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yandere-kokeshi · 2 years

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Yandere Kirishima, Katsuki, and Izuku reacting to getting their head squished between their darling's thighs

Request(ed?): Yes! ‐ hi! Quick question, how would ejiro, katsuki, and deku react to their darling squishing their thighs onto them 🤔 😳 asking for a friend — requested by🧋anon.

Warnings: Yandere behavior and nsfw hinted.

Author Note: Thank you so much for the request, this was really fun to write!!

Ejiro Kirishima / Red Riot

One of the ways to get him excited. He's dumbfounded, looking straight ahead at the TV while his face turns bright red and his pants start to tighten.

He's known for his horny ways, and as your thighs are a huge turn-on, he'd immediately get excited and start to lick his lips while planning for something devious.

— Kirishima fingers start to trail the top of your thighs, pressing gentle kisses on the inside before biting and tickling you; of course, after a minute or two of you playing with his hair. He quickly goes back to biting your thighs before launching himself to your crotch; ripping off your undergarments.

Katsuki Bakugo / Dynamite

Stops moving before chuckling loudly.

Not an ounce of embarrassment is shown on his face. Again, another one who gets horny fast. But! He does enjoy your thighs; especially in this position.

— Katsuki tightens his grip on your thighs, dragging his thumb downwards before biting your fat; leaving a few hickies on them. He instantly grabs you, throws you over his shoulder before leaving to a room you, oh so knew.

Izuku Midoriya / Deku

He's a stuttering mess, face red while asking if you want a massage or... something else.

Again, another one who gets horny very easily; he polity brushes off his sweating and squirming because he's uncomfortable. But the more you two sit there, he says 'fuck it.'

— Izuku's hands are hugging your thighs as his head is resting against your tummy, Izuku consistently moves; whining lowly before he starts to lick your thighs, exploring your skin with his touch and mouth. Then, he's aiming for your crotch, begging for more politely.

—

Masterlist | Stay well!

Do not plagiarize, repost, modify, translate or copy my work.

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idiot-in-the-walls · 3 days

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Some of my favorite moments in the Underworld saga

• nothing’s what it seeeems (nothing’s what it seems)

• 558 men. Who DIED under your. Command. • WHY WOULD YOU LET THE CYCLOPS LIVE WHEN RUTH. LESS. NESS IS MERCY!

• I keep thinking of the INfant from thAt night. I keep thinking of the INfant from thAt night.

• This life is amaaazing, when you greet it with Open Arms…

• Polities…

• Literally the rest of the Polities part lmao it B R O K E M E

• WAIIIIIIITIIIIIIIIIING.

• That voice…Mom?

• The rest of the part BROKE ME AS WELL.

• I’ll always love youuuuuu

• THE WAY THEY SANG ‘Waiiiiiitiiiiiiiinggg’ TOGETHER. JUST RIP ME INTO PIECES.

• . . . ALL I HEAR ARE SCREEEAAAAMS.

• Tiresias’s voice. Just. I can’t imagine anyone else as Tiresias omfg.

• Now you tEll Us our EFFORTS FOR NOTHING?!

• A man, with a trail. Of bodieeeeeeees.

• WHO?? (Odysseus said calmly)

• But it’s no longer….

• YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU.

• The first 4 seconds that sound SO SIMILAR to The Horse and the Infant just.

• I’m the only one whose line I havnt crossed.

• What if I’m the monster… what if I’m in the wrong?

• When he sings abt the cyclops, Circe, and Poseidon but he says he’s morally worse than all of them kills me.

• oOH RUTHLESSNESS IS MERCY APON OURSELVES (MON. STEEEEEEER)

• And deep down I know this well

• I lost my BEST FRIEND, I LOST MY MENTOR, MY MOM. 500 MEN GONE, THIS CANT GO ON!

• So if we must sail through DANGEROUS OCEANS AND BEACHES ILL GO WHERE POSEIDON WON’T REACH US.

•AND IF I GOTTA DROP ANOTHER INFANT FROM A WAALL IN AN INSTANT SO WE ALL DONT DIE??

• THEN I’L BECOME THE MONSTER. I WILL DEAL THE BLOW. • … he’s just. Leaving all of his morals to just get home 😭

#epic the musical #epic the underworld saga #Monster

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st-just · 2 years

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hey, did you know that Seth Dickinson has a blog? He's got some really good articles picking through why exactly he made the writing choices he did for Baru Cormorant. Also some completely unhinged posts. like, what even is this: https://www.sethdickinson.com/2016/05/28/sex-dickinstone/

(nothing about when book 4 comes out, alas. that's why I looked him up in the first place)

I DID NOT!

Thank you for this very important information.

Also the most recent post from February is also a great way to set the tone I think

United under the God-Emperor Aslan, the forces of Narnia have conquered the known world. But when a playful kangaroo accidentally drop-kicks Aslan’s emissary down a well, his armies of apes and centaurs march on a tiny polity at the edge of the empire. In the face of impossible odds, Winnie, Piglet, Tigger and all the others must ripple their abs and form a phalanx, because the future of animal civilization is at stake in THE THREE HUNDRED ACRE WOOD

In this sun-drenched horror film, grieving psychology student Dani joins a friend’s retreat to the commune of the Scandinavian Halga. But her unresolved grief and her troubled relationship with her boyfriend take a back seat when Imperial Inquisitor Gideon Ravenor descends from the heavens to seek out the cultists of the Chaos God Slaanesh. The only thing worse than a heretic is a bear-etic in MIDSOMMAR 40,000

Mild-mannered London solicitor Jonathan Harker travels to the Carpathian Mountains to assist the business of local Count Dragul. But Harker soon begins to suspect that his sullen and unbelievably ripped host is far older than he’s letting on…and that he may once have worn the jeweled crown of Aquilonia upon his troubled brow! Keanu Reeves contemplates the tree of woah in CONAN THE HUNGARIAN!

In this Judd Apatow dramedy, a hapless virginal electronics store employee must undertake the most difficult journey of his life: locating and assassinating Osama bin Laden. It’s THE ZERO DARK FORTY YEAR OLD VIRGIN

Kidnapped by the fur fanatic Cruella de Ville, the Dalmatians Pongo and Perdy have only one hope of survival: the revelations imparted to them by a mysterious black monolith. It’s 2001 DALMATIANS!

They're all so good.

Now just need to find time to go through the actual backlog.

#reply #wearethekat #baru cormroant #seth dickinson

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cruoren · 10 months

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the void in him had turned carnivorous. the hunger in him had surged at the behest of days spent behind steel walls until he had begun gnawing at his own heart, driven delirious with the dullness of mundanity. the violence here is like a balm, the blood a salve he bathes in. carnage turns cathartic, and it clings to the supreme leader's gloves, where he had ripped out the guard's spine and held it clutched in his grasp. the bones clatter to the ground when he strews the thing aside with barely a grimace. his heart had grown to crave more-than-usual in its recent abstinence, fueled further by its desires. in his other hand, he casually twirls the buzzing lightsaber about. catharsis, indeed, he thinks, after entertaining meetings after assemblies after demonstrations of organizational nature for the past few months. that the negotiations with the outer rim warlords had gone wrong was an inconvenience for the first order, but an entertaining one nonetheless.

in truth, he had barely registered hux's permission over his mind's own insistence that he did not require it. yet, he had waited still. this is politics, and in such statecraft, he knows to adhere to the chancellor's lead. stood at the archway of the fortress, he had waited until the word had been given and the authorisation passed quietly between them like a guillotine, a swift sentence.

his own uniform is stained carnelian — red wraps all around, in his body and mind, until it’s all that is left for hue, splattered across intricate, golden embellishments. a few steps are taken, almost swaying, over a body, or two, which hux's precise blaster bolts had neatly seen to. he sheathes the saber, quietude befalling over the terrain with its hungry buzz silenced. when he returns to the chancellor's side with heavy strides, he is mindful of where he tracks blood, sweeping his cloak aside 'lest it taints the pristine white fabrics.

@acharnemcnt says, teasingly: ❛ good boy. ❜

the imperious remark stuns him into a moment of inaction, catching him quite off-guard. irritation rears its head, but a strand of warm satisfaction, too, wraps betwixt his ribs like a serpent, wringing poison, almost suffocating in its entirety. he cuts it in half before he can fully process its presence. his head cants to the side, brows furrowed. the flush that stains his features is roused merely by exertion, he is certain. a glove comes to wipe a smudge of — someone — off his cheek, dark gaze flickering, dashing away from the other man. instead, he looks onward to the aftermath, the graveyard he had constructed in minutes, ❝ i sensed the beginnings of their ploy hours ago. ❞ ren asserts, halfway between a genuine complaint at having been made to wait to counterattack, rather than being permitted to handle it prior, and an attempt at manoeuvring toward a distraction.

consequently, in statecraft, ren will heed; but when polity fails, he holds no qualms in exacting his own means of governance. ❝ have my knights escort you back to the ship, see if you can rewire the comms (...) i'll attend the remainder of the reception on my own. if it's half as welcoming as the deliberations, i shall enjoy myself thoroughly. ❞

#acharnemcnt #blood /#gore /#( ✦ ) script — is it death that you are bringing ?#( ✦ ) arc / third — where there is a monster / there is a miracle.#nah hux did him dirty with this. how is he supposed to go on acting normally now :(

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ahb-writes · 5 days

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Book Review: 'Iron Widow'

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

action

Asian sci-fi

gender studies

giant robot

rebellion

revenge

sci-fi

social commentary

superhero

My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

The unearned demands of the noble class breed a very particular, very familiar stench of greed. Surviving preferential dicta for race, ethnicity, and gender, one encounters a sociopolitical infrastructure whose foundational phobias sting the eyes into blinking. The bigotry, the intolerance, and the chauvinism are ubiquitous, and as such, sweeping efforts of immense chaos are necessary to shake the firmament. IRON WIDOW affirms what is occasionally, truthfully, philosophized: Abrupt revolution is necessary when gradual progress is rendered functionally impossible.

Such are the woeful accuracies framing the corrupt polity of the land of Huaxia, its many provinces, and the army under whose auspices each citizen pays tribute. Forced conscription, unyielding tax burdens, a world under siege from biomechanical alien entities. The glaringly forthright and uncompromisingly distorted culture of violence, scarcity, and sexism of Huaxia gives readers a clear window into the novel's trajectory: Everything is terrible, and one young woman, Wu Zetian, pledges to fight for a new paradigm until it kills her.

Lady Wu, by fashionable accounts, is a mad woman. But readers know better. Readers know she enlists to serve as a concubine, a position of fealty and support during military operations, only to exact revenge upon a pompous fool. Readers know she acquiesces to train with a convicted murderer, only to further her ambitions to end the war on her own terms. Readers know she signs a contract with a sleezy media magnate, with her own blood, only because the manufactured splendor of public adoration is the only mirror that outshines the stratified grandeur of the national army. Many people view Wu Zetian as a bit mad, sure, but everyone in her life has failed her, abused her, or misused her. Zetian cannot unmake the trauma others have wrought, but she can definitely become a nightmare all her own, and terrorize in kind those who deserve it.

IRON WIDOW offers contemporary readers the type of noisy, foul-mouthed, vengeance-seeking young female lead character so many fantasy fiction titles lack. The type of hard-luck woman so many books mimic in earnest but ultimately blink when the blade is swung, when the trigger is pulled, or in the case of IRON WIDOW, when the 40m tall mech transforms and starts ripping people's limbs off. Zetian never knew a good person in her whole life, so why would she ever desire to become one herself?

The novel's setting is a futuristic Asian fantasy realm complete with giant robots, ravaging otherworldly beasts, hover-vehicles, holographic displays, fantastical god-beings, powerful physical manifestations of qì, and sprawling military-industrial complexes. The author clearly loves the mash-up, as readers will find multiple references to ancient Chinese literature and lore alongside sci-fi exploits like transforming mecha that typify the zodiac. The kitsch may not be worth admiring, if the reader isn't in tune with either, but it's plenty enough for those whose interests rightfully intersect.

The best thing about this book is how thoroughly committed the author, and by extension, the protagonist is to seeing this story through to the end. Zetian, for example, isn't bitter and pessimistic about death because she has no options, she's merely giving as much violence as she takes ("Too bad. I am exactly the kind of ice-blooded, rotten-hearted girl he fears I am. And I am fine with that. May he stay unsettled," page 114). Some characters match Zetian's grit; others push back. Another female mech pilot, Dugu Qieluo, for example, is aggressively unlikable. Lady Dugu doesn't hesitate to throw a punch (at a supposed ally) and defends her personhood with vigor ("Never appease. No one's ever been respected for appeasing. The only thing you did was let them know there are no consequences to treating you like trash," page 295).

Fighting massive bug creatures in the wilds beyond the Great Wall occupy the official duties of these and other characters. But piloting giant robots to save humanity feels comically miniscule in importance when juxtaposed with the gravity of avoiding sexual assault, navigating corrupt officials, sniffing out traitors, and spitting in the eye of any supposed fate.

For example, Zetian allies with a wealthy young man, Yizhi, a possible paramour from her days as an impoverished girl in the mountains. Yizhi is a sympathetic man with a gift for big words. His kindness and his wealth seem limitless. But, "How far does the darkness in him go?" (page 183), she asks, knowing full well the corruption that girds her country doubtlessly lines the young man's pockets as well. A soft rich boy doesn't survive as one of dozens of sons what for being only a soft rich boy. He may be an animal, but evidently, Yizhi hides his teeth. A durable contrast to Li Shimin, a 19-year-old man convicted of patricide. Shimin is Zetian's co-pilot, and fittingly, the man is all rough edges, beset with the tired eyes and ruined liver of an alcoholic. Shimin doesn't hide his teeth, and his protective alliance with Zetian, a pledge to bark, tear, and destroy anything in their path, wavers on the border between keenly obligatory and affectionately benevolent. It's a love triangle appropriate for a novel layered with dead bodies.

IRON WIDOW is a thrill. It's difficult to find a fantasy book with female lead characters whose uncompromising disregard for state discrimination and fervent rebuke of institutionalized sexual violence manifest so clearly and cleanly. The first half of the book doesn't waver. Vengeance is on the table from the very first chapter. The action is pointed and the character dynamics are definitive. The violence only recedes when, in the second half of the novel, the story shifts into a rather strategic atmosphere, as Zetian maneuvers her successes and failures into greater grabs for political power.

Nevertheless, the book commits to characters-with-issues and unbuckles their ambitions with glee. It's a riotous adventure whose characters always know the stakes, and whose characters are just smart enough to know the pain of giving in to the greed of others is often greater than the suffering required survive on one's own terms. Buttressing these themes, compelling B-stories fill in the gaps, involving filial piety, bisexuality, the myth of popular karma, the quest to rid the world of entitled pricks, and the sad, disquieting inevitability of death ("Dread hollows through me. We spend so much effort living these lives, yet every trace of their substance and meaning can be erased so quickly. So easily," page 338).

❯ ❯ Book Reviews || ahb writes on Good Reads

#iron widow #review #fiction #writeblr #xiran jay zhao #wu zetian #ya fantasy #ya fiction #yizhi #tundra books #yang guang #characters with issues #strategic atmosphere #giant robots #the corruption that girds her country #zodiac #massive bug creatures #vengeance is on the table #shake the firmament

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writer59january13 · 1 month

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I dread the United States presidential 2024 outcome...

Whereby yours truly presages and doth abhor nothing short of an imminent civil war dwarfing insurrection on January 6, 2021 oddly enough even reducing ordinary decibels to a mute whisper madding crowd trumpeting cacophony of ˈthȯr drowning out sense and sensibility allowing, enabling, and providing golden opportunity for anarchy to run rampant one issuing, earthshaking, and booming as one collective soul with pride

against prejudice queercore amidst pandemonium of lawlessness voices at the forefront ear splitting din most all social media platforms buzzfeeding, jump/kickstarting, and twittering bigotry, gender inequity, and misogyny nevermore gender diversity celebrated reveling harmoniously think arranged marriage of Kokila and Kishore

parents (most likely deceased)

of Menil and Amit,

one former best high school buddy

with my youngest sister Shari Todd for most of her sixty three years an herbivore, and in most respects the antithesis of Eeyore, (a pessimistic, gloomy, depressed, anhedonic, old grey stuffed donkey and friend of title character, Winnie-the-Pooh), the former would never stand a chance stayin alive during the reign of brontosaur, and other so called terrible lizards. Aforementioned fatalistic political forecast

would translate as absolute zero freedoms as entrusted with Declaration of Independence, and Constitution, which incendiary rhetoric already trumpeted courtesy Republican dictator wannabe, who will eviscerate

any and all social progressive policies would essentially leave a rump government devoid of recognizable Democratic polity. Lemme plagiarize myself and express sardonic wit alliteration with the letter "R," I gleefully, playfully, and zestfully transmit the following poem, the proto antagonist will nary even garner an obit

no dead giveaway signs only brave hearts pointing middle finger subtly signaling welcome to the black parade, the sole intermit where gewgaws (trolls) with orange hair sold. revealing Ronald Rump revisited. Regarding ridiculous rhymeless ruminative rhythm rankles readers. Repugnant racist Republican reviled - rickettsia re:itch ruler rapaciously ravaged revered reverential rubric radical ruthless renegade rapidly riotously rips rigged ramparts Refrains retaining remnant redolent regal, resplendent rafters riches rudely rupture rooted rectified rights ruckus ricochets revenant reign ratified rattlebrained rules roil reductionism. rumbustious rapscallions rollick; render ruinous ramifications rusty razor razing revenge rents reprisal. Rabid rectal rictus rotten rebrands re-calibrate. rambunctious revolutionaries rejoice. ruffians ride roughshod routing reigning royalty. Reiterate revetting robust recidivist rationality rides Rolls Royce relentlessly rendering rock ribbing. Riffraff raconteur raise reactionary response revisit rancorous restrictive redlined realigned rightward rivets Robocop ridiculously rubber-stamped reorganization recalcitrant reactors release rapture rash Russian roulette reconnaissance raconteurs rack rubles. Red room reflects Republican RNA. rap risible rheumy ratiocinated rug-rats revoke righteous refulgent repertory rapier robed robbers ransack reliquary resounding retaliation retaliatory redcoat regnum reformation rightly remembered Rudy robotically recoiling rapprochement Raison d'être rosily revered rifled relics raffled rookie raves ripe rackful rubenesque reliably ranked refulgent rotundity requisite requirement re: reappointment road-tested, roadworthy redeem reapportion routed role. Reprehensible reassignment rapidly recognizes response rife rampage removes respectability responsible roused restitution refuted risky resultant reconnoitering runaway railroad reverberates rivalry. Reflexive ramrod reaction reconfirms redoubling ridding revitalization reconfiguration realpolitik reinstates repudiation; Rebooting Roosevelt regime reconsidered. Requisition requires resilient reseeding republic regrettable riley roars remorseless ribbing rare recount restoring recondite renown reprobate Rapunzel.

Republican representatives rejoice reclaiming reins registering retarded romantic remains re: Rastafarian revered reliquary rests!

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keynewssuriname · 5 months

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Verdachte met auto van onwetende neef naar fatale rip-deal

Een van de verdachten in de ripdeal, waarbij de 31-jarige Edson Kowee werd doodgeschoten in een appartement te Santodorp, was mogelijk niet betrokken. F.L. bevond zich in april dit jaar in Frans-Guyana toen zijn neef (J.L.) zijn auto gebruikte om de schutter en anderen naar het adres te vervoeren waar het slachtoffer werd gedood. De kantonrechter heeft F.L. op verzoek van zijn raadsman Derrick Veira voorlopig vrijgelaten. F.L. en J.L.zaten een week na het misdrijf samen in de auto toen ze door de politie werden klemgereden. Tot dat moment wist F.L. niet wat zijn neef tijdens zijn afwezigheid met het voertuig had uitgehaald. Bij het doorzoeken van het voertuig vond de politie 99 gram cocaïne. F.L. verklaarde dat hij de drugs had gekocht om in het binnenland te gaan verkopen. Hij zei tijdens de zitting van woensdag 13 december 2023 heel boos te zijn op zijn neef vanwege de problemen waarin die hem heeft gebracht. Geen van de andere verdachten kennen F.L. De vrouwelijke verdachte (G.G.) is de vriendin van E.M., die van plan was later die dag drugs naar Nederland te smokkelen. Hij zou cocaïne bolletjes slikken en proppen. Het latere slachtoffer was zijn opdrachtgever. G.G. was meegegaan om haar vriend gezelschap te houden. Zo verklaarde ze haar aanwezigheid op de locatie. E.M. was niet in staat de bolletjes te slikken omdat ze te groot waren. Dit zette kwaadbloed bij de opdrachtgever. Hij dreigde het koppel daar vast te houden, totdat ze alle gemaakte kosten hadden vergoed. Ook een onbekende man die zich kennelijk in Nederland bevond, had via de telefoon dreigementen geuit. Bang geworden vroeg E.M. aan G.G. om haar vrienden bij de politie in te schakelen. Ze appte met een man die bij het Directoraat Nationale Veiligheid (DNV) werkt en stuurde hem de gps-locatie. Die verdachte beloofde zijn connecties in te zetten voor een bevrijdingsactie. Aanvankelijk was het de bedoeling dat ze in politie-uniform zouden binnenvallen en de drugs (bijna 1 kg) meenemen. Uiteindelijk contacteerde hij een vriend, een oud-bekende van de politie. De een schakelde de ander in totdat er een groepje mannen bijeen was gekomen die elkaar niet allemaal kenden. Ook een (ex-)politieagent raakte mogelijk betrokken bij de groep. De verdachte G.F. was goed bevriend met het latere slachtoffer en kent geen van de overige verdachten. Hij vertelde dat hij de avond voor het geval door Edson Kowee was uitgenodigd om samen met zijn vriendin te komen logeren in het appartement. Daar aangekomen, had hij een ander koppel gezien in een van de kamers. Hij kende de mensen niet en wist niet waarvoor ze daar waren. De volgende ochtend had het latere slachtoffer het appartement verlaten om zijn autoband in orde te gaan maken en de vriendin van G.F. thuis af te zetten. Zo was G.G. in het appartement achtergebleven met het voor hem onbekende koppel. Op een bepaald moment stormde een gemaskerde gewapende man binnen. G.F. werd door de indringer gekneveld en mishandeld. Terwijl die het appartement doorzocht, keerde Edson Kowee terug met de auto. De gewapende man verschanste zich achter de deur en greep het slachtoffer vast op het moment dat die naar binnen wilde stappen. De gemaskerde man loste vrijwel meteen het fatale schot waarna hij vluchtte in het voertuig van het slachtoffer. De verdachte die ter plekke was met de bedoeling drugs te smokkelen, zegt de zakken van het slachtoffer te hebben doorzocht op zoek naar zijn autosleutels. Toen hij die niet vond, verlieten hij en zijn vriendin de plek te voet. J.L., die de auto van zijn neef had ingezet, heeft toegegeven dat hij op de bewuste ochtend de mogelijke schutter naar het adres heeft gereden. Hij was benaderd door een van de andere verdachten om het koppel te gaan bevrijden. Hij haalde drie mannen op. Toen ze eenmaal in de straat waren van het appartement, had J.L.niet langer een goed gevoel bij het plan. Nadat een van de mannen was uitgestapt, heeft hij besloten zich terug te trekken. Hij liet de twee andere mannen elders uitstappen en reed naar huis. Toen hij vernam dat iemand bij de actie was omgekomen, kreeg hij schuldgevoelens. Na zijn aanhouding heeft hij daarom met de politie samengewerkt om de vermoedelijke schutter M.L., alias ‘Tiemba’, in een hinderlaag te lokken zodat die kon worden aangehouden. De politie vond bij het doorzoeken van Tiemba’s woning een vuistvuurwapen van het merk Glock en een patroonhouder met 14 patronen. Deze verdachte ontkent elke betrokkenheid bij de rip-deal. Hij begrijpt niet waarom zijn oom (J.L.) zijn naam heeft genoemd. Hij beweert die dag niet daar te zijn geweest en dat hij de overige verdachten ook niet heeft ontmoet. De openbare aanklager heeft tot januari de gelegenheid het requisitoir voor te bereiden. Read the full article

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swankyangles · 11 months

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(FREEBIRD SOLO INTENSIFIES)

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bitcofun · 1 year

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Historical criminal activity has actually left a proverbial black mark on the cryptocurrency environment with multi-million dollar hacks, rip-offs and scams cases getting headings worldwide. Various research study reports have actually highlighted using cryptocurrencies for illegal ways, with differing degrees of intensity because Bitcoin's beginning in2009 This has actually ups and downs however crypto is still viewed by some as a way to wash cash, financing terrorism and assist in other major criminal activities. The frequency of cryptocurrency-related criminal offense undoubtedly resulted in the advancement of much better tools and services to track and trace funds on various blockchains and cryptocurrency exchanges. Companies like CipherTrace, Chainalysis and Elliptic use monitoring and analysis tools to organizations, while a few of the greatest gamers have actually reached developing their own examination and security departments to recognize illegal transfers on their platforms. Binance is amongst them, with its exchange operating in a number of jurisdictions throughout the world. Its international footprint has actually required higher oversight of its operations which is performed by Binance's Investigations and Intelligence department. Cointelegraph took a seat for an interview with department head Nils Andersen-Röed and senior supervisor Jennifer Hicks throughout Web Summit in Lisbon to unload the function their group plays within the company and the higher cryptocurrency and criminal offense enforcement area. Industry professionals Both people have a wealth of experience in the sector. Andersen-Röed increased through the ranks of the Netherlands Politie and led its Dark Web Unit from 2016 to2018 He then worked for Europol's Specialist Dark Web Team for 3 years prior to signing up with Binance. Hicks' military background saw her function as a cryptologic linguist for the United States Navy from 2010 to2016 She later on moved into specialized investigative work as a senior cybercrime private investigator for Chainalysis from 2020 to 2021 as a precursor to her present function at Binance. Cointelegraph's Gareth Jenkinson together with Binance's Investigations and Intelligence senior supervisor Jennifer Hicks and department head Nils Andersen-Röed at Web Summit in Lisbon in November 2022. Andersen-Röed supervises the European, Middle East and Africa area, with a required to manage a broad scope including compliance procedures. This consists of deal tracking and storyboarding, in addition to escalations on more severe problems: " In my group, I've got previous law enforcement representatives, so all of us utilized to deal with criminal activity cases varying from ransomware to conventional cases with cryptocurrency components therein." Hicks has a more particular regulation throughout the worldwide group, directing the unique examinations system. Her group concentrates on international and extremist-related criminal activities, using her terrorist funding proficiency: " We'll get demands from all over the world. It might be Europe, United States, anything that has severe occasions that might be crypto associated and not simply Islamic terrorism." Hicks' department has actually likewise dealt with cases associated to kid abuse products, violent criminal offenses and occurrences including sanctions. Busy work Binance, like numerous other exchanges, has a devoted group that handles basic oversight demands and personal info queries. More complicated or immediate questions are designated to particular departments. The exchange's worldwide reach suggests that Andersen-Röed's department is hectic, generally processing demands in a couple of hours to 3 working days usually. It's no mean task, offered the large quantity of demands managed in 2021: " The generic caseload is rather huge. I believe for the case group, for instance, in 2015 had like 27,000 demands which were managed in a really brief time." This does not include what he refers to as "proactive work.

" This might consist of a circumstances of a hack, for instance, where the group tries to find direct exposure to Binance and examines and acts at an exchange level: " If we see or if we discover specific police in particular nations have an interest in it, then we likewise connect to them to see if we can deal with them." Collaborative efforts Binance's Investigations group has actually likewise been associated with bigger tasks associating with scams cases, terrorism funding and ransomware attacks, which Andersen-Röed referred to as leading concerns for police. The transparent nature of blockchain networks likewise indicates that there is no scarcity of work for Binance's investigative group. This requires a predefined scope in order to handle work and investigative efforts, considered that some illegal motion of funds might ultimately wind up on Binance's platform: " If you see a hack, even if it does not go to our platform, we can still trace it through blockchain. We rather frequently have to specify up to what point we will examine. It might be that a hack eventually will reach our platform or users will attempt to wash cash, and after that we can rapidly act." Binance's Investigations group likewise has outdoors firms approaching it for help. Hicks joked that the department gets demands "per hour" however the truth is that their proficiency is demanded and prominent. Working through numerous police demands is a large job, however Hicks highlighted her group's efforts to assist guide and assistance examinations that may be beyond the exchange's sphere of impact. This consists of using more than simply info that has actually been asked for, by teaming up on believed procedures and analytical methods: " If we believe that there's a much better opportunity for them to get the responses that they require in their examination, we'll stroll them through that. It's actually like a holistic procedure. It's not truly simply basic field tracing and all that." Investigations are a two-way street. Binance counts on business tools and danger intelligence platforms to watch out for crypto-related criminal offenses and illegal motion of funds, as Hicks described: " The risk intelligence market is chock filled with terrific counterterrorism experts that I utilized to deal with in the past. There is a network there that we rely on in order to get a total image of whatever that examination might be." An assisting hand While the leading international police are skilled in taking on cryptocurrency-related criminal activity, Binance's Investigations group likewise supports those that are still finding out to handle these kinds of criminal offenses. Andersen-Röed confessed that some nations and firms are fantastic at what they do, while others are still finding out about the sector and do not have the tools and know-how to take on more complicated tracing and crypto-related events: " We likewise attempt to we do a great deal of active outreach for police to generally describe what we're doing however likewise how they can examine. And it assists us due to the fact that the quality of expert will enhance." The set's Investigations group forms an essential however smaller sized part of Binance's compliance and security facilities. Some 500 individuals comprise the department of the exchange that guarantees its stability and security. Nevertheless, the effect of the Investigations group can wind up assisting protect the broader cryptocurrency community by going one action even more than simply determining and shutting down Binance accounts being utilized to move illegal funds. Andersen-Röed worried the significance of the reactive and proactive operate in tracing cryptocurrency and flagging prospective criminal aspects: " We attempt to act versus the accounts and connect to police so they can examine and ideally apprehend lawbreakers. We attempt to keep our platform safe, however we likewise attempt to keep the market safe." The cat-and-mouse nature

of these efforts will likely continue, however Andersen-Röed thinks his group's efforts to make the market much safer will dominate in the long run. Cooperation and outreach stay an important part of the exchange's efforts to weed out dubious gamers. Read More

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bucklemonster2 · 1 year

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POEM 80. There will never be enough Deaths

80. Er zullen nooit genoeg sterven

Door Emilia Sameyn 28 10 2022 Openbaar gemaakt: 19 11 2022

Verward Arriveren Brandweer, Politie, de Honderd en één detective

Een bom? Brand? Of Schutter op School? Een Meisje vol Leven, aan de Rand van de Dood Gebracht

Een Ongeluk van Auto's

Aan de Donkere Hoek

Inwoners Zeiden het al Maanden Een Omweg naar een Onleefbare Buurt

Zotten Razen op de Weg

Zij die Redden Geblokkeerd door Wagens

Afgesloten Route

Alles loopt Vol

Eerst bijna mijn Broer Dan de Kat En geliefde Honden

De Politie is Weg, de File keer Terug

Passeren aan de Plaats van Delict

Bloed of Remstrepen? Een Zot verlaat de File En Scheurt door de Straat

Er zullen Nooit genoeg Sterven Voordat Men Het Door Heeft Er zullen Nooit genoeg Sterven

80. There will never be enough Deaths By Emilia Sameyn 28 10 2022 Published: 19 11 2022 Arriving Confused Fire, Police, The Hundred and One Detective A bomb? Fire? Or School Shooter? Girl full of life, brought to the Brink of Death An Accident of Cars Around the Dark Corner Residents warned us for Months A Detour to an Unliveable Neighbourhood Fools Raging on the Road

Those whom Save Blocked by Wagons Closed Route Everything's Filling Up First almost my Brother Then the Cat And beloved Dogs The Police are gone, the Traffic Jams Return Passing at the Scene of Crime Blood or Brake marks? A Fool leaves the Traffic Jam And Rips through the Street

There will never be enough Deaths Before it dawns on Them There will never be enough Deaths

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sportsminorityreport · 2 years

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Smart moves the PAC could make to ensure they do not collapse.

Aa I mentioned in my last article there is a potential direction the Big Ten could take that would be very favorable to the membership of the PAC 12 and I am sure it is one option the leadership has considered --- adding all seven AAU Pac members and maybe coming back for ASU in 5 years or so --- but... it isn’t one anyone is reporting.

Today we are looking at the Pac

1) losing their current best brand Oregon to the Big Ten and seeing their media payouts drop below $30M per team annually...probably to the 27M range.. and being at risk of being poached by the Big 12 in the next year or so..

2) Losing Oregon, Washington, Stanford, and Cal to the Big Ten. This would likely drop payments into the low 20Millions and lead to a panic among the reportedly surprisingly loyal inland members who would undoubtably leave for the richer media deals of the Big 12.

3) Surviving the Big Ten’s flirtation with Oregon only to see a modest TV payout in the $30M per school range and see current non-plussed PAC member Arizona try to convince a member to leave with them to destabilize the PAC so the whole inland division will go with them to the Big 12. The PAC could also see BYU bring politiical pressure on Utah to try to force them into the Big 12. It is entirely possible that the Big 12 schools will not only be paid more than the Pac members...it is also pretty likely that ESPN will want to only pay “full price” (~$30-32M per school) for 4 PAC members....not all of them.

These are tough scenarios for the PAC that do not work out well for them if they stay at 10 members.

With that in mind I have tried to write a “best plan moving forward” for the PAC. I think it starts with understanding your predators.

The Big Ten

The Big Ten is Godzilla. It will trample the now Pac 10 unless the Big Ten feels benevolent. There is nothing you can do about that. They can either be a savior to the PAC, blowing the Big Ten’s shopping check offering homes for all it’s AAU members (cool but probably unlikely as they would open the door to possibly losing out on all ACC schools), a pack of assholes ripping apart the PAC and creating vicious long lasting animosity between it’s members, or show to be decent folks with more interest in ACC schools by just not stealing any more members.

Reality is that the Big Ten is not going to be making a ton more per school by adding more PAC schools. It literally is a how does Godzilla feel today kind of thing.

And I think in general that works in favor of the PAC. Adding USC and UCLA got the Big Ten paid. Getting paid usually leads to action. Adding Oregon likely doesn’t move the needle much. It is highly unlikely the Big Ten schools get any big raise from expansion for anyone in the current pool of candidates besides maybe Virginia, UNC, FSU, or obviously Notre Dame.

Either they essentially take over the PAC, or the PAC is either doing damage control for the LA loss or a much tougher 1-4 additional team raid.

In that regard you can kind of shrink down to two fairly likely scenarios and what actions need to be taken.

1) You need to be able to survive a lowball media offer vs. a strong offer to the Big 12.

2) You need to be able to potentially weather the loss of Cal, Stanford, Oregon, and Washington.

Your action plan needs to fit both scenarios and hopefully also fit the benevolent takeover by the Big Ten scenario.

The other predator (the Big 12)

The Big 12 is no lumbering behemoth. The Big 12 are a pack of hungry abused, malnourished wolves. They will chase a lumbering wounded Pac as long as they have the assets to potentially pry members away.

The action plan.

1) Cut off the Big 12′s access to PAC level money.

2) Push the Big 12 footprint eastwards, souring the appeal of the Big 12 to Arizona.

ESPN has lost the entire Big Ten footprint for the next 7 years. They have some ACC and SEC schools that will appeal to some regions, but really ESPN kind of needs some of the media assets the Big 12 can offer. Kansas, Iowa State, Kansas State, Cinncinati, West Virginia....all of those are strong brands that can pull viewers in the Big Ten footprint. If ESPN is going to overpay the Big 12, that is likely going to be the basis of it.

If the PAC schools get $30M per school and ESPN overpays the Big 12 schools giving them say 33M per school....it does seem like an ESPN move to want to pay the 4 inland PAC schools $33M than the entire PAC $30M each.

But what if the PAC raided many of the schools espn would overpay for?

Kansas is an AAU member and Iowa State was until they left in protest. They both add a LOT to the ESPN rust belt offering. They are both likely worth 30M each in the PAC or Big 12. Both schools would probably prefer to be in an academically stronger conference. Both schools could actually make sense to be included in a benevolent Big Ten takeover scenario.

Kansas has played in several basketball national title games and won several over the last 20 years. Their addition immediately turns Pac basketball from an afterthought to an important league to watch.

(It is often thought that Basketball is irrelevant in power conference discussions. The Hybrid Big East was a strong basketball conference. They figured out that in a strong basketball and football conference, Olympic only members were worth a 1/3 share. Given that and the fact that PAC has been a pretty abysmal basketball conference for years, one would have to think basketball amy only be say 7M of the Pac’s likley $30M per team payout. But when you add a school that wins basketball national titles, you elevate the value of the entire PAC basketball offering. Presumably to the $9 -$10M range. In real terms Kansas could actually add one or two million to the PAC’s per school payouts. The loss of such an asset on ESPN might cost the Big 12 a similar number.)

Iowa state is a top 30 draw team in football and basketball with strong ties to Iowa and the Big Ten conference. Their addition to the PAC doesn’t hurt any scenarios.

Both schools offer the ability for the Pac to sell 12 noon eastern start football games...an asset that makes the PAC inventory more sellable and profitable.

Those are the easy, tolerable adds, but they don’t get the Pac out of the Big 12 crosshairs. The Big 12 is still able to leverage the state of Texas, the strength of Cinncinati & West Virginia fan bases and the rabid fans of football in florida --- a state with relatively few teams.

The Big 12 could still come up with more money than the PAC.

You are going to have to open your eyes to candidates like Arizona State, a school you lamented about not reaching your AAU acedemic standard for years but is still a highly valuable and desirable member.

I would point you towards TCU and Texas Tech. Why that duo? Because it is highly unlikely you would expand by more than 4 schools at this moment. So the choice becomes San Diego State (to regain a foothold in southern California) and someone else, or TCU and Texas Tech to steal the DFW Metroplex from the Big 12.

As appealing as adding SDSU is to me, only one option cripples the Big 12′s ability to poach your schools. That is stealing the Metroplex.

TCU is not a research heavy school, but they are a well regarded academic school. They also are the rare religious school where the founders insisted religion should not get in the way of honest research. It is a PR goldmine for the PAC given the perception among the religious that Stanford and Cal are unfairly bigoted against religion. This addition would erase that false criticism.

TCU dominates Fort Worth, Basically a third of the metroplex. Texas Tech is a large school with an enrollment of 40,000. It has a statewide following concentrated in the cities, but it’s largest concentration of alumni is by far in DFW.

Texas Tech wants to be a research school but there has been little political will to make that happen in Texas. This is where a rescue from the Pac could change the entire identify of a school. It’s administrators have looked favorably on PAC admission for decades, but they could never get UT to “carry” them into the conference.

This kind of media loss in a top 5 market is one the Big 12 cannot undo. potential replacements SMU and UNT draw half as many fans as TCU. It will drop Big 12 payouts below PAC payouts and end the threat of a Big 12 takeover even if the PAC were to lose 4 schools to the Big Ten.

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mostlysignssomeportents · 3 years

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Office 365 spies on employees for bosses

The Shitty Tech Adoption Curve describes the process by which oppressive technology is normalized and distributed through all levels of society. The more privilege someone has, the harder it is to coerce them to use dehumanizing tech, so it starts with marginalized people.

Asylum seekers, prisoners and overseas sweatshop workers get the first version. Its roughest edges are sanded off against their tenderest places, and once it's been normalized a little, we inflict it on students, mental patients, and blue collar workers.

Lather, rinse, repeat: before long, everyone's been ropted in. If your meals were observed by a remote-monitored CCTV 20 years ago, it was because you were in a supermax prison. Today, it's because you bought a home video surveillance system from Google/Apple/Amazon.

The lockdown has been a powerful accellerant for shitty technology adoption curve: the combination of an atomized polity that can't have in-person solidarity conversations and overall precarity has kicked off a powerful shock doctrine for tech surveillance.

Pre-pandemic, work-from-home call-center workers (mostly poor Black women) lived under surveillance that transformed "work from home" to "live at work." The tech preserved the fiction that these misclassified employees were "independent contractors."

https://pluralistic.net/2020/10/02/chickenized-by-arise/#arise

Within days of the lockdown, this technological oppression raced up the privilege gradient in the form of "invigilation" software like Proctorio, cruel surveillance tools inflicted on university students. The company is pursuing its critics in court.

https://pluralistic.net/2020/10/17/proctorio-v-linkletter/#proctorio

Now, every remote worker is in line to get the treatment previously reserved for misclassified employees and college kids. Microsoft has rolled out on-by-default workplace surveillance for Office 365.

https://twitter.com/WolfieChristl/status/1331221942850949121

The tool tracks every click and interaction by employees and presents managers with leaderboards showing relative "productivity" of each employee, down to how many mentions they get in workplace emails.

As Wolfie Christie points out in his thread, the arbitrary metrics that Microsoft has chosen will have a hugely distorting effect on workplace behavior. Remember Goodhart's Law: "Any measure becomes a target, and then ceases to be a useful measure."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodhart%27s_law

This is the quantitative fallacy on steroids: software can't measure qualitative factors like whether your work accomplished "soft goals" like "a better product" or "a conceptual breakthrough."

So they blithely vaporize these qualitative elements and do math on the dubious quantitative residue left behind. It's the data scientist's version of looking for your keys under the lamp-post: "We can't do math on it, so we won't consider it."

It's a far cry from the early days of Microsoft, when Bill Gates mocked IBM for paying programmers by how many lines of code they produced, calling it "the race to build the world's heaviest airplane."

I wonder if the programmers who built this feature are subjected to it themselves? And if not, I wonder when they will be.

I mean, they won't be in the EU. This shit is radioactively illegal under the GDPR. But Americans have FREEDOM.

Now, you may be thinking, "I bet the managers who use this tool will regret it when THEIR bosses start using it on THEM."

You're thinking too small. Microsoft has ambition: they're not subjecting MANAGERS to this, they're subjecting COMPANIES to it.

Microsoft incentivizes companies to turn on an industry-wide comparison "feature" that sends ALL YOUR EMPLOYEE DATA to Microsoft and then gives you a chart telling you how your employees fare against their counterparts elsewhere.

You get a chart. Microsoft gets fine-grained data on your company's operations - data it can sell, or mine, or you know, just lose control over and leak all over the internet. That's some unprecedented Shitty Tech Adoption Curve accelerationism right there.

Not since the day when Amazon convinced Borders Books (RIP) to use it for all digital ordering and fulfilment (giving Amazon 10)% access to all Borders' customer data) has a tech company offered a shadier B2B deal.

Last year, Slate's Future Tense and ASU's Center for Science and the Imagination asked me to write some fiction illustrating the Shitty Technology Adoption Curve. The result it "Affordances," a story that grows dismally more relevant with each passing day.

https://slate.com/technology/2019/10/affordances-cory-doctorow-sf-story-algorithmic-bias-facial-recognition.html

#pluralistic

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makapatag · 3 years

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Balay Karunongan

For all your Fire Emblem Three Houses/RWBY/Harry Potter/Naruto/Persona needs. This is written with Gubat Banwa in mind, does not have strict game mechanics.

In the 199th Year of the Skysea War, in the hinterlands of the Lakanate’s land borders, where it touches the hunting grounds of Bayi, five siyak came together to establish a mistake.

They called it Balay Karunongan, the House of Wisdom. With the help of Datu Padakar, a Datu under the Kaponoan of Bayi, they managed to create a grand Balay that opened its doors to the children of Datu across the entirety of Kitatak.

It was a house that taught how to kill.

Over time, it grew in size. The original five-floored dakbalay gained annexes that went all the way down the mountain it was built upon. Behind it arose a bamboo pagoda, attached to the giant nunuk that anointed the area as a sacred place.

Princes and Princesses of Datu, even if they be binukot, usually from 16 harvests and beyond are put in here for a total of 5 years. They are taught in the ways of war, combat, battle, tactics, strategy, and, if they have the talent for it, offensive magic and sorcery.

The students are assigned a particularly colored saob-saob, an open gown, to denote their year. They can wear almost anything underneath. Jewelry is encouraged. Fashionable takes on the saob-saob and clothing is encouraged due to the cutthroat student culture of the House of Wisdom, wherein social standing among nobles is fought over.

White/Undyed Saob-saob are given to first years.

Brown saob-saob are given to second years.

Black saob-saob are given to third years.

Indigo saob-saob are given to fourth years.

Crimson saob-saob are given to fifth years, and is a sign of graduation.

The colder climate in the mountains has allowed for more elaborate and layered outfits from the nobles, much to their delight, which has allowed them to create elaborate fashion.

A Concordance

In the 212th Year of the Skysea War, the Balay was assaulted by the Lakanate. The five Grand Siyak managed to repel the invasion attempt with the help of their friends from Bayi, as well as the well-taught and disciplined students of the balay, which has begun to incorporate foreign martial techniques into their studies as well.

Impressed, Huwan Rekno promised to stop assault attempts if the Siyak will accept nobles from the Lakanate. Seeing this as a compromise to keep the balay alive, they agreed. Thus, the Balay has become a household for Datu and nobles from the Lakanate to bring their children there to make them even more skilled and powerful, to secure their lineages and royalty.

The Balay Karunongan, while officially not following any particular polity, is now under being afforded gifts and hosted feasts by all across the archipelago, in hopes of gaining the balay’s allegiance. Both Bayi and the Lakanate know however that the Balay will not give its allegiance to anyone not them, since they are in a particularly difficult position to not choose from either of them.

Cut Throats

The students are taught in all forms of warfare, not only in its physical aspect, but also in its social and mental aspects. Manipulating the enemy, forcing a raid, attacking during the morning, retreating when you’ve gotten what you need. This has caused an internal political mandala within the Balay, exacerbated only by the Five Clan allegiances established by the Siyak themselves.

Mimicking their parents, each class has a Datu, who has his own gang of right-hand men that is the Sandig. It is, however, a simplified version of the political composition of the outside world. Each Datu has an Attendant, their closest secretary and ally, as well as their steward. Along with the Attendant, their Sandig is made up of a Sword, that is a sort of sheriff. A Warhorn, that is the one that gives news to the rest of the class. Finally a Staff that gives counsel and wisdom to the Datu.

Those in the class are thus treated as freedmen would be treated in the outside world, despite being noble born themselves.

Each class, across all the five years, regularly war against each other. Each Year has an overlord that reins in and keeps order among the Datu in their Year. Similarly to the outside world’s society, these are called Kaponoan. The Datu follow after the Kaponoan as a freedman would follow after a Datu.

Every end of the year, the Kaponoan for the next year is determined by an Interclass Tournament known as the Paligsahan ng Hari (Competition of Kings). There five of the best fighters from each of the five classes within a year compete to be the next Kaponoan. This is usually the Datu of each class, but doesn’t always have to be.

This is almost always held in front of the Gubat Nunuk, the war pagoda tree, that is sacred to the entire house. The Paligsahan is constantly considered to not only be a tournament, but also a worship ritual as well as a divination ritual. Whoever comes out on top is almost always uncontested, even if they used underhanded means to mean.

The ancestors always know.

Outcasts

There are times when an actual timawa or even an oripun might make it into the school. Usually, due to their inability to wear rich finery and jewelry, they will be cast out. One way or another, their non-nobleness is found out. These students are known as patapon, or trash. The patapon usually must work harder to become Datu, but becoming a Datu is usually something decided among the freedmen within a class, so the only real chance in power that a patapon has is through the Paligsahan.

Limang-Talulot, The Five Clans

Limang Talulot, translated to Five Petals, are the five clans within the house established by the Five Grand Siyak. These were established by the siyak to encourage competition as well as help students find like-minded friends. The Five Clans are organized according to their specialty in war. Each of the five clans are modeled after a specific Balaanghayop, or Holy Beast.

Additionally, the Clan that you end up in will influence the classes you take beginning from the second year up to the fifth, as these are more or less considered as specializations in war.

During the first year, there are things called Clan Jams, wherein the five clans try their best to entice new students to join them. This usually ends up with a couple of deaths, much to the teacher’s chagrin. The Aso are prone to showcasing duels to the death. The Uwak is prone to summoning untold powers from realms unknown. The Salindayaw lets themselves be possessed by diwata in a blasphemous paganitu. The Banoy hosts drunken revelries where everyone is treated as royalty. The Musang is prone to kidnapping students and bringing them to their booths, where they are given nice gifts actually.

Aso ni Dakim

The clan that follows the martial tenets of Siyak Dakim, with an emblem that is the head of a hunting dog. The Aso, with their motto of “Rip and tear until the sky is broken!” are often called “Fucking dogs” derogatorily, especially by those of the Kuwago ni Pitukil. Those that end up in the Aso ni Dakim are usually those that prize martial ability above all else, and seek to overpower all the other clans by sheer skill in violence and fighting.

Siyak Dakim is the Eskrimador sa Daghang Armas, “The Eskrimador of Myriad Weapons”, so called due to his skill in turning anything he touches into weapons.

Those in the Aso ni Dakim are mandated to always carry an implement to kill.

Uwak ni Itomsiga

The clan that follows the occult and sorcerous tenets of Siyak Itomsiga, with an emblem that is a crow picking on its own feathers. The Uwak, with their motto of “Know what should not be known.” are often derogatorily referred to as “magna”. Which is a shortened version of “magnanakaw”, which means thief or stealer. Most Uwak are not actual thieves, but they are known to always get what they want, even it be from other people. hose that end up in Uwak ni Itomsuga are those enraptured by the thought of impossibility, and have an unholy thirst for knowledge, even if it be forbidden.

Siyak Itomsiga is known as the Mambabarang sa Lawom nga Sulad, “Sorcerer of Deep Hell”, so called due to her skill in knowing seemingly forbidden spells and using it upon those that invoke her ire.

Those in the Uwak ni Itomsiga are mandated to always carry a trinket with a bamboo bark. Upon it is a mentala, which they can utter to instantly cast a protective spell. Once used, it burns up, and they must create another before the next morning.

Salindayaw ni Hilomng Kabai Balaang Alaag

The clan that follows the spiritual and pious tenets of Siyak Hilomng Kaba Balaang Alaag, usually just referred to Alaag. Their emblem is that of a deer with horns that rotate to form undulating mandalas. The Salindayaw, with their motto of “Until all are one under the same sky,” are often derogatorily referred to as “Boang sungay”, which means crazy horns. Believed due to the initial impression of them being peaceful flower-smellers who think harmony can be achieved simply with words. Of course, they themselves know this is not true. Those that end up in the Salindayaw are usually those that hold nature to a high esteem, or see fighting simply as a mean to peace, instead of being something to strive for itself. They value harmony, and almost always side with the decision that would cause the least amount of disharmony with nature.

Siyak Hilomng Kabai Balaang Alaag is known as the Mapasipalahong Manluluwas, “Blasphemous Savior” due to their ability to heal even those that seem to have been killed or have died, and once doomed an entire island to Di Hiyang due to the act of resurrecting an entire haop of more than a thousand households.

Those in the Salindayaw ni Alaag always bring with them a wreath of mulawin flowers, santan, gumamela, waling-waling, and sampaguita, to remind them of their responsibility and duty to nature.

Banoy ni Sri Bayisaalak

The clan that follows the royalty of Sri Bayisaalak, otherwise known as The Bayi or the Wine Maiden. Their emblem is that of a crowned Philippine eagle. The Banoy, with their motto “To ascend past heaven!” are often derogatorily referred to as “Datu-Datuhan”, which means “playing Datu”. At first glance, those of the Banoy are prone to power tripping and issuing orders. Those that end up in the Banoy are usuall those that take upon themselves the hard responsibility of leading or guiding, and are taught a great number of philosophies.

Siyak Sri Bayisaalak is known as the Hubog nga Emperadora, “Drunk Empress”. It is not a secret that Sri Bayisaalak is actually a diwata, one of Ang Daghan. Specifically, she is one of the many minor Langitnon. She is the Langitnon of Royalty, who cloaked upon herself mortality so that she may teach royalty, leadership, and civilization for the rest of the world. Unfortunately, she also has a penchant for alcohol. She is the lesser known wife of the God of Civilization Munsad Buralakaw.

Those in the Banoy are required to bring around a porcelain jarlet filled with wine and taselled with a banoy’s feather.

Musang ni Aninong Kislap

The clan that follows the subterfuge and informational tenets of Siyak Aninong Kislap. Their emblem is a shadowed musang. The Musang, with their motto, “The sun casts shadows,” they are derogatorily termed “Ay giatay--” due to their predecessor’s penchant to appear and disappear unexpectedly. Those that end up in the Musang are usually those that do the hard jobs of subterfuge, surveillance, and infiltration, which is a well sought after skill in Kitatak’s valuing of raids and ambushes when it comes to war.

Siyak Aninong Kislap is well known as, well, Aninong Kislap, “The Shadowy Spark”. None know his true name. He is often wrapped in robes and saob-saob. None see his true face, his true hands. Many say that he is also one of Ang Daghan: a Suladnon of Many Faces. None can confirm this.

Those in the Musang are given shawls that can be worn around the head as a hood, the neck as a scarf, or the waist as a sarong.

If people are interested I’d follow this up with another post that details a few more school activities, a school calendar, and a table for staff and students.

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octavenine · 2 years

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Is Afghanistan Going to Break Apart in Next 5 years?

The Pashtun-led Taliban are ripping up Afghanistan’s fragile social contract by centralizing all power and creating conditions for civil war, disintegration and spillover into neighboring regions.

After the shambolic US withdrawal, Afghanistan faces an existential problem: Its very existence as a state is now in question. Most people forget that Afghanistan is a patchwork of disparate ethnic groups and remote villages. Unlike Germany or Japan, it is not and has never been a nation-state.

Since the 1880s, Afghanistan has been a state based on a loose coalition of poorly governed provinces, forgotten villages and marginalized ethnic groups.

A Chequered Past

For more than a century, different power centers in Afghanistan have had some sort of representation in the central government, even if they often got leftovers from the dominant Pashtun ruling class. This class was repressive and often bloody. Abdur Rahman Khan, the Iron Amir, conducted genocide against the Hazaras in the 1890s, erased a substantial part of the cultural heritage of Nuristanis by forcing them to convert to Islam, and confiscated fertile lands of Tajiks and Uzbeks in the north only to redistribute them to Pashtun tribes.

Even a modernist king like Amanulla pursued the Iron Amir’s policies. Yet, at the helm of power, there was generally a servant’s seat at the table for other ethnic groups such as the Tajiks, the Uzbeks and even the Hazaras. This seat at the table along with the backing of superpowers, first the British and then the Soviets, kept the state and the political order intact.

When the Soviets invaded in 1979, the Pashtun-dominated order of Afghanistan gradually crumbled. Ideology trumped ethnicity, and groups like the Tajiks, the Uzbeks and the Hazaras rose in prominence. Much credit for this goes to Babrak Karmal, the president of Afghanistan from December 1979 to November 1986. When the Soviets withdrew in February 1989, this order collapsed. The battle-hardened mujahideen groups fought a brutal civil war in which Tajik leaders Burhanuddin Rabbani, leader of the Jamiat Party, and Ahmad Shah Massoud, known as the “Lion of Panjshir,” held the upper hand.

The Pashtuns struck back through the Taliban and took over Kabul in 1996. They exercised power over most of the country while Massoud was leading the resistance to the Taliban government from the Panjshir Valley. He was killed in Afghanistan two days before the 9/11 attacks in 2001 by an al-Qaeda suicide squad masquerading as journalists on the pretext of filming an interview. Even after his death, the resistance to the Taliban continued and Massoud’s fighters contributed heavily to the ground fighting that drove out the Taliban from much of the country, including Kabul.

In the five years of Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001, the Pashtuns returned as the dominant military and political group. They ran an autocratic regime, marginalizing other ethnic groups and suppressing opponents. Hence, resistance to the Taliban was persistent and ferocious in many parts of the country.

The Post 9/11 Experience

The 9/11 attacks led to the American intervention and the creation of a new democratic state. Tajiks, Uzbeks, Hazaras, Turkmens and other marginalized communities became active participants in the political process. Despite its fragility and flaws, the post-2001 political order and its democratic components offered a unique opportunity for Afghanistan to transform into a functioning polity and society.

The governing Pashtun ethnonationalist elites, their non-Pashtun partners, including conservative warlords, and the reemergence of a Pashtun-led insurgency squandered the resources and opportunities that otherwise might have consolidated a civil and democratic political order.

The Taliban’s forceful return to Kabul last August ended the post-2001 American-backed constitutional order. Today, chaos prevails and a fanatical Pashtun clergy has a vice-like grip on every aspect of Afghanistan’s social, political and economic life. Furthermore, the Taliban are fanatical Muslims with ethnofascist tendencies and a profound apathy for Afghanistan’s ethnic, cultural and political diversity.

In recent months, many analysts have been very charitable to the Taliban. In an interview with Fair Observer, political analyst Anas Altikriti said, “The reality is the Taliban have won and in today’s world, they have the right, the absolute right to govern.” If the right to govern comes from conquest, then Altikriti is right. Lest we forget, the Taliban have yet to win an election or demonstrate that they are actually capable of governing. Moreover, they are rigid, dictatorial and revanchist. An inclusive political formula that represents Afghanistan’s mosaic-like diversity is impossible so long as the Taliban remain exclusively in charge.

The legitimate aspirations of non-Pashtun ethnic groups such as the Tajiks, the Uzbeks, the Hazaras, the Turkmens and others are now dissolving in the acid of Sunni fundamentalism. The Taliban have marginalized them completely. These groups have no seat at the table, no representation in the decision-making process and have to live under the barrel of the Taliban gun.

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