps their ego in check so it doesn't interfere with the relationship, if they've got artistic talents (music, acting, art etc.), they'll show their love for their partner by performing in front of them

♌ Leo in an unhealthy relationship: egocentric, shows off their partner/relationship too much out of pride, often feels entitled in the relationship and wants to be put on a pedestal by their partner

♍ Virgo in a healthy relationship: selfless to a healthy degree, remembers every lil detail from every casual conversations with their partner just to please them, remembers every important date and plans ahead for it, takes care of their partner when they're sick

♍ Virgo in a unhealthy relationship: critical, overfixates on past hurts and mistakes that their partner made in the relationship (often times their partner doesn't even remember those things because they're usually not that serious), loves their pets more than their partner

♎ Libra in a healthy relationship: romantic, charismatic, truly values their partner and the relationship with them, acts fair in the relationship, teaches their partner lovingly about the importance of honesty, truth and a healthy give and take dynamic in a relationship

♎ Libra in an unhealthy relationship: doesn't prioritize the relationship; instead, they flirt with others despite being in a relationship, emotionally detached, cold and calculated in their current relationship

♏ Scorpio in a healthy relationship: loyal, loves their partner deeply and intensely, but without suffocating them, keeps their partner's secrets like they're a locked safe box with no public access

♏ Scorpio in an unhealthy relationship: obsessive, manipulative, seeks to dominate their partner, displays stalkish behaviour in the relationship, liar

♐ Sagittarius in a healthy relationship: exposes their partner to various cultures, belief systems and philosophies to expand their mind and form their own opinion on certain topics, loves freely but is still able to maintain a long-term relationship, improves their partner's mood, usually brings an element of surprise and excitement to the relationship

♐ Sagittarius in an unhealthy relationship: travels in order to avoid dealing with their partner, parties a bit too much, doesn't take the relationship seriously

♑ Capricorn in a healthy relationship: loves their partner in a mature, serious and secure manner, doesn't shy away from improving their partner's social status and/or career if they can, discusses plans for the future (getting married, having kids, adopting pets, buying a house) with their partner early on in the relationship, they make time for their partner, despite the fact that they're busy most of the time

♑ Capricorn in an unhealthy relationship: displays no emotions or physical affection in the relationship, has a hard time communicating their thoughts with their partner, settles in a relationship for the wrong reasons (money/kids/safety/"i'm getting old and i need to have my life established"), prioritizes work/career over their partner

♒ Aquarius in a healthy relationship: flexible, makes their partner's dreams and aspirations come true (whether they're related to the relationship or not), has got a very open-minded attitude towards their partner's opinions, lifestyle and identity, takes the time to become friends firsts with their future partner because they value a relationship built on solid foundation (often times their partner is also their best friend), knows how to balance couple time vs time with friends

♒ Aquarius in an unhealthy relationship: displays wishy-washy behaviour, emotionally detached, prioritizes their friends over their partner, seeks online validation from strangers and acquaintances to fulfill their needs

♓ Pisces in a healthy relationship: sensitive to their partner's emotions, knows how to balance wearing their heart on their sleeve vs hiding their emotions in unfavourable circumstances, always honest with their partner

♓ Pisces in an unhealthy relationship: prone to drown their relationship problems and sorrows in alcohol, drugs and meds for mental health issues, runs away from problems instead of dealing with them with their partner, displays dishonesty to a fault, prone to self-sabotage

#astro #astro community #astro placements #astrology #astro observations #astro posts #astro notes #astro blog #astroblr #astrology notes #astrology observations #natal chart #sun in 7th house #sun in 12th #12th house #mars in 3rd house #mars in 9th house

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fatehbaz · 4 months

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In fact, far more Asian workers moved to the Americas in the 19th century to make sugar than to build the transcontinental railroad [...]. [T]housands of Chinese migrants were recruited to work [...] on Louisiana’s sugar plantations after the Civil War. [...] Recruited and reviled as "coolies," their presence in sugar production helped justify racial exclusion after the abolition of slavery.

In places where sugar cane is grown, such as Mauritius, Fiji, Hawaii, Guyana, Trinidad and Suriname, there is usually a sizable population of Asians who can trace their ancestry to India, China, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Indonesia and elsewhere. They are descendants of sugar plantation workers, whose migration and labor embodied the limitations and contradictions of chattel slavery’s slow death in the 19th century. [...]

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Mass consumption of sugar in industrializing Europe and North America rested on mass production of sugar by enslaved Africans in the colonies. The whip, the market, and the law institutionalized slavery across the Americas, including in the U.S. When the Haitian Revolution erupted in 1791 and Napoleon Bonaparte’s mission to reclaim Saint-Domingue, France’s most prized colony, failed, slaveholding regimes around the world grew alarmed. In response to a series of slave rebellions in its own sugar colonies, especially in Jamaica, the British Empire formally abolished slavery in the 1830s. British emancipation included a payment of £20 million to slave owners, an immense sum of money that British taxpayers made loan payments on until 2015.

Importing indentured labor from Asia emerged as a potential way to maintain the British Empire’s sugar plantation system.

In 1838 John Gladstone, father of future prime minister William E. Gladstone, arranged for the shipment of 396 South Asian workers, bound to five years of indentured labor, to his sugar estates in British Guiana. The experiment with “Gladstone coolies,” as those workers came to be known, inaugurated [...] “a new system of [...] [indentured servitude],” which would endure for nearly a century. [...]

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Bonaparte [...] agreed to sell France's claims [...] to the U.S. [...] in 1803, in [...] the Louisiana Purchase. Plantation owners who escaped Saint-Domingue [Haiti] with their enslaved workers helped establish a booming sugar industry in southern Louisiana. On huge plantations surrounding New Orleans, home of the largest slave market in the antebellum South, sugar production took off in the first half of the 19th century. By 1853, Louisiana was producing nearly 25% of all exportable sugar in the world. [...] On the eve of the Civil War, Louisiana’s sugar industry was valued at US$200 million. More than half of that figure represented the valuation of the ownership of human beings – Black people who did the backbreaking labor [...]. By the war’s end, approximately $193 million of the sugar industry’s prewar value had vanished.

Desperate to regain power and authority after the war, Louisiana’s wealthiest planters studied and learned from their Caribbean counterparts. They, too, looked to Asian workers for their salvation, fantasizing that so-called “coolies” [...].

Thousands of Chinese workers landed in Louisiana between 1866 and 1870, recruited from the Caribbean, China and California. Bound to multiyear contracts, they symbolized Louisiana planters’ racial hope [...].

To great fanfare, Louisiana’s wealthiest planters spent thousands of dollars to recruit gangs of Chinese workers. When 140 Chinese laborers arrived on Millaudon plantation near New Orleans on July 4, 1870, at a cost of about $10,000 in recruitment fees, the New Orleans Times reported that they were “young, athletic, intelligent, sober and cleanly” and superior to “the vast majority of our African population.” [...] But [...] [w]hen they heard that other workers earned more, they demanded the same. When planters refused, they ran away. The Chinese recruits, the Planters’ Banner observed in 1871, were “fond of changing about, run away worse than [Black people], and … leave as soon as anybody offers them higher wages.”

When Congress debated excluding the Chinese from the United States in 1882, Rep. Horace F. Page of California argued that the United States could not allow the entry of “millions of cooly slaves and serfs.” That racial reasoning would justify a long series of anti-Asian laws and policies on immigration and naturalization for nearly a century.

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All text above by: Moon-Ho Jung. "Making sugar, making 'coolies': Chinese laborers toiled alongside Black workers on 19th-century Louisiana plantations". The Conversation. 13 January 2022. [All bold emphasis and some paragraph breaks/contractions added by me.]

#abolition #caribbean #imperial #colonial #ecology #plantation

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metamatar · 5 months

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In the age of Hindu identity politics (Hindutva) inaugurated in the 1990s by the ascendancy of the Indian People's Party (Bharatiya Janata Party) and its ideological auxiliary, the World Hindu Council (Vishwa Hindu Parishad), Indian cultural and religious nationalism has been promulgating ever more distorted images of India's past.

Few things are as central to this revisionism as Sanskrit, the dominant culture language of precolonial southern Asia outside the Persianate order. Hindutva propagandists have sought to show, for example, that Sanskrit was indigenous to India, and they purport to decipher Indus Valley seals to prove its presence two millennia before it actually came into existence. In a farcical repetition of Romanic myths of primevality, Sanskrit is considered—according to the characteristic hyperbole of the VHP—the source and sole preserver of world culture.

This anxiety has a longer and rather melancholy history in independent India, far antedating the rise of the BJP. [...] Some might argue that as a learned language of intellectual discourse and belles lettres, Sanskrit had never been exactly alive in the first place [...] the assumption that Sanskrit was never alive has discouraged the attempt to grasp its later history; after all, what is born dead has no later history. As a result, there exist no good accounts or theorizations of the end of the cultural order that for two millennia exerted a transregional influence across Asia-South, Southeast, Inner, and even East Asia that was unparalleled until the rise of Americanism and global English. We have no clear understanding of whether, and if so, when, Sanskrit culture ceased to make history; whether, and if so, why, it proved incapable of preserving into the present the creative vitality it displayed in earlier epochs, and what this loss of effectivity might reveal about those factors within the wider world of society and polity that had kept it vital.

[...] What follows here is a first attempt to understand something of the death of Sanskrit literary culture as a historical process. Four cases are especially instructive: The disappearance of Sanskrit literature in Kashmir, a premier center of literary creativity, after the thirteenth century; its diminished power in sixteenth century Vijayanagara, the last great imperial formation of southern India; its short-lived moment of modernity at the Mughal court in mid-seventeenth century Delhi; and its ghostly existence in Bengal on the eve of colonialism. Each case raises a different question: first, about the kind of political institutions and civic ethos required to sustain Sanskrit literary culture; second, whether and to what degree competition with vernacular cultures eventually affected it; third, what factors besides newness of style or even subjectivity would have been necessary for consolidating a Sanskrit modernity, and last, whether the social and spiritual nutrients that once gave life to this literary culture could have mutated into the toxins that killed it. [...]

One causal account, however, for all the currency it enjoys in the contemporary climate, can be dismissed at once: that which traces the decline of Sanskrit culture to the coming of Muslim power. The evidence adduced here shows this to be historically untenable. It was not "alien rule un sympathetic to kavya" and a "desperate struggle with barbarous invaders" that sapped the strength of Sanskrit literature. In fact, it was often the barbarous invader who sought to revive Sanskrit. [...]

One of these was the internal debilitation of the political institutions that had previously underwritten Sanskrit, pre-eminently the court. Another was heightened competition among a new range of languages seeking literary-cultural dignity. These factors did not work everywhere with the same force. A precipitous decline in Sanskrit creativity occurred in Kashmir, where vernacular literary production in Kashmiri-the popularity of mystical poets like Lalladevi (fl. 1400) notwithstanding-never produced the intense competition with the literary vernacular that Sanskrit encountered elsewhere (in Kannada country, for instance, and later, in the Hindi heartland). Instead, what had eroded dramatically was what I called the civic ethos embodied in the court. This ethos, while periodically assaulted in earlier periods (with concomitant interruptions in literary production), had more or less fully succumbed by the thirteenth century, long before the consolidation of Turkish power in the Valley. In Vijayanagara, by contrast, while the courtly structure of Sanskrit literary culture remained fully intact, its content became increasingly subservient to imperial projects, and so predictable and hollow. Those at court who had anything literarily important to say said it in Telugu or (outside the court) in Kannada or Tamil; those who did not, continued to write in Sanskrit, and remain unread. In the north, too, where political change had been most pronounced, competence in Sanskrit remained undiminished during the late-medieval/early modern period. There, scholarly families reproduced themselves without discontinuity-until, that is, writers made the decision to abandon Sanskrit in favor of the increasingly attractive vernacular. Among the latter were writers such as Kesavdas, who, unlike his father and brother, self-consciously chose to become a vernacular poet. And it is Kesavdas, Biharilal, and others like them whom we recall from this place and time, and not a single Sanskrit writer. [...]

The project and significance of the self-described "new intellectuals" in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries [...] what these scholars produced was a newness of style without a newness of substance. The former is not meaningless and needs careful assessment and appreciation. But, remarkably, the new and widespread sense of discontinuity never stimulated its own self-analysis. No idiom was developed in which to articulate a new relationship to the past, let alone a critique; no new forms of knowledge-no new theory of religious identity, for example, let alone of the political-were produced in which the changed conditions of political and religious life could be conceptualized. And with very few exceptions (which suggest what was in fact possible), there was no sustained creation of new literature-no Sanskrit novels, personal poetry, essays-giving voice to the new subjectivity. Instead, what the data from early nineteenth-century Bengal-which are paralleled every where-demonstrate is that the mental and social spheres of Sanskrit literary production grew ever more constricted, and the personal and this-worldly, and eventually even the presentist-political, evaporated, until only the dry sediment of religious hymnology remained. [...]

In terms of both the subjects considered acceptable and the audience it was prepared to address, Sanskrit had chosen to make itself irrelevant to the new world. This was true even in the extra-literary domain. The struggles against Christian missionizing, for example, that preoccupied pamphleteers in early nineteenth-century Calcutta, took place almost exclusively in Bengali. Sanskrit intellectuals seemed able to respond, or were interested in responding, only to a challenge made on their own terrain-that is, in Sanskrit. The case of the professor of Sanskrit at the recently-founded Calcutta Sanskrit College (1825), Ishwarachandra Vidyasagar, is emblematic: When he had something satirical, con temporary, critical to say, as in his anti-colonial pamphlets, he said it, not in Sanskrit, but in Bengali. [...]

No doubt, additional factors conditioned this profound transformation, something more difficult to characterize having to do with the peculiar status of Sanskrit intellectuals in a world growing increasingly unfamiliar to them. As I have argued elsewhere, they may have been led to reaffirm the old cosmopolitanism, by way of ever more sophisticated refinements in ever smaller domains of knowledge, in a much-changed cultural order where no other option made sense: neither that of the vernacular intellectual, which was a possible choice (as Kabir and others had earlier shown), nor that of the national intellectual, which as of yet was not. At all events, the fact remains that well before the consolidation of colonialism, before even the establishment of the Islamicate political order, the mastery of tradition had become an end in itself for Sanskrit literary culture, and reproduction, rather than revitalization, the overriding concern. As the realm of the literary narrowed to the smallest compass of life-concerns, so Sanskrit literature seemed to seek the smallest possible audience. However complex the social processes at work may have been, the field of Sanskrit literary production increasingly seemed to belong to those who had an "interest in disinterestedness," as Bourdieu might put it; the moves they made seem the familiar moves in the game of elite distinction that inverts the normal principles of cultural economies and social orders: the game where to lose is to win. In the field of power of the time, the production of Sanskrit literature had become a paradoxical form of life where prestige and exclusivity were both vital and terminal.

The Death of Sanskrit, Sheldon Pollock, Comparative Studies in Society and History, Vol. 43, No. 2 (Apr., 2001), pp. 392-426 (35 pages)

#sheldon pollock

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randomshyperson · 1 year

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New Romantics - Chapter One - Wanda Maximoff Series

Summary: Trapped in a loveless relationship that has cost her friendships, Wanda watches her senior year of school turn upside down after a party. She will make new friends and may end up learning that not every relationship is doomed to failure.

Warnings: (+16), straight and toxic relationships, making out, underage drinking, language, co-dependency, conversations about insecurity and self-worth, attempted romantic comedy, unrequited love at first, friends to lovers. | Words: 4.236k

Skamverse Collection | Series Masterlist | AO3 | Wattpad |

--//--

Chapter One - Parties and Makeups

“The global mentality is moving toward free world trade and increased market liberalism. A world full of opportunities. A world where dreams can come true. It sounds fantastic, and it is fantastic. For a very small percentage of us. But for the vast, poor majority, the capitalist system only means one thing: death and suffering. While we live out our days thoughtlessly and stuff ourselves with cheap food. The poor people of the earth struggle in factories. Wages are forced down to the minimum, while the work hours keep increasing. Unionization is illegal, and the working conditions are intolerable. Before applauding freedom, we must remember one thing: Our over-consuming society stands on the shoulders of the coffee beans from Peru. We gorge on cheap food produced by underpaid children hands from India[...]”

Novi Grad, Monday, 1:00 pm.

"So what do you think?"

Wanda licked her lips, trying to choose the right words to define the monologue her boyfriend has been reading the last few minutes. Vision stares at her in anticipation.

"It's smart." She says, and he gives a soft laugh.

"Is that all? Don't you think I should change something?"

She sighs, shrugging. "I don't know, it's just good." She murmurs, thinking for a moment before adding. "Maybe exclude cheap food? You used it twice..."

Vision leans over to look at the paper. "No, you see, because that's a technique to emphasize the idea I picked up..."

Wanda stopped listening - Yes, she hated doing it, especially at how often it happened. But her attention was diverted to the other side of the courtyard, where a group of girls was leaving the school building. Most of them didn't notice that Wanda was watching, but one of them did. Eve, once she realized it, assumed an icy expression that made Wanda's stomach churn. The girl next to her was Jean Grey, and as soon as she followed her friend's gaze, she raised her middle finger in Wanda's direction before continuing walking.

Wanda swallowed dryly and looked away. Vision cleared his throat, waving in front of his girlfriend's eyes to attract her attention.

"Hey, don't let that get to you." He tried, leaning in to peck her cheek. "Okay?"

"Forget about it." Wanda forced a smile, kissing him. Vision smiled, enjoying the closure of the subject much more than she did since the one who had to deal with the free hatred was not him. The boy pulled away a little to take a breath before deepening the kiss, but a sheet of paper was placed between their faces and caused them both to jump away.

"No more making out my sister." It was Pietro, shoving the test in their faces. He wasn't alone, Clint Barton was with him, and he was the first to greet Vision. Pietro leaned on the railing behind where they were standing, "How did you go in the Geography assignment?"

Clint greeted Wanda with a kiss on the cheek, and Vision answered the older twin with a proud smile, "I got an A+."

"Typical." Pietro retorted chuckling. "What about you, sestra?"

Wanda sighs, gripping the handle of her backpack tighter as if the crumpled test at the bottom was going to jump out and give away her lie. "Hmm, I got a C minus."

The trio made sounds of trouble, and Wanda rolled her eyes. Pietro gave a little chuckle. "Papa will be so disappointed..." He teased, receiving an impatient sigh in return.

"What about you? Did you get an A?" She inquired. Pietro chuckled.

"No, but I'm an athlete." He reasoned. "I don't need the brains when I have the muscles." The boys thought it was funny but Wanda rolled her eyes at the foolishness.

"Okay, Pietro, keep believing that one."

"Better than having neither..." He teased low, and Clint pulled him out of the range when Wanda threatened to push him into the railing. Vision laughed, holding his girlfriend by the waist.

"We're going to Barton, see you later?" Vision announces, and she takes her attention from her brother who walked a few feet with Clint to the boy in front of her.

"I thought you were going over to my place."

Vision shrugs. "I went to your house yesterday, Wanda. And the day before, and before, and before..."

"I get it." She cuts in with a clumsy laugh. She kisses him quickly. "Call me later?"

He smiles, nodding before kissing her intensely. Pietro gets in the way again, asking him to hurry up. Vision leaves with the boys, and Wanda stands at the school entrance, alone for a few minutes even after they have turned the corner.

Novi Grad, Monday, 8:00 pm.

"Don't forget to feed little Chaos, that stinky cat."

Wanda smiled at her father's message, typing that she had already done so before turning her face to the other side of the bed, where an orange cat was sleeping heavily. She reached out, and scratched him behind the ears, receiving a purr in return.

"Papa is being mean, you smell good, Chaos." She says to the kitten, who doesn't wake up. Then sounds of door and keys ring out in the apartment, and Wanda leaves her cell phone on the mattress before getting up and leaving the bedroom.

Pietro is dropping off his shoes in the doorway. "Hey, good evening. Is Papa home yet?"

She denies it, hands in her sweatshirt pockets. "Double shift. Were you at Barton until now?"

The boy chuckled shortly, letting his jacket hang down and turning his back to go to the kitchen. "Ne (no), I left hours ago."

Wanda frowned, the image of Vision chatting messages and unanswered calls in her head. "Vis left too? I tried calling him..."

"I don't babysit your boyfriend, Wanda." Pietro cuts her off from the refrigerator door, and she swallows dryly ready to leave the kitchen. He regrets his aggressiveness and sighs. "I left early because Crystal wanted to talk. Or rather, fight. I'm sorry for taking it out on you."

Wanda shakes her head. "No problem. Are you guys okay?"

Pietro takes out the dinner saved for him to heat up in the microwave, shrugging. "She dumped me for the ninth time, but she didn't throw anything at me this time so I'd say that was progress."

Wanda sighs. "What was the problem now?"

He chuckles, rolling his eyes. "I don't know, she saw me talking to the new girl at school and thought I was being too nice. She's as hot as she is crazy."

"Don't be sexist Pietro, it doesn't make you any cooler." Wanda retorts turning her back on him, and the twin rolls his eyes again, focusing on dinner.

Wanda returns to her room, and Chaos is stretching out on her bed. He's lying on top of her cell phone now, and she has to push him slightly to get the device. She tries to call, but Vision doesn't answer like all the other times.

Before she can go back to watching the paused video classes on her laptop, there is someone on her porch.

Wanda rushes over to help her boyfriend get inside.

"Weird, it seems to have gotten harder to do that." He comments on the small tear in his jeans made by the railing and Wanda laughs lightly.

"Maybe you just need to exercise more." She teases, making him chuckle. He kisses her, pushing his way inside, but Wanda pulls away with the excuse that she is helping him take off his backpack and jacket. When he sits down on the bed to pet Chaos before kicking the cat out of the room, Wanda asks. "Where were you?"

Vision begins removing his shoes. "At Barton's."

"Until so late?"

The boy lets out a confused laugh, raising an eyebrow at her. "You know his mother is never home to care. Pretty much like your daddy..."

"I tried calling you." She insists.

He sighs wearily. "My cell phone died."

"Clint didn't have a charger?"

Vision laughs. "No, Wanda, he couldn't find it or whatever. What's this, huh? Some kind of interrogation?"

She swallows dryly, looking away, "No, I just... I was worried."

"Well, don't be, I'm right here." He retorts with a smile. "And you, well, you're quite far away..."

She laughs shortly, moving closer to sit on his lap. He is the one who initiates the kiss, and she cuts him off when she is starting to get out of breath. "Let me get the door." She gasps as she gets up, and Vision just nods.

But when Wanda returns, he notices the study items next to the laptop on the bed, and there is a test with a red note in his hands, and a little smile on his face. "I thought you said you got a C minus, Miss."

Wanda snatched the paper from his hand with rosy cheeks to the red F who seemed to mock her as much as her boyfriend. "Shut up." She says, and he gives up tormenting her when she kisses him again.

Novi Grad, Wednesday, 9:30 am.

"Hey, Wanda."

The greeting comes accompanied by a tap on the shoulder because the brunette is wearing headphones. Wanda pulls out both items at once, looking at her colleague, Darcy Lewis, with curiosity.

"Hi, Darcy, good morning."

The one with glasses smiles. "Are you going to the welcome party on Friday? You didn't confirm the invitation on Facebook, and Jane is being a bit uptight about the organization. She and Thor are taking care of the drinks." Wanda superficially recognized the names mentioned, they were popular people at school, but they were not her friends. She looked at the book - Dracula - in her lap for a second before turning back to Darcy.

"I don't know, I'll probably..."

"What, be reading on a Friday night?" The girl interrupts with teasing, but not mean smile. "You know, I have nothing against interesting habits, but the welcome party is the first opportunity to meet new friends at the very beginning of the year. This, and also to show the spirit of solidarity with the new freshmen who will fund our graduation. It’s important they know who you are, even if you have chosen to adopt the position of the emo geek of this school. Right?”

Wanda hesitates, half unsure of what to say about the whole thing. Before she can think how to respond, Jane - who was addressing other tables in the study area - approaches Darcy.

"Can you believe Thor told me that Loki just texted that he's taking some friends? What part of Students only did he not understand? The principal won't be happy to hear that they had strangers at the party." Jane blurts out angrily, offering a forced smile of greeting to Wanda before returning to typing on her cell phone. Darcy clears her throat.

"The end of the world really." Murmurs the one with the glasses. "See you Friday, Maximoff?"

"I think so." Wanda retorts, and Darcy smiles, offering her a wink before leaving with her friend.

Wanda doesn't have much time to get back to reading in peace. The class bell soon rings, and she has to collect her unfinished book to get to the next class.

Novi Grad, Wednesday, 5:41 pm.

Watching Vision play soccer with his friends is never fun, but Wanda doesn't complain anyway.

She busies herself with her book, finding it definitely more interesting than watching the boys, and it is only at the first break that Vision interrupts her.

She complains about the kiss because he is sweaty.

"You look pretty when you're focused, you know that?" he compliments, hands resting at her side. She twitches her nose.

"Am I not pretty at other times?"

He chuckles. "Don't be silly, being pretty is your greatest talent." He retorts, and she forces a smile, trying not to look bothered by the phrase. He doesn't notice, moving away to get a bottle of water.

The soccer field is not empty, but Wanda doesn't know the kids there besides Clint, and her twin obviously. She has seen some of them, but they were Vis's friends and not hers. So she has a big empty space around her in the stands.

Stealing glances at the surrounding groups of friends and couples, Wanda sighs before turning her gaze back to her boyfriend.

"Vis, will you go with me to the school welcome party?"

He makes a confused face, finishing a large sip of water before retorting, "That cheesy thing? Why do you even want to go to that, we've never attended it before."

She frowns softly. "It's not cheesy. It's important that the freshmen get to know us now, they are responsible for over half of the fundraising for the graduation trip-"

"Didn't your father say he was going to pay for yours?" He interrupts her with a raised eyebrow.

Wanda sighs. "Yes, but I'm not going to think only of myself-"

"I have money too." He cuts in again shrugging. "Clint works, Pietro is your brother so he's insured too. You don't have to care about a dumb party full of brats, Wanda." He mocks with a chuckle, leaning in to kiss her, but Wanda turns her face away. Vis doesn't notice, distracted by the boys rushing him to get back to playing, and Wanda sighs at the thought that he almost never notices anything that bothers her.

"I just think it would be nice to meet new people." She murmurs, and he sighs, looking down at the field and nodding that he's going already.

"Well, I guess we could drop in for a few hours, free booze is a nice thing..." He suggests, and her face immediately lights up. Vis extends a hand to her strands of hair. "But you have to do something for me."

She frowns. "What?"

"Can my brother spend Easter with us?"

Wanda's excited expression drops. "Seriously? Can I bring mine?" She retorts wryly and angrily, closing the book. Vision sighs helplessly.

"Baby, come on..." She rolls her eyes, starting to put things away. "Hey, I know I said I didn't want anyone bothering us, but Dad grounded Tony and I don't want to leave him alone for the whole holiday..."

"If Tony would stop screwing up he wouldn't be grounded." Wanda retorts now standing up, with her backpack in her hands. Vision chuckles, making puppy dog eyes at her.

"Please, darling. A party for a party." He negotiates, and she rolls her eyes.

"Okay, fine." She agrees, and he grins, grabbing her by the waist to spin her in the air despite her protests. With the delay, Clint approaches them, just as sweaty as his friend.

"Come on man, you two can hook up after the game." Says the boy, busy with the water as Vision lets go of Wanda with little grace, who pulls down the hem of her skirt with her cheeks slightly flushed with embarrassment.

"I'm celebrating, Wanda has agreed to let Tony spend Easter at her family Cabin." Vision tells. Wanda wryly chuckles:

"Maybe you'd like to come too, it seems the holiday for two has turned into a holiday for everyone."

Clint chuckles, wiping his mouth before commenting, "How did he convince you, Maximoff?"

She sighs. "He's taking me to the welcoming party on Friday." She says, and Vision shrugs, but Clint frowns.

"Friday? Don't you have that fancy dinner with your dad and the uni people? You haven't shut up about it for months." Clint recalls and Vision puts his hand to his head.

"Oh, shit, it's true. Baby, I completely forgot..."

"Whatever." She says wearily with her hands in the air lightly. "See you tomorrow, Clint." He said leaving, and Vision patted the back of his friend's head before following his girlfriend.

Novi Grad, Friday, 07:12 pm.

"I'm already at the restaurant, good thing I wore a suit. Try to go to the party, it will be good for you."

Wanda reread the message for the ninth time, trying to understand what in the last sentence bothered her so much. She sighed, looking at the little Chaos adjusting himself on her bed.

"What do you think, buddy? Do you think I should go to a stupid party?" She asks the cat, who doesn't even meow back.

Wanda risks checking Instagram, only to be bombarded with pictures in her feed about the school party, which grew in popularity apparently because Loki wasn't the only one who took other than students.

She glanced around her messy room, and at the paused sitcom on her laptop. The Addams Family was not being efficient in distracting her tonight. Vision was at a dinner party with her father's contacts from Europe's top universities, Pietro was sleeping over at Crystal's because they got back together the day before, and Clint was supposed to be working. And there were no other friends.

Wanda forced herself to her feet. She could do this. New friends at a party, right? It shouldn't be that hard.

She got ready in record time and changed from her comfortable sweatshirt into a wine-colored cotton dress. Maybe it didn't scream friendly energy, but it definitely made her look pretty.

Chaos meowed at her when she stood in front of the mirror, and Wanda thought she was good to go. She texted to Vision that she was going to have fun knowing he wasn't going to answer tonight before she left.

Novi Grad, Friday, 08:40 pm.

Music from the loudspeakers echoed throughout the room. The welcoming committee did a good job, because they had booked the whole night at the Panther Club, two blocks away from the school, and the place was completely full.

Wanda managed to get in at the ticket booth with her school ID and was given a different wristband for being of legal age. She imagined that this would guarantee alcoholic drinks for her inside the bar, but she doubted very much that anyone was respecting these rules of the amount of drunk freshmen around.

She was trying to have a good time. She didn't rely too much on the colorful drink that the bartender said was alcohol-free and decided to enjoy the Club's trademark live music show.

It wasn't exactly her idea of fun, being around hundreds of drunken teenagers, but Wanda tried to ignore the discomfort of her own boots to dance a little.

It was not a good idea.

She returned to the bar area after three songs way too long for the good health of her toes and was considering leaving when she recognized the red-haired figure only a few feet away.

Jean was waiting for her drink, and saw Wanda out of the corner of her eye, assuming a defensive posture.

"Hi." Wanda greeted, receiving only an icy stare in return before the redhead looked forward again. Wanda sighed, "Jean, please. You can't ignore me forever."

"Not forever, it's already senior year." She retorts coldly, turning her body toward Wanda, one arm resting on the counter. The brunette swallows dryly, but the redhead smiles wickedly, the other hand reaching out to push the strands of brown hair behind the smaller girl's shoulder. "What do you want from me, Maximoff? A chance to stab my back, too?"

Wanda tenses her jaw, her eyes burning. "Please don't be like this." She pleads and takes on courage. "I miss you, you know. And Eve... Please just say something."

Jean licks her lips and tucks a strand of hair behind Wanda's ear before lowering her hands. She looks her in the eyes.

"Next time, try to use less eyeliner. You're looking like a slut." She declares, turning away before Wanda can really process what was said to her.

She feels her throat tighten with the urge to start crying and takes a deep breath. And then she feels a presence behind her.

"Very nice friend you have." Ironizes an unknown voice. Wanda turns around and is surprised by a slightly familiar face.

You smile and stare back at her. "Did you know that girls who call others girls sluts are statically more likely to get chlamydia?"

Wanda frowns slightly. "Really?"

You grin "No, but it would be fun karma." You say, and it is her turn to chuckle. You then extend your hand to her. "I'm Y/N, we're in the same Literature class."

"Oh, that's right. The new girl." Wanda murmurs finally realizing where she recognizes the face from. "I'm Wanda."

"I know." You retort biting back a smile and when she blinks curiously, you half-heartedly clarify, "Your brother, Pietro, right? He's been very considerate of the new students, even the ones who aren't freshmen. He pointed you out in the courtyard once."

Wanda nods, a little out of frame. She wasn't very good at socializing, especially with those she thought were kind of attractive.

You noticed her distance and cleared your throat. "Just for the record, Wanda, and well, I'm no makeup expert but..." You extended your hand again, this time to her face, wiping with the tip of your finger a bit of eyeliner smeared by the tear she let fall. "I wouldn't say you look slutly, I'd say you look quite beautiful."

You compliment, and Wanda feels a shiver spread through her body. So surprised by her own reaction, she can barely smile back when you do so in farewell, leaving the bar.

She decides to run to the bathroom and check her makeup even though her legs are still shaking a little.

The sound of the party is muffled inside, and Wanda sighs as she sees her own reflection. She wants to believe what you said, but since Jean treated her like that, it's been a little difficult.

With a wet piece of paper, she carefully removes the eyeliner, and just as she is finishing, she hears a soft cry coming from one of the booths.

Worried, Wanda throws the paper in the trash and follows the sound. "Hello?" she needs to call out another two times for the girl to sniffle and answer.

"Hey."

"Sorry to bother you, but are you okay?" It's kind of a silly question to ask someone who is crying in the bathroom, but it's the best that Wanda handles. And the girl seems to enjoy the kindness.

"Yeah, just... it's stupid." She replies in a small voice.

"Can you open the door for me for a minute?" There is a pause, but the keyhole unlocks and the girl pushes the door slightly. Wanda offers her an understanding expression and pulls her by the hand. "Come, I can help with the smudged makeup." The girl agrees to be led out of the booth, to the sinks. "I'm Wanda, by the way."

"I know, your brother is pretty popular." Mumbles the other one sniffling softly. Wanda smiles, "I'm Yelena. Can you call someone for me? The team captain?"

"Oh, sure." Wanda assures, kind of getting the impression that the girl is kicking her out, kind of uncomfortable with the attention.

She leaves Yelena and heads back to the party, spending a good ten minutes asking about this team captain to the people around - most of them too drunk to know - until finally one of the third-year girls points to a tall boy at the back of the club. "The only captain I know is Steve Rogers, sweetie. That pretty boy over there."

Wanda approached him in a circle of people, it was as uncomfortable as she expected. Steve, at least, seemed like a nice guy and followed her with some concern about that girl crying in the bathroom.

But when Wanda returned, Yelena was not alone. Another blonde girl was finishing helping her with her make-up.

"[...] you and Kate need to stop this push and pull, that's what I think." Advised the stranger. Yelena sighed.

"She left me crying in a bathroom, I'll never speak to her again."

"Come on Yelena..."

"Sorry." Wanda interrupts the interaction with Steve trailing behind her. "I brought your friend, Yelena. The team captain."

The two look at her as if she is crazy. Yelena points to the other, "This is my friend. Carol Danvers, captain of the basketball team."

Steve nods. "What's up, Carol?" he greeted her with a smile half confused by the whole thing.

"Oh, I didn't know we had more than one...team." Wanda mumbles clumsily, and Yelena sighs half impatiently.

"Look, thanks anyway, it's the thought that counts. But we were in the middle of a conversation here..."

"God, you're so rude when you're mad at Kate." Carol complains. "Come on, Natasha was looking for you. Thanks again, sweetie." The blonde pulls her friend out of the bathroom, and Wanda decides she has had enough for the night.

She makes her way out of the bar, but on the street, she realizes that Steve Rogers has followed her the whole way.

"Hey, sorry, are you Jarvis Stark's girlfriend?" He asks and she takes her time assimilating her boyfriend's real name instead of the nickname everyone has used since elementary school.

"Yeah, why?"

Steve smiles awkwardly. "Any chance you have his brother's number?"

Wanda has a good few seconds of pure surprise before muttering that she really wasn't talking to Tony. The blond gets a little disappointed but forces a smile.

"Sorry, see you at school." She babbles, honestly tired from this night.

#wanda maximoff x reader #wanda x reader #elizabeth olsen x reader #new romantics #skamverse collection #alt er love series

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sgiandubh · 5 months

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So about TCND. NO I'M KIDDING. Don't throw me away. What else are you watching or reading or interested in lately? There isn't actually anything to talk about regarding OL (the show or actors therein) and TCND is off the table until someone has actually seen it. Anything interesting going on?

Dear What Else Anon,

Oh, I am definitely not going to throw out such a wonderful question! I do think there are more things of interest regarding OL and actors therein (more on this, tomorrow and mood/current drama allowing). But your ask reminded me (and should remind anyone) there are other things happening under the sun than this.

I am still fighting with The Fiery Cross. Sometimes, I get tired of its unjustified slow burn and briefly seek solace somewhere else. While I quit the horrible habit of reading two books simultaneously years ago, I find soothing to sometimes take a break with a good poem.

This one, for example: Brecht's Questions From a Worker Who Reads (translated into English by M. Hamburger - probably the most satisfying version I could find on the Internet, right now - the original is um, more complex)

Who built Thebes of the seven gates? In the books you will find the name of kings. Did the kings haul up the lumps of rock? And Babylon, many times demolished. Who raised it up so many times? In what houses Of gold-glittering Lima did the builders live? Where, the evening that the Wall of China was finished Did the masons go? Great Rome Is full of triumphal arches. Who erected them? Over whom Did the Caesars triumph? Had Byzantium, much praised in song, Only palaces for its inhabitants? Even in fabled Atlantis The night the ocean engulfed it The drowning still bawled for their slaves.

The young Alexander conquered India. Was he alone? Caesar beat the Gauls. Did he not have even a cook with him? Philip of Spain wept when his armada Went down. Was he the only one to weep? Frederick the Second won the Seven Years' War. Who Else won it?

Every page a victory. Who cooked the feast for the victors? Every ten years a great man. Who paid the bill?

So many reports. So many questions.

Speaking of Byzantium, this reminded me of Bissera Pentcheva and Jonathan Abel's absolutely remarkable experiment into reconstructing (by computer) the acoustics of Constantinople's Agia Sophia and use it as an audio filter for sacred music recordings. In order to do that, she simply had to pop a balloon inside the cathedral (with special permit and adequate measuring and recording equipment) - it took her five days to get the perfect pitch. As a result, we now can hear those hymns the same way someone would around 1400, AD. This is probably the closest we could get to time travel:

youtube

Oh, and I am also watching The Crown's sixth and last season, as many in this fandom, I suppose. More on this, when we are completely done with it. OL was the only exception to my read/listen/watch it all before discussing it rule.

You are obviously Anon but I have to thank you for this! Brought up wonderful memories of week-ends in Constantinople, staying at the Hagia Sofia Mansions and nearly touching its roof from the window of my room in the Yeșil Ev villa. Today, it's over: the Hilton guys took the whole complex and revamped it, Mafia style.

But this memory will never go away:

... a room

....with a view:

Would it be a good idea to make a new, weekly series out of your ask, perhaps something along the lines of Life Beyond OL? I am seriously toying with it, if that's what it takes to try and keep a modicum of sanity during promo: you decide on this one, here is a poll.

#anon #poll

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pchuaymee · 3 months

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Happy Lunar New Year 2024!

新年快乐 2024！

Hi, dudes! It's me again.

While I was drawing this, my felt to got ideas block and exhausted very much to I will paint it with watercolor. Thus, I painted it with ink pens instead.

For Tibet fan art, I got reference from my oracle card in Tibetan culture theme as this:

And I will tell fun fact a few things about beliefs in Lunar New Year.

Don't cleaning in house, apartment, or accomodations in evening until to night on normal days or during celebration in new year and any festival that is not only belief in China, Japan, Vietnam, Korea. Thailand and India are believing this too. Because in the past, it was not existed to use electric in night. It makes you throw something is value this such as jewelry, gold or silver accessories, or coins. And also, many ppl always clean their house or accomodations in festival eve day or after festival day. Because nobody else do it while you are enjoying to celebrating in during day, right? They are feeling that too. LOL.

For Japanese Lunar New Year (Japanese is called "Shougatsu" 「正月: しょうがつ。: Shōgatsu」) , in the past. They were celebrating in lunar calendar in every year, but the after in 1873 AC. They are celebrating on 1st January in every year. Thus, Celebrating Japanese lunar new year in Japan which is celebrating new year of many countries too.

For Thai ppl who are not Thai-Chinese or Chinese in Thailand, they are can enjoy with this festival too. Because some Thai culture and Chinese culture are seeming similar such as praying for ancestors, respectful with family or someone who are seniors, and beliefs about position their house or accommodation. And also, Thai ppl are always be enjoy with festival which popular from other countries such as Christmas, Halloween, Lunar new year, Celebrating moon cake, or Navratri. Unless, some festival which restricted for Islamic, Christian, or some ppl who are minority in Thailand that mainly ppl or normal ppl cannot to be enjoying for celebrating with their festival too.

And I don't have any ideas unless I will say to you word that is I am always heard many ppl who are Thai-Chinese and Chinese in Thailand are said that

“新正如意，新年发財！” ❤️

#my art #hetalia #preawprawchanart #illustrations #nekotalia #illustration #happy lunar new year #chinese new year #aph asians #hws asia #ink #drawing #lunar new year

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satureja13 · 4 months

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CrHappy New Year - Part 3 It starts -> here

They went very quiet after Ji Ho's song. And when they were able to clear their thoughts, they started to discuss how amazing it was and what they would be able to achieve - until Saiwa stopped them. This was a party after all. They could ponder about this next year ;) And so he started the movie. 'Happy New Year' with Shah Rukh Khan. They are all crazy for him and happily sang 'India Waale' along with him.

'Yoon toh seedhe bade. Kabhi chahe toh haathon se lete lakeerein chura O humko parwah nahi. Joh bhi kehta hai kehne de jag yeh bhala ya bura Jaisi bhi marzi ho hamari.Karte hai aisi hoshyari Par dil se yaar joh le pukaar toh jaan nisaar kar daale'

'Usually we're very simple But if we want we can steal the lines from one's palms We don't care what the world says about us, good or bad Whatever we desire we attain that by using our smartness But if someone calls from their heart then we'll sacrifice our life for them' Saiwa cuddled with Jeb and Ji Ho moved closer to Vlad. They hadn't touched yet today and the Bond was hungry...

And when the movie was over it was midnight. Good timing! Happy New Year, Boys! It's the first New Year's Eve they spend all together.

Jack went outside to be alone for a while. But Kiyoshi followed him.

We'll never know if Kiyoshi was just mimicking the others or really wanted to embrace Jack. Jack let it happen. Even though his relationship with Kiyoshi drove him into utter madness and he never felt 'this fated mates thing', he loved Kiyoshi. And he misses him.

They didn't last long after midnight. Goats had to be fed and the winery had to be tidied up early next morning... Sai and Jeb went to their room first. Sai will finally ask Jeb what possessed him to wear this outfit today... Jeb: "Don't you remember? I wore this jacket on our first date and you bought me these trousers and then we had our first quarrel because I didn't like them and..." Saiwa: "Of course I remember. But why do you wear it when you don't like it? It's so not you - at all." Jeb: "You said in the library that staid and bland isn't your style...but my style is staid and bland and..." Saiwa: "Oh Jeb! Your style isn't staid and bland. It's your style and I love it. And I love you, no matter what you wear. Do not change because I say stupid stuff. I can't believe it - you yourself said that to me when I was worried you were disgusted by the way I dress." Jeb: "So you don't prefer any of my outfits over the other? And it doesn't matter what I wear?" Saiwa: "Uhm - not so fast. I'd really love to meet my professor again ;)"

Professor: "Here I am. So what was that important you wanted to meet me on New Years Eve?" Student: "I'm still worried about that seminar..." Professor: "Don't you worry. I'll help you prepare for it."

The Room where they celebrated is Vlad and Kiyoshi's room. Jack and Ji Ho share a room on the opposite side. Jack already went over. And Ji Ho hugged Vlad good night. Ji Ho: "I will learn how to love you, I promise." Vlad wanted to reassure him that it is fine if he doesn't love him. That he is fine. But before he could say anything, Ji Ho kissed him.

Ji Ho: "Shhh..."

Ah! I wish a very Happy and Healthy New Year to you! May we get a peaceful, silent 2024. Thank you for reading, following, commenting, liking - and existing <3 You are amazing!

From the Beginning ~ Underwater Love ~ Latest 🛺 'Home crappy Home' from the beginning ▶️ here 📚 Previous Chapters: 🌴 'The Expedition' from the beginning ▶️ here 🎤 'Putting the Boys Back together' from the beginning ▶️ here 🥀 'Disbandment of the Group' from the beginning ▶️ here

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melanielocke · 1 year

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Book recommendations - Queer POC books

Some more book recommendations, this time I'm focusing on Queer PoC books, all by authors of color. All the books shown in the picture are UK editions. I generally like it when books have a UK paperback edition because they're a lot cheaper than US hardcovers, usually also cheaper than US paperbacks, and release the same week as the US hardcover. I don't think these editions are always available if you live in North America, but to those living in Europe, buying UK editions can save you a lot of money. Other parts of the world I honestly don't know which editions are easiest to come by. Only downside for UK editions is that sometimes there are some with a redesigned cover that is very ugly. Of the books shown here, only the Witchery has a different cover than the US edition but in this case I like both.

Starting with this Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron

This is a duology, the second and last book was released last June and so this is a complete series. It is inspired by Greek mythology, and specifically, the myth of Medea, and follows Briseis, who was adopted and inherits an estate from her aunt whom she never met. Briseis has always been able to make plants grow, and is immune to poisonous plants, and at the estate she discovers her birth family had these same gifts, and they keep a garden with some of the most poisonous plants in the world. This book has some great characters, and Briseis was adopted and raised by two sapphic Black mothers, who also play a big role in this series. This series has also served as inspiration for the Lightwood's magic garden in Flowers Bloom

Also by this author: Cinderella is Dead, which I'd also recommend, the Vanquishers, a MG which I did not read

Upcoming books: My Dear Henry, a Jekyll & Hide retelling (3-2023); You're not Supposed to Die Tonight, a slasher horror (6-2023)

Next up is Afterlove by Tanya Byrne

This is a sapphic love story with a MC of Indian decent. At New Years's Eve, just before midnight, Ash is hit by a car and dies instantly. She gets the offer to become a reaper, who guide the city's dead to their afterlife. But Ash can't forget Poppy, her girlfriend, and will do anything to get to see her again.

I haven't seen a lot of people talk about this book, but I really enjoyed it. The main focus is the romance here, and it's more romance with a fantasy aspect to it than fantasy.

Other books by this author: there are several other older books, none of which I've read

Upcoming books: The Mermaid of Black Rock (9-2023), a sapphic book about a girl with no memory found in the sea and a girl who falls in love with her

The Jasmine Throne is the only adult series I put in this list (the rest is YA), and is a fantasy trilogy set in an India inspired world. Book 1 and 2 are out now.

Malini is a princess who is imprisoned in an old temple by her dictator brother, an emperor obsessed with religious ideas revolving women gaining purity and immortality by being burnt alive. Malini refused to burn for his sake.

Priya is a maidservant who travels to the temple every night to clean Malini's chambers. Before her land was conquered by Malini's family, Priya was a temple child, and she had passed through the magical deathless waters once, but all the temple children were murdered except a few who survived and she has to hide her past.

Malini and Priya eventually start working together, with the goal of restoring the throne to Malini's other, oldest brother who'd abandoned the throne to become a priest.

Other books by this author: The Books of Ambha duology, adult fantasy, and What Souls are Made of, a YA Wuthering Heights retelling

Upcoming books: Book 3 of the series, scheduled for 2023, currently no release date known

The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas is one of my personal favorites of this year. It's the first book in a YA fantasy duology set in a world inspired by Mexican culture. In this world, the sunbearer trials are held every ten years to replenish the energy of the sol stones and keep the sun alive and evil gods at bay. Ten demigods (called semidioses) are chosen by Sol to compete in a set of trials. The winner becomes the Sunbearer and gets to replenish the sol stones. The loser becomes a human sacrifice that is necessary to replenish said stones.

Semidioses are divided in gold and jade categories, depending on if their parent is a gold or jade god. Gold gods are the most powerful gods, ruling over things like the earth, the seas, fire etc, while jade gods are considered less powerful and their children too. There haven't been any jade competitors in the Sunbearer trials in over a century, but that year, two are chosen.

Teo is the transgender son of Quetzal, the goddess of birds, and he never expected to be chosen for the trials. The other jade is Xio, the son of Mala Suerte, god of bad luck. The other 8 competitors are all gold semidioses, including Teo's best friend Niya, daughter of Tierra, god of the Earth and the twin children of the fire goddess, Aurelio and Auristela. Compared to many of the others, Teo does not have a lot of powers and will have to fight with everything he has to survive.

The fantasy world in this book is modern second world, so while everything is different from this world, there are equivalents of instagram and tiktok for example, and they have trading cards featuring different semidiose heroes.

Other books by the author: Cemetery Boys, Lost in the Never Woods, I've read both and they're very good

Upcoming books: book 2 of the sunbearer trials (expected in 2023), companion/sequel to Cemetery Boys (fall 2024), untitled book pitched as gay titanic in space (2024), Just Max (a contemporary set in college, 2024).

I don't think it's likely there'll be 3 books coming out in 2024 but that's the information I currently have

The last book in the picture is the Witchery by S. Isabelle

This book features four witches and two human boys. Logan only recently found out she's a witch and transferred to a school for witches, and so far she's no good at it. But she's taken under the wing by the Red Three, three Black witches and the most powerful witches at the school. Thalia, a greenwitch, Iris, a deathwitch and Jailah, the most powerful witch at school, want to end the curse that's plaguing their town, and want Logan's help to do it.

Every year, there's a Haunting Season during which wolves come out of the swamp and kill people. The witches can protect people, to some extent, but the Red Three want to end the Haunting Season once and for all.

This book has a total of 6 POV's, which can make it confusing but I think it worked well. All the characters were interesting, but there wasn't enough space to flesh them all out as much as I would have liked. Still, I think the story was great, and would recommend it. There's not much focus on romance, but Jailah is a lesbian which is why I included it on this list.

Other books by this author: The Witchery is her first book

Upcoming books: another book is expected to be released in 2023. I have no idea what this book is about

Let me know if there are specific recommendations you'd like me to cover next time, I think I'll make more posts like these because it's lots of fun. Also, if you've read any of the books I recommend and want to talk about it, let me know, because I don't have a lot of people to talk about my favorite books with

@alastaircarstairsdefenselawyer @life-through-the-eyes-of @astriefer @justanormaldemon @ipromiseiwillwrite @a-dream-dirty-and-bruised @amchara @all-for-the-fanfiction @imsoftforthomastair @ddepressedbookworm @queenlilith43 @wagner-fell @cant-think-of-anything @laylax13s @tessherongraystairs @boredfangirl16 @artist-in-soul @bottomdelioncourt @ikissedsmithparker

#book recommendations #queer books #poc books #qpoc books #This Poison Heart #This Wicked Fate #Kalynn Bayron #The Jasmine Throne #the Oleander Sword #Tasha Suri #The Witchery #S Isabelle #the Sunbearer Trials #Aiden Thomas #Afterlove #Tanya Byrne

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angchongyicritic · 1 month

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Ang Chong Yi suggests top Chinese dishes you must try

China is blessed with diverse natural landscapes, historical artifacts, and a rich culinary culture due to its breathtaking territory and rich cultural past. You cannot skip China when talking about the top cuisines in the world. There are eight different types of Chinese cuisine, each with its unique blend of hot, spicy, and sour characteristics. But in this article, Ang Chong Yi tells the top Chinese dishes you must try when you visit China. If you also like to explore the dishes of China’s neighbor India, Ang Chong Yi talks about it in Exploring India’s Culinary Diversity Ang Chong Yi’s Epic Food Expedition.

Must try Chinese foods:

Dumplings

Dumplings are an essential Chinese delicacy served at the Chinese New Year's Eve reunion supper, especially in the north. The filling combines minced beef, hog, chicken, or mutton with chopped veggies. It is then wrapped into a thin slice of dumpling skin and pinched into the shape of an ear. Individuals wrap dates, peanuts, money, or brown sugar in dumplings for good luck on Chinese New Year.

Kung Pao Chicken

Kung Pao Chicken is popular for being sweet and sour with a hint of spice. Diced chicken is a key component of Kung Pao Chicken. The chicken can be made to taste crisp and fresh, spicy without being overly hot, by stir-frying it with peanuts and dried chile.

Chow Mein

Stir-fried noodles are called chow mein in Cantonese. They are one of the best Chinese meals, and they usually consist of noodles, green pepper, onion, sliced pork, and green onion. First, the noodles must be cooked until they are 90% done. Then, after cooling, they should be stir-fried with other ingredients until golden yellow. For most Chinese folks, chow mein is the go-to late-night meal because it doesn't require extensive preparation.

Yangzhou Fried Rice

Yangzhou Fried Rice is enjoyed throughout the nation and is unquestionably one of the most well-known Chinese foods. The two key components of this food are eggs and rice. Yangzhou Fried Rice, which is served with ham, shrimp, and peas, is colorful and fresh-tasting, tantalizing customers' appetites.

Fish-Flavored Shredded Pork

Contrary to its name, a variety of seasonings, such as starch, cooking wine, soy sauce, salt, white sugar, and broad bean paste, give this dish its fish flavor. After chopping the meat into slices, people stir-fry lean pork slices with lettuce, dried agarics, ginger, and garlic. The Fish-Flavored Shredded Pork gives a refreshing mix of spice and sweetness.

Hot Pot

Chinese people view hot pot as the best option for hosting a dinner party. As its name suggests, hot pot is prepared in a large wok that is kept warm on top of a stove. After the soup has reached a boiling point, people add meat slices and different veggies to the wok and allow them to cook through. China Hot Pot is represented by the fiery Chongqing Hot Pot and Beijing Copper Pot, which has instant-boiled mutton.

Final thoughts

Your next China trip will be fun with these dishes, but if you visit Singapore, which shares China’s culture, you will be surprised to know the similarities between both cuisines. If you are curious to exlore Singapore’s cuisine, read Ang Chong Yi — Encounter with Singapore’s Urban Food Symphony before your travel.

#ang chong yi #food bloggers #royal cuisine #chinese food #Hot Pot #Chow mein

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strangerqueerthings · 10 months

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Working on a Mungrove Werewolf!AU bc @weird-an is a horrible enabler ♥

Working title (for now) is Thicker Than Water.

"The blood of the pack is thicker than the water of the womb"

Posting some brainstorming below the cut.

Plot:

Billy Hargrove knows he's different. His father treats him like a ticking time bomb, and after an odd instance where he had a collapse and what felt like a full body migraine after a particularly bad encounter with Neil, the entire family is dragged across the country.

Eddie and Wayne Munson are werewolves, and have established a loosely connected, unofficial pack with other werewolves in Hawkins and the surrounding area. They lie low, knowing there's families in Hawkins who are members of a known Anti-Werewolf hate group, but they have no idea that it's all about to get worse, because the Hawkins lab is experimenting with their kind, to create super soldiers for the US military- and that those experiments are going to create a lot of problems for humans and lycans alike.

It all gets worse when a new family moves in- not only does Eddie peg the new boy his age as another werewolf the instant he sees him, but he learns this new lycan doesn't even know what he is.

Now, Billy is going to have to accept the fact that he's not human in order to find the family- and possibly the partner- he's always wanted, as well as a purpose in life that doesn't make him feel like a walking disaster waiting to happen.

Overview:

→Werewolves are a thing, but were nearly hunted to extinction by the early 1900's. A clandestine treaty between the remaining packs and heads of various governments established an addendum to the Geneva Convention that includes werewolves as a protected group.

→The United States, Romania, Brazil, Canada, parts of Russia and Serbia, South Africa, parts of India, and Australia are declared safe haven territories for werewolves- where killing them is considered the same as killing a human being.

→There are still hate groups underground that are devoted to eradicating werewolves, and though their existence is declared "urban legend," and "on par with the Illuminati" as far as proving their existence goes, they indeed exist, and they view werewolves as less than human, as well as a threat. (Many of them are also racist against non-whites and use the group as a front for their hate crimes- and their group members look the other way.)

→ The main hate group calls themselves "The Sons of Cain," referring to their twisted view of the biblical story of Cain and Abel, wherein Cain slew Abel because he was born with the curse of beast blood- and Eve thanked Cain for erasing the mistake she had borne, with Seth, her third son being a replacement for the aberration.

→ The Sons of Cain see themselves as modern day descendants of Cain, slaying descendants of Abel- which they call "The Spawn of Abel" so that the son of Cain and Seth may replace them.

→ A group of humans related to, or in close connection with werewolves who were killed or affected by the crimes of the Sons of Cain formed a group to protect them, called the Werewolf Liberation Front.

→ The WLF assists werewolves in legal matters, provides financial support, or assists werewolves in escaping areas that have become dangerous due to local government and/or law enforcement becoming embedded or overtaken by SOC.

→ Instead of MK-Ultra, the Hawkins Lab is experimenting with werewolves and their offspring to create telepathically linked super soldiers to fight Russia.

→ El is the penultimate result of these experiments.

---

Werewolves:

Eddie Munson

Wayne Munson

Jim Hopper

Billy Hargrove

Gareth Hemming

Sue Sinclair

Erica Sinclair

Patrick McKinney

Robin Buckley

Argyle Ochoa

99% of the Bingham family*

Yuri Ismaylov

MK-Ultra Werewolves:‡

Henry/One

Jane/Eleven

Kali/Eight

Sons of Cain:

Phil Callahan

The Carver family

Larry Kline

The Harrington family**

Werewolf Liberation Front/Werewolf Allies

The Byers family

Bob Newby

Murray Bauman

Charles Sinclair

Lucas Sinclair

Sam Owens

Barbara Holland

Chrissy Cunningham

Jeff Armstrong

Dustin Henderson

Max Mayfield

Scott Clarke

Heather Holloway

Blissfully/Willfully Ignorant:

The Wheeler family***

Tommy Hagan

Carol Perkins

Tom Holloway

Janet Holloway

*The only non-werewolf in the Bingham family is Mr. Bingham- he does his best to control his pack of werewolf children while his wife is at work, but Eden and Suzie often do most of the heavy lifting, as he's woefully incompetent at getting his (nearly) feral children to listen to him as a human parent.

**Steve is not a Son of Cain, and while he struggles with actually taking a side in the "Sons of Cain vs the Spawn of Abel" debate because he risks being disowned, he can't get behind joining a literal hate group- but due to being raised by a Son of Cain... he needs helps unlearning his prejudice against werewolves.

***Once Nancy and Mike learn about werewolves, they want to support them. Karen, on the other hand, tries calling Billy a predator, and tries to rile up the entire town against him, saying he tried to seduce her, and is a danger to the children of Hawkins. Ted calls her out on her bullshit, asking why a 17/18 y/o boy would try to seduce a married woman, and asks why he's a threat if Holly- a notoriously skittish child- adores Billy as a swim teacher.

‡: These are the ones I am including as characters in the fic- the rest are included by default, but will be background characters, or mentioned in passing.

This fic is actually going to be a challenge to myself- I don't like Steve. (St/eddie fans have realllllly made me wary about him, and I have YET to be in a Mungrove related discussion/community etc where a Steve fan didn't try to make it about Steve or include him somewhere... so needless to say, he irritates the fuck out of me because I can't get away from him.) This is a challenge to me to write him having better character growth that the show doesn't really do well enough for me to like him- and hopefully grow to like him in at least ONE iteration. That being said- no, there won't be any ships involving Steve in this. Focusing on Mungrove ♥

#mungrove #sqt drabble #Fic: Thicker Than Water

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spacetimewithstuartgary · 3 months

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A new kink in proton spectrum will enhance our knowledge of cosmic ray origin The GRAPES-3 experiment in Ooty, India, operated by the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research has discovered a new feature in the cosmic-ray proton spectrum at around 166 tera-electron-volt (TeV) energy while measuring the spectrum spanning from 50 TeV to a little over one peta-electron-volt (PeV). The observed feature suggests a potential re-evaluation of our understanding of cosmic-ray sources, acceleration mechanisms, and their propagation within our Galaxy.Cosmic rays were discovered more than a century ago. They are considered as the most energetic particles to be existed in the Universe. Our planet is constantly bombarded by them from outer space almost uniformly from all directions at a constant rate. They enter into our Earth’s atmosphere and induce a shower of particles that travel to the ground almost at the speed of light. The shower particles constitute electrons, photons, muons, protons, neutrons etc.Cosmic rays have been observed over a remarkably wide energy range (108 to 1020 eV). The flux of cosmic ray particles decreases steeply with energy according to power-law. A kink in the cosmic-ray proton at about 3 PeV known as the knee which was discovered about seven decade ago, is believed to be the maximum energy for cosmic-ray acceleration within the Galactic sources. Single power-law description of the cosmic ray spectrum up to the knee energy has been held for a long time and explained by various models. This observation by the GRAPES-3 experiment shows a new feature above 100 TeV and below the knee.Utilizing a combination of a dense array of plastic scintillator detectors and a large-area muon detector, the researchers at the GRAPES-3 experiment collected data with a collection area several thousand times larger than space-based detectors, allowing for a more detailed examination of cosmic rays above 100 TeV, where space-based measurements lack precision due to low statistics. About a sub-set of eight million cosmic ray shower events recorded by these detectors was analysed by Fahim Varsi and other team members to measure the cosmic-ray spectrum combined with CPU-intensive computer simulations.The study was led by Pravata K. Mohanty, the Principal Investigator of the GRAPES-3 experiment and a faculty member at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai. The findings have been published in Physical Review Letters.

IMAGE....A view of the GRAPES-3 experiment in Ooty, India depicted with a simulated cosmic ray shower. Results of cosmic ray proton spectrum measurement by GRAPES-3 along with space and ground-based experiments are shown. Credit TIFR

#science #space #astronomy #physics #news #astrophysics

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nicklloydnow · 4 months

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On Today’s Episode of World War III

“On Tuesday, the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed our worst suspicions concerning the pace of Iran’s nuclear weaponization program. “Iran,” it concluded, “has increased the rate at which it is producing near weapons grade uranium in recent weeks, reversing a previous slowdown that started in the middle of this year.”

According to the IAEA, Iranian enrichment of Uranium-235 to near weapons-grade level had increased to an estimated 9 kilograms per month by the end of November. It takes just five times that amount of uranium, enriched to 90 percent, to sustain a nuclear chain reaction for one nuclear bomb.

Presently, it is believed that Iran has enriched at least 128.3 kilograms of Uranium-235 to 60 percent, and 567.1 kilograms to 20 percent. Do the math based on Iran Watch’s estimates of its current centrifuge capacity, and Iran is now capable of enriching sufficient mass to 90 percent for three nuclear bombs in less than one week. Tehran could have a fourth bomb in one to two weeks more, and a fifth within roughly one month’s time.

(…)

We are in a very different world now than when that deal was first made. Moscow and Beijing are actively engaged in the equivalent of an ideological World War III against the U.S. that is increasingly turning kinetic. Iran has repeatedly demonstrated a willingness to undermine U.S. diplomacy and national security interests throughout the Middle East.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was behind the funding and planning of Hamas’s Oct. 7 terrorist attacks in Israel. Tehran’s plunging of Gaza into war undermined U.S. efforts to normalize relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, and Iran-sponsored militias including Hezbollah and the Houthis are actively attacking U.S. military and naval forces in Iraq, Syria, Red Sea, and Gulf of Aden.

As his country nears a nuclear breakout, Khamenei is only becoming bolder. On Dec. 23, the Pentagon reported that the Chem Pluto, a chemical tanker sailing from Saudi Arabia to India, was struck in the Indian Ocean “by a drone launched from Iran.” Iranian threats against the West and Europe are also starting to come fast and furious. On Christmas Eve, Tehran threatened to close the Straits of Gibraltar and the Mediterranean Sea.

Iran will become bolder still if allowed to achieve nuclear status. We are on borrowed time now, rapidly approaching the point wherein a kinetic response will be the only option remaining.

(…)

On the Doomsday Clock, it is already five minutes and counting past midnight in Armageddon. Unless the White House acts now, Iran’s status as a nuclear power will be a fait accompli.”

“More than 100 people were killed and scores injured Wednesday in two blasts that struck the central Iranian city of Kerman, emergency services said. Thousands of mourners had gathered there to commemorate Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani on the fourth anniversary of his assassination in a U.S. drone strike in Iraq in 2020.

A spokesman for the country’s emergency department was quoted by Iran’s state-run news agency as saying 103 people were killed and 188 were injured.

The deputy governor of Kerman, the slain general’s hometown, said the incident was a “terrorist attack,” according to Iran’s official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). The explosions occurred about a half-mile from Soleimani’s burial place, on a road to the graveyard, the agency reported.

(…)

The blasts Wednesday came amid intensifying involvement by Iranian-backed militant groups in a confrontation with Israel and its principal backer, the United States, during Israel’s war in Gaza.”

“Hamas on Tuesday accused Israel of killing Saleh al-Arouri, a top leader of the group, along with two commanders from its armed wing, the Qassam Brigades. Mr. al-Arouri is the senior-most Hamas figure to be killed since Israel vowed to destroy the organization and eliminate its leadership after a deadly Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7.

Mr. al-Arouri was assassinated in an explosion in a suburb of Beirut, Lebanon’s capital, marking the first such assassination of a top Hamas official outside the West Bank and Gaza in recent years. It comes as officials across the region are worried about the war in Gaza igniting a wider conflagration.

(…)

“No one is safe if they had any hand in planning, raising money for or carrying out these attacks,” said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal discussions. Citing Israel’s vow to hunt down the perpetrators of the Oct. 7 attack wherever they are, the official added, “This is just the beginning, and it’ll go on for years.”

(…)

Mr. al-Arouri played a key role in Hamas’s relationships with its regional allies and in increasing Hamas’s military capabilities, according to regional and Western officials. A longtime Hamas operative, he was one of the founders of the group’s armed wing and was linked to a number of attacks on Israeli civilians, including the kidnapping and killing of three teenagers in the West Bank in 2014, which he called a “heroic operation.”

(…)

Mr. al-Arouri worked with Yahya Sinwar, Hamas’s chief in Gaza, in recent years to link the group’s military wing more closely to Iran, which, regional security officials say, most likely helped the group develop some of the capabilities it used in the Oct. 7 attack. Israel has accused Mr. Sinwar of helping to plot the assault, which officials say killed about 1,200 people and saw 240 others abducted to Gaza.

(…)

Israel for decades has made assassinations of its enemies in other countries a key part of its defense strategy. In the past two weeks, Iran has accused Israel of assassinating two Iranian generals in Iraq and Syria who liaised with the regional militant groups backed by Iran. Israel has also carried out high-profile assassinations of senior Iranian military commanders and nuclear scientists in Iran and Syria, including Iran’s top nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, and Col. Sayad Khodayee, a commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps.”

#iran #israel #hamas #gaza #nuclear #nuclear weapons #world war #world war iii #wwiii

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haggishlyhagging · 5 months

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Since the abatement of censorship, masculine hostility (psychological or physical) in specifically sexual contexts has become far more apparent. Yet as masculine hostility has been fairly continuous, one deals here probably less with a matter of increase than with a new frankness in expressing hostility in specifically sexual contexts. It is a matter of release and freedom to express what was once forbidden expression outside of pornography or other "underground" productions, such as those of De Sade. As one recalls both the euphemism and the idealism of descriptions of coitus in the Romantic poets (Keats's Eve of St. Agnes), or the Victorian novelists (Hardy, for example) and contrasts it with Miller or William Burroughs, one has an idea of how contemporary literature has absorbed not only the truthful explicitness of pornography, but its anti-social character as well. Since this tendency to hurt or insult has been given free expression, it has become far easier to assess sexual antagonism in the male.

The history of patriarchy presents a variety of cruelties and barbarities: the suttee execution in India, the crippling deformity of footbinding in China, the lifelong ignominy of the veil in Islam, or the widespread persecution of sequestration, the gynacium, and purdah. Phenomenon such as clitoroidectomy, clitoral incision, the sale and enslavement of women under one guise or another, involuntary and child marriages, concubinage and prostitution, still take place—the first in Africa, the latter in the Near and Far East, the last generally. The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as "the battle of the sexes" bears a certain resemblance to the formulas of nations at war, where any heinousness is justified on the grounds that the enemy is either an inferior species or really not human at all. The patriarchal mentality has concocted a whole series of rationales about women which accomplish this purpose tolerably well. And these traditional beliefs still invade our consciousness and affect our thinking to an extent few of us would be willing to admit.

-Kate Millett, Sexual Politics

#kate millett #male behavior #male violence #female oppression #patriarchy #males are incompatible with health

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boricuacherry-blog · 6 months

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The woman who was found murdered in her Redmond apartment had recently moved to the area and loved to ride her motorcycle and was, according to her supervisor at a Bellevue software-development company, "a shooting star."

Arpana Jinaga was a 24-year-old software-quality engineer from India who was building a circle of friends, exploring the region on her motorcycle, and reveling in the freedoms the United States had to offer her. She had attended Rutgers University, won an international software award, and was a rising star at the Bellevue company she worked for. Described as outgoing and friendly, she would try anything just to say she had attempted the experience. She had, on a whim, joined a motorcycle club after seeing a woman riding one on the street. She practiced Tae Kwon do, volunteered at an animal shelter and fire department, and she'd done all of this within only eight months of moving to Redmond, Washington.

From the Indian town of Hyderabad, Arpana's father was a professor of computer engineering and her mother a homemaker. She was close with her younger sister Pavitra and her family. Growing up, Arpana was creative, enjoying singing, dancing and gymnastics, described by everyone as a girl with a bright and bubbly personality.

When she was younger she entered a design hardware competition, doing so well, potential universities paid attention. She excelled in computer engineering, and in the specialty of embedded systems. She also sang in a band. When she was 21, in a microchip design competition against thousands of people, Arpana placed top twenty. Each contestant received their own design kit, and Arpana created a communications jammer with hers, attracting even more attention. In 2005, the Indian Express wrote an article about her, entitled "Young Inventors," in which she was interviewed on her love for computers and innovation. She dreamed of being a professor like her father.

Her father encouraged her to apply for the masters program at Rutgers in New Jersey. And she did, traveling to the U.S. to major in engineering. After arriving she began working at EMC as a software quality assurance engineer. In only 6 months, promoted to lead programmer, a testament to her work ethic.

In 2008, she was transferred to a new office in Redmond, Washington, a suburb just outside of Seattle - the tech town where Microsoft and Intendo were started - moving into the third floor of an apartment in the Valley View apartment complex.

Each floor in the complex only had about five or six rooms, but she quickly made friends there. This was when she bought a Suzuki motorcycle and began lessons on driving it and joining the Pacific Northwest Riders, a local motorcycle club. She also volunteered at the Redmond Fire Department and an animal shelter in Bellevue. She loved animals and would speak of one day opening one for endangered animals.

On the eve of October 30, she planned to host a Halloween party at the complex. Each room would have a different theme in the building, and her costume would be Little Red Riding Hood. Over a dozen people mixed with each other and people seemed to enjoy it, and at 9pm, Arpana and her friends were still having fun. She walked the halls with a glass of wine, posing with people for pictures. At around midnight, she had everyone come to her apartment to eat pizza. After that, they all made their way to the first floor and continued the party.

Just before 3am, things started to slow down. Her friend Jessica remembers a conversation they had shortly before they parted ways that evening. Arpana was telling her how lucky she was to be a woman living in the U.S., and how hard things were growing up in India. Jessica tried to tell her that things weren't always so easy in the U.S. either, to which Arpana began to cry, simply stating, "You have no idea."

Still slightly emotional, she retreated back to her own apartment around 3am, alone. But despite her leaving alone, for the next hour, her neighbor reported hearing what they thought sounded like consensual sex. They heard muffled moaning come from her apartment walls.

At 8am the next morning, her neighbor was woken up by what sounded like a growing sound that sounded like either someone having sex, or vomiting, coming from Arpana's apartment, followed by a loud thud - then the sound of running water.

When Arpana's family waited for her phone call that next day, they received no call. They texted her, and received no response. The family called someone they knew to check on her.

This person agreed and went to knock on her door, but surprisingly, the door just swung open. The door frame and the lock had been broken. When he and a neighbor entered the room, there were clear signs of a struggle. They walked into Arpana's bedroom -

and that's when they found her laying face down on the floor, under a sheet, naked, and covered with blood. When authorities arrived, the immediately knew this was a homicide. An overwhelming smell of bleach permeated the room, as if someone had tried to clean up, and Arpana's comforter was in the tub, soaking in water and bleach. Blood was still on it though. The rest of the sheets were missing. Police also found Arpana's tampon, which was presumably in at the time of the attack and was now on the floor of her bedroom. Bleach was on the furniture, and motor oil had been dumped all around the apartment, and around her body.

Arpana's body was taken for an autopsy, which confirmed she had been raped. Unfortunately no DNA was able to be gathered, likely due to a condom being used. She also had blunt force trauma to the head, several of her teeth had been broken, she had bruises on her stomach, thighs and wrists, and her own underwear had been used to gag her mouth. Duct tape had also been placed over her mouth. Death was determined to be asphyxiation, which was done with a bootlace. Her fingers were stained blue with toilet cleaner and she had bleach and motoroil over her from the waist down, as well as small burn marks. It appeared that someone had attempted to light her body on fire but failed, since motoroil isn't flammable. Her bloodstained bathrobe and bedsheets were found in a dumpster outside the apartment. Arpana's ID, her blackberry phone and her digital camera were missing.

Police were suspicious of one of Arpana's neighbors - Cameron Johnson. There were some discrepancies in his timeline to police, and police found printed out maps for pawnshops in his car, printed at 10am, but he claimed he woke up at 10am. He also said he went to Denny's that morning then drove two hours to the Canadian border but wasn't let through because he didn't have a passport with him. When asked about this, he said he was just in the mood to explore. Canadian officials, however, stated that he tried to "blow through the border gates."

One neighbor said he came home at 3am the night of the murder and saw a man at Arpana's door who was between 5'11 and 6'3, with olive skin - a description that matched Cameron - talking to someone in the apartment. But since Arpana's door had been kicked in, it's hard to know if these two incidents are connected.

It was also discovered that someone had been using Arpana's computer at 3:29 that morning.

To everyone's surprise though, the man police ended up arresting was 27-year-old Emanuel Fair.

Emanuel Fair had been going by the name 'Anthony Parker.' According to Detective Coats, he was looking at photos from the Halloween party, when he noticed Fair, who was dressed as a construction worker, in the background of the photos. He stood out as the only black man at the party. He also appeared to be an outsider. He started sending the photos out to other officers, asking if anyone knew him. Turns out they did - there was a warrant out for his arrest.

Emanuel Fair had a criminal record. He had gang affiliations and had been arrested many times before for various crimes - robbery, gun possession, drug possession - and, what caught Detective Coats' attention - a rape charge.

Only four years earlier, he had been charged with raping a minor, after that minor called 911 and reported it. The 15-year-old reported him violently raping her at gunpoint. When apprehended, he claimed the encounter was consensual, which legally it wasn't, since she was a minor. He took an Alford plea and pled guilty to third degree sexual assault, where the max imprisonment is only five years.

Because he was considered a level 1 offender, he only served two years of his sentence and got out.

There was a warrant out for his arrest because he had broken his probation and failed to update his sex offender status in the registry for the second time.

After he had been released from prison in 2006 he was couchsurfing, and ended up on the couch of Leslie Potts, who lived in same complex as Arpana. Leslie had met Fair over MySpace.

Apparently, Fair and Cameron Johnson had spent a lot of time together at the Halloween party the night Arpana was murdered.

And it turned out that Fair's DNA was found at the crime scene, and specifically, on the duct tape found over Arpana's mouth. His DNA was also found on her neck, and mixed in with the blood found on the robe in the dumpster. He was also interviewed multiple times, and found to have inconsistencies in his story. Leslie didn't see him until the morning, so she couldn't confirm where he was. Also, he claimed to have been asleep between 1 and 2am, but during that time he had made 20 different calls to people. Leslie also said she found an empty condom wrapper on the table that hadn't been there before.

The tape that was found on Arpana's mouth had strands of her hair on it, as well as a lot of Fair's DNA - this meant it couldn't have been transfer DNA, and Fair did touch this piece of tape. It's also believed she was wearing the robe when she was attacked, which is why Detective Coats found it compelling that Fair's DNA was found mixed in with the blood on it. His DNA was also found on toilet paper in the bathroom. Cameron's DNA was on the can of motoroil - an amount of DNA that meant he had at some point physically touched it. A forensic DNA analyst stated that the evidence pointed to Fair committing the crime, and that Cameron might have been apart of the clean-up. Fair's DNA appeared to be the one tied to the crime though.

Fair was charged with first degree murder and rape, and transferred to King County to await trial. Detectives did not, however, have enough evidence to charge or convict Cameron with a crime.

Fair's defense attorneys claimed he was only looked at due to racism. They also questioned the legitimacy of the forensic technology used. This hindered the case going to court for several years, in order for detectives and prosecutors to prove the legitimacy of the technology. At the time it wasn't as commonly used [although now it is]. The DNA technology company refused to give over the source code that ran the program [he didn't want it stolen by other companies], so that held up the case going to trial for years. In the end, it was verified that the DNA technology was very reliable.

Seven years after Fair's arrest, the trial began, but it was a hung jury. They were deadlocked. Another trial was held. Because Cameron was possibly also implicated in the crime, Fair's defense attorneys used that as a cause for reasonable doubt that Cameron could have been the one responsible. This was enough reasonable doubt for Fair to get off. That, along with the fact that Fair's previous rape charge and criminal convictions could not be disclosed in the trial.

This case is still left without a conclusion, as a result.

#true crime #arpana jinaga #redmond #washington #emanuel fair #cameron johnson #homicide #unresolved #2008

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