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mariana-oconnor · 1 year

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The Five Orange Pips pt 2

There were no signs of violence, no footmarks, no robbery, no record of strangers having been seen upon the roads.

Ghost murderer.

"They have, however, allowed me a policeman, who may remain in the house with me." "Has he come with you tonight?" "No. His orders were to stay in the house." Again Holmes raved in the air.

First, all my Holmesies at the rave:

Second, I'm really going to agree with Holmes here. Neither of the first two deaths occurred in the house. The policeman should be on bodyguard duty not house guarding duty. What the actual? This is spectacular incompetence. To the point where it borders on conspiracy.

"There is but one thing to do. It must be done at once. You must put this piece of paper which you have shown us into the brass box which you have described. You must also put in a note to say that all the other papers were burned by your uncle, and that this is the only one which remains. You must assert that in such words as will carry conviction with them. Having done this, you must at once put the box out upon the sundial, as directed. Do you understand?"

And we come to the further reason why Elias Openshaw was a massive dick. By burning the papers he ensured that his family would have no way to prove that they were gone and therefore protect themself. The one scrap exists by luck rather than design and honestly, isn't proof that everything's been destroyed. Do I want the bad guys to get their papers back? No. But there was definitely a better way to play this than to leave your family with literally no way to protect themselves. You can't just say 'the papers don't exist anymore' and expect everyone to believe it.

Outside the wind still screamed and the rain splashed and pattered against the windows. This strange, wild story seemed to have come to us from amid the mad elements—blown in upon us like a sheet of seaweed in a gale—and now to have been reabsorbed by them once more.

In case you had forgotten, the weather is miserable, but Watson's clearly loving it.

"But have you," I asked, "formed any definite conception as to what these perils are?" "There can be no question as to their nature," he answered.

Based on the lack of any physical evidence at the second death site, I still feel like 'the ghosts of the people Elias Openshaw murdered' would 100% be a reasonable solution for this story if it were to step into the supernatural.

As Cuvier could correctly describe a whole animal by the contemplation of a single bone,

Sounds fake, but OK. It's the Victorian period. Anything goes. (Also apparently Cuvier was anti-evolution and laid the basis for scientific racism, so we're really in it now)

"It was a singular document. Philosophy, astronomy, and politics were marked at zero, I remember. Botany variable, geology profound as regards the mud-stains from any region within fifty miles of town, chemistry eccentric, anatomy unsystematic, sensational literature and crime records unique, violin-player, boxer, swordsman, lawyer, and self-poisoner by cocaine and tobacco. Those, I think, were the main points of my analysis."

Ah, a flashback to A Study in Scarlet, if I remember correctly. Nice little nod to the readers, ACD.

a possession of all knowledge, which, even in these days of free education and encyclopaedias, is a somewhat rare accomplishment

In these days of wikipedia... I think you might call that a completely unknown accomplishment.

And we finally get to the part of the story with the anti-racism. Thank you ACD for putting this in Holmes' voice and making it very, very clear where he stands on the matter.

"You will observe," said Holmes, laying down the volume, "that the sudden breaking up of the society was coincident with the disappearance of Openshaw from America with their papers. It may well have been cause and effect."

And this is where we get the 'Openshaw might have been remorseful and changed sides' narrative from. That and the 'my sins' line from the first part. Sure, fine. Maybe he decided that they were going too far and perhaps the murdering, intimidation and terrorism were a little more extreme than he wanted. But fuck that, because he kept the fucking papers.

Maybe it was shame that held his tongue, but I keep coming back to the papers, over and over again. If he was already marked for death then why tf did he burn the papers and not turn them over to an authority that could actually do something with them? That would have protected his family at least a little and it would have stopped the papers from falling back into the wrong hands. It's absolutely the best play here. He has evidence of crimes committed. He has nothing left to lose. He should have turned the papers over immediately, but whatever. At this point he has no reason not to turn them over.

Sure, he probably would still have been killed, but he was dead anyway. All he had to do was try to take them down with him. But he didn't. He burnt the papers. So even if he was remorseful or ashamed or whatever (and it doesn't seem like from his nephew's description of him that he was particularly changed in his viewpoints) he still didn't go far enough to actually try to do something about it. Instead he put his family at risk and tried to protect what? His reputation? Fuck that.

He stopped for himself. He protected himself. And then at the end, he protected his reputation.

"There is nothing more to be said or to be done to-night, so hand me over my violin and let us try to forget for half an hour the miserable weather and the still more miserable ways of our fellowmen."

Some music to soothe the spirits. Holmes fiddles while London storms.

#long post #the five orange pips #letters from watson #Sherlock Holmes #Look I really don't like Elias Openshaw and I don't think he is at all redeemed by the narrative #he's a racist selfish idiot murderer

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wales-official · 1 year

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This blog stands with Ukraine, Palestine, Congo and Sudan.

Welcome to the official (*cough*) blog for Wales!

A few fun facts

Wales is the only country in the world where it can rain horizontally

It has the highest concentration of castles in the world

The fantasy genre originated here

Frequently Asked Questions (i guess)

What is this i have never heard of Wales before

What it is

Wales, or Cymru to use its native name, is a country in the southwest UK known for its rugged coastline, mountainous national parks, distinctive Welsh language and Celtic culture.

Further Reading

Encyclopaedia Brittanica

Wikipedia

Wales.com

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⚠️ If you see anything wrong, or have any suggested additions, feel free to send me an ask.

#cymru #wales #pinned post

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mintbees · 11 months

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My DM joked that I keep making up too many real world things to be in the DnD world and that the next time I make up something like a “bagel” I have to be able to in universe explain what a bagel is and where it comes from. I’ve made it my mission before our next session to find out how to make it so that my character with severe amnesia who literally had to be explained what the weather is, got told by his NPC companion what Wikipedia (the free encyclopaedia that anyone can edit) is so I’ll be in universe allowed to ask “can I look that up on Wikipedia?”

#Im going to find a way to make Wikipedia real in the dnd world if it’s the last thing I do

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fantasyfactorxx · 6 months

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The Impact of Fake News on Crowdsourced Information

#MDA20009 #week8

Introduction

In today's digital age, the proliferation of fake news has become a concerning issue. This deceptive information can have a profound impact on crowdsourced data and the communities that rely on it. This blog explores the implications of fake news on crowdsourced information, shedding light on the challenges it poses and offering real-world examples (Dhiman 2023).

Crowdsourcing: The Backbone of Information

Crowdsourcing involves harnessing the collective knowledge and contributions of the public to gather, curate, and share information. It's a powerful tool for everything from Wikipedia to open-source projects. Crowdsourced data has revolutionized the way we access information and has become a valuable resource in a variety of fields. The power of crowdsourcing lies in its ability to tap into the collective wisdom of diverse individuals, leading to richer, more comprehensive information (Hargrave 2022).

The Rise of Fake News

The internet has given fake news an unprecedented platform to spread. False or misleading information, often disguised as legitimate news, can quickly go viral, causing confusion and distrust among online communities. Fake news can take various forms, from fabricated stories to manipulated images and misleading headlines. The ease of sharing information online, coupled with the increasing polarization of digital communities, has made fake news a persistent problem (Aimeur, Amri & Brassard 2023).

Impact on Crowdsourced Information

Challenge in Verification

One of the most significant challenges posed by fake news is the difficulty in verifying the accuracy of information on crowdsourced platforms. When fake news infiltrates these platforms, it becomes challenging to separate fact from fiction. Take, for example, a crowdsourced map of disaster areas. If it contains information derived from fake news reports, it could lead to misallocation of resources and even put lives at risk (Ludvik 2020).

Disrupt and Polarization

Fake news doesn't just cloud the accuracy of crowdsourced data; it also erodes trust within communities. When information becomes tainted by false narratives, it can lead to division and polarization among users. For instance, a heated discussion on a platform like Reddit or Stack Exchange can escalate when fake news is introduced, undermining the collaborative nature of these platforms (Dizikes 2021).

Real-World Examples

Wikipedia Editing Wars

Wikipedia is a prime example of crowdsourced information. It relies on the contributions of volunteers to maintain an extensive and continuously evolving encyclopaedia. Fake news can disrupt this delicate balance, leading to what are known as "editing wars." These wars occur when contributors with conflicting beliefs and biases edit articles on controversial topics to reflect their viewpoints. For instance, articles on climate change have been battlegrounds for editing wars due to the influence of fake news and misinformation (Haviland 2018).

OpenStreetMap and Misplaced Crowdsourced Data

OpenStreetMap, a collaborative project to create a free and open map of the world, relies on contributors to provide accurate geographic data. Fake news can mislead contributors into adding inaccurate or misleading information. In one instance, fake news regarding the location of a prominent landmark led contributors to place it in the wrong place on the map, causing confusion for users and travellers (Novack, Vorbeck & Zipf 2021).

Combining the Impact

Media Literacy

Educating individuals about media literacy is crucial in combating the effects of fake news on crowdsourced data. Encouraging critical thinking and teaching individuals how to fact-check information can help users distinguish between credible and false information. Promoting media literacy not only empowers individuals to discern the accuracy of information but also contributes to a more informed and discerning online community (Lord & Vogt 2021).

Platform Policies

Crowdsourced platforms can play a vital role in mitigating the impact of fake news. They can implement stricter content policies and fact-checking measures to prevent the spread of false information within their communities. By setting clear guidelines and enforcing them rigorously, these platforms can help maintain the quality and credibility of crowdsourced information (Ng, Tang & Lee 2022).

User Vigilance

Empowering users to report suspicious content can be an effective means of maintaining the quality of crowdsourced information. Many platforms rely on vigilant users to help identify and address fake news. By encouraging users to flag misleading or false content, platforms can more effectively address the problem and maintain the trust of their communities (Zewe 2022).

Collaborative Fact-Checking

Promoting a culture of fact-checking among contributors can be a proactive approach to mitigate the impact of fake news on crowdsourced data. Crowdsourced platforms can encourage users to verify information before contributing it. This can help prevent the spread of false information, improve the accuracy of data, and enhance the overall quality of the shared knowledge (LI & Chang 2023).

Conclusion

In an era filled with fake news, the effects on crowdsourced information are significant and complex. The examples provided highlight the challenges that communities face when trying to maintain the accuracy and integrity of their shared knowledge. However, by fostering media literacy, enforcing platform policies, promoting user vigilance, and encouraging collaborative fact-checking, we can collectively combat the negative impact of fake news and ensure that crowdsourced information remains a reliable resource in the digital age. Crowdsourcing has the potential to be a powerful force for good, and by addressing the challenges posed by fake news, we can harness its full potential in building a more informed and connected world.

List of References

Aimeur, E, Amri, S & Brassard, G 2023, 'Fake news, disinformation and misinformation in social media: a review', Soc Netw Anal Min, vol. 13, no. 1, viewed 1 November 2023, <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9910783/>.

Dhiman, B 2023,, 'The rise and impact of misinformation and fake news on digital youth: A critical review', University of Science and Technology, YMCA, 1 May, viewed 1 November 2023, <https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4438362>.

Dizikes, P 2021, 'Study: Crowds can wise up to fake news', MIT News, 1 September, viewed 1 November 2023, <https://news.mit.edu/2021/crowd-source-fact-checking-0901>.

Hargrave, M 2022, Crowdsourcing: Definition, how it works, types, and examples, Investopedia, viewed 1 November 2023, <https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/crowdsourcing.asp#:~:text=Crowdsourcing%20is%20the%20collection%20of%20information%2C%20opinions%2C%20or,skills%20or%20thoughts%20from%20all%20over%20the%20world.>.

Havilland, E 2018, 'Competing with or against crowds', Digital Innovation and Transformation, 19 March, viewed 1 November 2023, <https://d3.harvard.edu/platform-digit/submission/wikipedia-the-ultimate-crowdsourced-knowledge-tool/>.

Li, J & Chang, X 2023, 'Combatting misinformation by sharing the truth: a study on the spread of fact checks on social media', Information Systems Frontiers, 11 June, viewed 1 November 2023, <https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10796-022-10296-z>.

Lord, KM & Vogt, K 2021, 'Strengthen media literacy to win the fight against misinformation', Stanford Social Innovation Review, 18 March, viewed 1 November 2023, <https://ssir.org/articles/entry/strengthen_media_literacy_to_win_the_fight_against_misinformation#>.

Ludvik, E 2020, The impact and role of crowdsourcing in the information age, Crowdsourcing Week, viewed 1 November 2023, <https://crowdsourcingweek.com/blog/the-impact-and-roles-of-crowdsourcing-in-the-information-age/>.

Ng, KC, Tang, J & Lee, D 2022, 'The effect of platform intervention policies on fake news discrimination and survival on empirical examination', Journal of Management Information Systems, vol. 38, no. 4, viewed 1 November 2023, <https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07421222.2021.1990612>.

Novack, T, Vorbeck, L & Zipf, A 2021, 'An investigation of the temporality of OpenStreetMap data contribution activities', Geo-spatial Information Science, 7 October, viewed 1 November 2023, <https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10095020.2022.2124127>.

Zewe, A 2022, 'Empowering social media users to assess content helps fight misinformation', Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 16 November, viewed 1 November 2023, <https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/11/221116150648.htm>.

#MDA20009 #Week8 #FakeNews #Crowdsourcing #FactChecking

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notetoselfzine · 1 year

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friendsorenemies.com

this is an essay i recently submitted on my masters degree, about the now defunct website; (bonus at the the bottom - the full text of the edit I added to wikipedia (after the bibliography))

Upon choosing this module, I had not made a single edit on Wikipedia, always finding the complete information I needed, and never being in a position where I knew more about something than the page did. That changed recently when I had discovered an early social media site on the Internet Archive and struggled incredibly to find any information about it, so I knew it had to be me who made this public knowledge.

My lack of edits stem from there not being many factors surrounding the early 2000’s alternative music scene that are up for debate. Music in the 2000’s was greatly documented, and with blogging platform websites such as LiveJournal, where fans could make communities, we can see events unfold in real time while looking at archived journals. Interestingly, this uncontroversial area of interest is mirrored greatly in my own editing experience.

I settled upon my edits to include information about blogging platform Friends or Enemies on Pete Wentz’s Wikipedia after stumbling upon the website while viewing archived band websites, all of whom were signed to Decaydance Records (Wentz’s Label). Following links to this website, I was amazed by the vastness of communication from musicians to fans, yet shocked I had never heard about it before, considering the Decaydance label is still active. I went through Wentz’s Wikipedia history and only found one mention of the site, in June 2008, which stated that Wentz posted on his official blog that he is expecting his first child. I remain unsure as to why such a notable occurrence has no digital footprint, or remnants of its heyday mentioned retrospectively in increasingly popular 2000s ‘emo’ nostalgia journalism pieces.

Beginning in week one’s reading, the Rosenzweig article had an amazing quote which summed up my thoughts on how academics view Wikipedia, and ultimately set the tone for the rest of the reading. I was very open to understanding how and why people do not like Wikipedia, to hopefully be proved wrong, but I never happened upon a consensus that was positive from the academics we were reading. McHenry, an editor for the Encyclopaedia Britannica used a ‘public restroom’ analogy while speaking of the site, expressing whether it be dirty or clean, you do not know who was there before you. This is untrue, and I fear this quote shows McHenrys incompetence with understanding the website. The nature of the page has always allowed users to view previous versions, as Halstead states: a Wikipedia page is not fixed or permanent like a chapter of a book. In places, I could not help but feel a negative attitude from the authors, seemingly threatened by a free to use website that is practically as reliable as a book.

Coming from a Digital Humanities background, I felt like I had opposing views to the Historians in our class, I supposed we used the internet in very different ways. The archive blog I run solely uses the internet to find sources, the communities I am interested in did in some ways exist offline, but online was the hub where they met and posted content. I couldn’t help but feel like some of my peers, and the academics whom we were reading, were engaging in a Technological Determinism point of view when discussing Wikipedia. This school of thought believes that a digital product is made, and then as a society, we deal with the consequences. This notion lacks nuance, as it does not recognise the intention behind an idea. Perhaps a Social Determinism of Technology understanding is more precise when thinking about this website: the users of the internet in the web2.0 era wanted a quick and handy place to obtain factual information, so Wikipedia was created. Although it did take a while for Wikipedia to become the site as we know it, with it being one of the most visited websites from the early days of its articles being published, there was a clear need for a website like this, shown by its popularity alone.

I spent several hours locating sources for my edits, wherein all but two were links from archived websites via the Internet Archive. Searching on the current internet served little use as I could not find any information, except for their old social media accounts. Friends or Enemies officially went offline in 2013, which is a relatively short time ago, but in internet time, that is long enough for it to be completely forgotten and any traces of the page be washed away by new websites and new communities. I drafted and redrafted versions attempting to make my tone of writing emulate that of the article. I was genuinely concerned that my own personal tone coming through in my writing would be a good enough reason for a moderator to remove my edits. Admittedly, I wanted my edits to be accepted as I enjoy the thought of strangers finding out about this website, hopefully inspiring them to look at my sources and experience it firsthand. Remaining neutral was simple, what I was writing about is objective: a fan site, there was no way I could take a stance which would make my entry not follow the NPOV rule. One struggle was being able to concisely explain the inception to decline in as clear a way as possible, not to make points too convoluted by getting excited and including information that was not purely vital to the idea.

I have previously mentioned the website’s popularity, which I believe in a way, is down to its NPOV, or Neutral Point of View, stance it takes on the information it displays. I had not heard of this rule until I began learning how to edit. A discussion in class was had about remaining neutral, and a point was made that remaining neutral is a viewpoint within itself. I found myself disagreeing: to remove personal politics and biases so an objective, impartial telling of events can happen, can allow people to decide for themselves which way they are going to understand the event. In week two we were asked to choose what we think is a good article, which showcases the Neutral Point of View. I chose the Stonewall Riots. The page details the night, the social climate in North America leading up to the riots, and the impact of them worldwide – at no point does the page insinuate the riots needed to happen, nor was it a good thing they happened. The unprejudiced account of events allows the reader to take from it what they want, again furthering my point about the website’s popularity, anybody holding any point of view can ingest the core information, and with the website being run by a charity, there are no political affiliations.

Much of the reading had strong thoughts on the NPOV rule, suggesting that it goes against how historians are classically trained, to include primary sources and to create a point of view regarding an event. The most interesting consequence of the NPOV rule is the behind the scenes chaos it often causes. ‘Edit Wars’ I believe to be a commonly known term amongst internet users who are familiar with Wikipedia. Luckily Wikipedia has introduced a mechanism which now prevents this, known as the Three Revert Rule which stops people undoing a page more than three times in 24 hours. Nowadays, many of the NPOV wars take place on the Talk pages, often called the Discussion pages. In class I was excited to hear that two of my peers were engaging in strong discourses surrounding their edits, as it seems they had chosen controversial topics. Aforementioned, the page I chose to edit was that of Pete Wentz, bassist of American rock band Fall Out Boy, seemingly not as controversial as some pages chosen by my classmates. I posted on the talk page, made my edits, and that was the end of my experience. I had one apostrophe corrected, and a bot changed the formatting of one of my source links. After much contemplating why my edits were not picked apart, I realised that unlike history that was written in books and passed generation to generation, I could physically see the web page, the history I was talking about, I had solid dates and references. Nothing I posted could be up for debate, as it was genuinely factual with proof, unlike my contemporaries who were in passionate discussions about location and wording. My topic was incredibly interesting to me but did not unnerve the moderators of the page. Reflecting further on our class discussion, it seems my peers had a more ‘classic’ Wikipedia editing experience than myself, at least a version of events which seems to be mentioned in academic writing. Indeed it may be that there are larger amounts of small details to be concerned with on historical pages, yet I wish that I had encountered some issues as I would be intrigued to find out why my edits would not be approved by the wider community.

Relating to regular editors, studies have shown the demographic is 90% male, and 75% of contributors have some kind of degree. Understandably, arguments have been made regarding that the 90% of male editors are those who uphold the Neutral Point of View, but how neutral can it be if it is coming from a middle-class, educated, white male perspective? To very much contradict myself from an earlier paragraph in this essay, I do stand by this argument that Wikipedia is dominated by the male higher education demographic, whilst still arguing that the NPOV is crucial. I believe a neutral point of view is slightly better than no neutrality whatsoever, unfortunately even if it is coming from a 90% male point of view. A great piece was written by University College London Royal History Society about the editors and amount of pages about women on Wikipedia – leading to conclusions of how the demographic of editors mirrors the gender formation of articles. The work being done by the Royal History Society is aiming to change this, and encourage more women editors to become regular contributors. In hindsight, after seeing how seriously some people take the gender divide of editors, I can not help but feel a twinge of guilt over not putting this information on Wikipedia earlier, almost like my own preconceptions of the website stopped me, notably my lack of digital skill and suspecting overprotective moderators who would shun a fledgeling editor.

A fascinating Digital Culture concept which can tie into the gender of editors is that of Cyberutopia. In the early days of the counterculture net in the 1990s where it was mostly text based browsing, users were unaware of other users’ race, gender, sexuality. This allowed users to flourish, and be their truest self online. Some users hiding behind obscure display names, and not revealing their true identity mimics this, allowing people to edit and be judged solely on their edits, not background or education. However, this also allows some users to engage in Identity Tourism, by hiding behind a display name, they could introduce themselves on a talk board as a female undergraduate student, but are actually a high-school educated male. Famously, Wikipedia hired notable user Essjay who claimed to be a doctorate of History, but turned out to not be as studious as he claimed and was ultimately pushed from his role at the company, in a very early instance of somebody being caught (academic) catfishing.

Allowing anybody to edit is one of the main criticisms of the page, by academics and sceptics alike. Despite having to provide sources, and pages being regulated by chosen moderators, people have a distaste for this mode of online publishing and collaboration work. As previously mentioned, academics struggle with Wikipedia as it goes against their training, but this free to use website that has versions in 329 languages drastically opens up information to be consumed by the masses. Unlike Academic Journals that are hidden behind paywalls, and unlike books that can quickly become out of date when a new discovery in the field happens, Wikipedia can be updated in seconds making it incredibly appealing as a website to check when searching for something online. On the contrary, in some ways that Wikipedia is inaccessible is through the language of the website, as much like the rest of the internet, English is the dominating language, or with the site being partially or entirely blocked in some countries due to distrust of the content on the website. While the site is often praised for its accessibility, it does seem to be that it is by western scholars, for whom the website was built with them in mind.

One of my main takeaways from this five week module is my glowing optimism about the platform. I found it easy to edit once being taught how, and will absolutely be adding regular edits whenever I come across something noteworthy during my archive research. Through all the reading I have undertaken for this module, I have come to understand why academics are not too fond of the website, notably the NPOV blocking them from adding new narratives to the general consensus of knowledge. Yet Wikipedia truly imposes no threat to academics. Peer reviewed journals are still regarded highly and hidden behind paywalls, the average member of the public is not privy to groundbreaking research, but Wikipedia is the next best thing in the dissemination of knowledge. I sincerely hope the webpage has some longevity, as it truly does serve a great purpose in ordinary people’s lives. This module has helped me to demystify the logistics of the online encyclopaedia, and ultimately made me appreciate it even more than I originally did.

Bibliography

Halstead, D G, ‘Accuracy and quality in historical representation: Wikipedia, textbooks and the Investiture Controversy’, Digital Medievalist 9 (2013).

Harrison, S, ‘Why China Blocked Wikipedia in All Languages’, Slate (May 2019), https://slate.com/technology/2019/05/wikipedia-china-block-censorship-tiananmen-square.html [accessed 1 November 2022].

Jensen, R, ‘Military History on the Electronic Frontier: Wikipedia Fights the War of 1812’, Journal of Military History, 76 (2012), pp. 1169 – 1177.

Leonard, V, ‘How Can Historians Achieve Inclusivity In Digital Archives?’, Royal History Society, (December 2019), https://blog.royalhistsoc.org/2019/12/16/how-can-historians-achieve-inclusivity-in-digital-archives/, [accessed 31 October 2022].

‘Most Popular Websites in the World 1996/2021’, Statistics & Data 2021, https://statisticsanddata.org/data/most-popular-websites-in-the-world-1996-2021/ [accessed 1 November 2022].

‘Pete Wentz – Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia’, The Internet Archive (June 2008), https://web.archive.org/web/20080624235142/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Wentz, [accessed 1 November 2022].

Phillips, M. G, ‘Wikipedia and History: a worthwhile partnership in the digital era?’, Rethinking History, 20.4 (2016), pp. 523 – 543.

Reed, T V, ‘How Do We Make Sense of Digitizing Cultures? Some Ways of Thinking Through The Culture-Technology Matrix’, ‘Digitised Lives: Culture Power and Social Change in the Internet Era’, (Second Edition, New York, 2019) pp. 1 – 30, 32 – 34

Rosenzweig, R, ‘Can History Be Open Source? Wikipedia and the Future of the Past’, Journal of American History, 93.1 (2006), 117 – 146.

Steggle, M, ‘Prospero and Plagiarism: Early Modern Studies and the Rise of Wikipedia’, Digital Studies/le Champ Numerique 2.1 (2010).

‘Wikipedia:Edit warring: The three revert rule’, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Edit_warring [accessed 1 November 2022].

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my wikipedia edits [sic] to include hyperlinks and references;

Friends or Enemies was a blogging platform created by Wentz to showcase "VIP" content of the bands signed to DCD2. The site first appeared online in the latter half of 2005 stating "coming this fall".[52] On January 16, 2006 the page published its first post, welcoming people to its BETA version; earlier that day Wentz appeared on MTV's TRL wearing a friendsorenemies.com branded t-shirt, to promote the website.[53] The platform allowed its users to customise their own page, comment and reply, and post entries on their profile. In support of Friends or Enemies, William Beckett of The Academy Is... posted on their website that it is "the hatester's MySpace",[54] and Cobra Starship shared a preview of their music video, Church of Hot Addiction on the website, a week before it was to be aired on MTV2.[55] By February 2007, Equalstudio, the designer and host of the website, stated there were over 100,000 members on Friends or Enemies.[56] The website became a hub for posting tour announcements and updates, and had increased its VIP journals to include bands that were not signed to DCD2, such as Armour For Sleep and Innerpartysystem[57][58]

In 2009, Twitter[59] and Facebook[60] accounts were created, which posted the same content as the website, that was still being regularly updated with blogs and competitions. Also in 2009, Friends or Enemies began posting on their YouTube channel which published skits, live performances and interviews.[61] Through 2011 and 2012, the social media pages began to post links to new music videos, while the website continued with blog updates from bands. Despite 2012 being the year for the website that had amassed the most blog posts, in January 2013, Wentz posted an edited photograph of Britney Spears with a shaved head, which served as his last post.[62] By May 2013, the homepage stated the "Network [is] offline"[63] and has remained down since.

#friendsorenemies.com #friends or enemies #friendsorenemies #fall out boy #pete wentz #wikipedia edits

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yashkhanna2042-blog · 10 months

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Wiki Consultancy; boosting your business with Wikipedia:

Wikipedia for your brand?

Let’s stroll through our memory lane; the old times when we used Wikipedia for almost all our academic projects. Not much has changed; millennials and Gen-Z still consider it to be the authentic encyclopaedia of their times. And why wouldn’t one? It is the ranked one third-party source on search engines. Ever wondered, ‘What if we use this to boost our business online?’. If yes, you’re on the right path. Many brands are already incorporating diverse Wikipedia services to empower their businesses. From the ancient history of Dravidians to the inception of Nike and Puma, Wikipedia is a reputed source of information and a marketing medium. But is this the right tool? Or does it work well for all businesses? Well, the article ahead breaks it down for you. However, to be sure, it is always wise to approach Wikipedia experts or credible Wikipedia page consultancy services.

What popular Wiki Page consultants have to say:

Many marketers and Wikipedia professionals state an argument that favours the creation of a Wikipedia page for an evolved business. Here are some benefits claimed by experts:

SEO benefits: While brands are still struggling to rank high, Wikipedia has it all wrapped around its fingers. No exaggeration, but on a factual basis, on at least 56% of searches, Wikipedia ranks first. Creating a page for your brand with the right Wikipedia consultants can proliferate your chances to rank high among the SERPs.

Brand credibility and awareness: There are no second thoughts about authenticity if your brand has a Wikipedia page. Your potential customer base is more likely to think of your brand as a reliable, successful and renowned one when associated with Wikipedia. Besides credibility, it also contributes to increasing brand awareness among your primary and secondary target audiences.

More relevancy: Wikipedia enables a brand to elaborate on its history, milestones, upcoming achievements, etc. Your target audience gets to know more about your brand. Along with the sales motive, it also adds a custom touch which triggers brand loyalty. This, however, requires the right sources and language to portray the brand’s norms and values. Best Wikipedia consultant companies can help you get it done right!

Wiki consultancy and services:

Page Making: The very first step of creating a Wikipedia page is a little treacherous. However, Wikipedia consultants know that you’ve put your bets on them. Therefore, these help you generate Wikipedia pages that are notable and authoritative.

Wikipedia Research: Wikipedia has its own norms and standards which need to be followed whilst the creation of a page. Without knowledge of the actual facts and figures regarding Wikipedia, one cannot construct a perfect page. Wikipedia page consultancy services can conduct in-depth research to curate accurate and error-free content.

Wikipedia Writing: Content has a dominant role in conveying your brand's values, message, and big ideas. With the right services, your brand can get the right voice get.

Maintenance and support: In order to have a truly remarkable impact on our target audience, Wikipedia page maintenance and monitoring are very necessary. The maintenance and monitoring of it are typically neglected, which leads to a problem at a specific moment and causes page blocking. Wikipedia page consultants can assist you!

Page consultancy: Creating a Wikipedia page cannot be an act of impulsion. It requires a lot of pre-work that goes behind. Hiring the best Wikipedia consultant company helps you frame the right theme and structure.

Red flags whilst choosing Wikipedia page consultants:

1. Consultancies that do not adhere to the Wikipedia Policies:

Do not look for consultants that always take shortcuts. Black hat “agencies cannot help you in the longer run. A large category on Wikipedia comprises people who are paid by a client to edit pages but do not reveal they are paid editors on Wikipedia. Hundreds of editor’s patrol articles looking for indicators of "undisclosed conflict of interest" editing. Therefore, fooling the search engine guidelines cannot help you sustain for a long time

2. Consultants that are hesitant and lack transparency:

Look out for agencies that have clear and crisp communication about the ins and outs of your Wikipedia page. If they fail to keep you posted about the frequent updates, maybe it’s not the right one for you.

3. Stay away from Scammers:

It is a sad fact that there are certain facade companies in the Wiki consulting business that pretend to be professional. With the motive of only making money, these companies often leave their clients worse than they started. Save yourself and your brand by choosing the right notable Wikipedia page consultancy services.

#digital marketing #digitalmarket #seo #wikipedia #pagecreation

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originalwerewolftimemachine · 1 year

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03. Our Project Title: Women Life Freedom

Since all the three of us are on the same page about this project we finalized our title as “Women Life Freedom”. As it is the first slogan that was emerged in these protests, and it is the whole meaning of behind these protests like asking and protesting for the life and freedom of women which was suppressed and kept locked up under the hijab and burka.

Our project is about 22-year-old women named Mahsa Amini who died in the custody of religious morality police after arresting her for not waring her ‘dress code’ (hijab) properly. While the Law enforcement claims that “she had a heart attack at a police station, collapsed, and fell into a coma before being transferred to a hospital the eyewitnesses, including women who were detained with Amini, reported that she was severely beaten and that she died as a result of Police Brutality.” (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia) “During Amini’s funeral, on 17 September, crowds gathered in Saqqez chanting the slogan ‘Women Life Freedom’, which was adopted across the country and beyond”. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia)

“Some of them even removed their hijab and publicly cut their hair as acts of protest.” (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia). As the protests got intense by December there were 476 people killed by security forces, and many were brutally injured among them Ghazal Ranjkesh is a woman who lost her eye after being shot in the face and her post after coming from surgery was “The last image my right eye recorded; it was the smile of the man who was shooting at me.” Despite all of this she still fights for the freedom of women. (Women NCRI Committee, 2023).

Our main objective is to bring awareness of the situations in Iran and help whatever we can to move this movement forward. The tricky part was figuring out our roles and making the project that supports the skills of all the 3 of us.

Finally, after some sessions and discussions we came up with an idea for our final project that has 3 parts which can not only help the Iran moment to go forward but also fits all our groups skills. First part of that is to create awareness through an art exhibition where there will be some artworks along with a video explaining everything happening in Iran with every horror happened to the protesters so that people can better understand their stories and spread those stories to the world. These videos will be played along with the artwork in our exhibition.

For the second part, there are 6 petitions going on about the situation of Iran in support of the people and they are:

1 Global citizen

2 UK petition

3 Middle East Matters

4 Iranians for Justice and Human Rights

5 Women, Life, Freedom

6 Change.Org petition

So, we are hoping to get some of these petitions signed and for that we are making QR Codes for the easy sign in and we are planning to make a clip at the end of the video explaining the importance of those petitions.

Now for the final part, my teammate is making clothes and patches with ‘Women Life Freedom’ embroidered on it so that we can sell them at our art exhibition and collect money for the donations and send them to ‘Centre for Human Rights in Iran’.

So far, my overall feeling for this project is that we can successfully make it to the end and complete our exhibition.

We are planning to do the exhibition in a crowded or popular areas so that a lot of people might catch the attention and help spread the awareness.

References:

https://mzemo.com/2022/10/death-of-mahsa-amini-how-governments-are-denying-womens-right-to-choice/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Mahsa_Amini

https://hudac-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/u2274429_unimail_hud_ac_uk/EU30gFZ-JPVDiOXaoJ-uVMABDJgx5drTi9MT352ZbnjRmA?CID=1e805816-537e-a87b-4c70-b535425df691

BBC News. (2022, September 17). Mahsa Amini: Women take headscarves off in protest at funeral. BBC News.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-62940907

Women NCRI Committee. (2023). Brave Iranian women lose their eyes, but their hearts still beat for Iran. Women NCRI Committee.

https://women.ncr-iran.org/2023/01/17/brave-iranian-women-lose-eyes/

https://trippin.world/feature/how-to-support-protestors-in-iran

#masters #Women Life Freedom #WLF #Mahsa amini #university #iran

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wishopenastar · 2 years

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Pride Wikipedia Poem

hi so the world is kind of in shambles, but here is the first wikipedia poem I wrote. there is a text version under the cut.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia

The poem is made from screenshots of Wikipedia articles.

Pride

For other uses, see Pride (disambiguation).

Pride is emotional response or attitude to something with an intimate connection to oneself

In the King James Bible, people exhibiting excess pride are labeled with the term, "Haughty".

"pride comes before a fall"— 1611, King James Version of the Bible, Book of Proverbs, 16:18

Sexual orientation is traditionally defined as including heterosexuality, bisexuality, and homosexuality, while asexuality is considered the fourth category

Perceived sexual orientation may affect how a person is treated.

Scientists do not know the exact cause of sexual orientation

Most cultures use a gender binary, having two genders

the fear of rejection or discrimination can keep youths from being public with their uncertain identity.[13]

police officers tended to use medicalized or pathological terms like "invert", "pervert"

LGBT [edit]

Main article: Gay pride

The word "pride" is used in this case as an antonym for "shame".

"shame".

"pervert"

"shame".

"pervert"

"shame".

an antonym for "shame".

reclaimed from use as badges of shame in Nazi concentration camps.[8]

LGBT pride (also known as gay pride) is the promotion of the self-affirmation, dignity, equality, and increased visibility

Pride, as opposed to shame and social stigma

Richard Taylor defined pride as "the justified love of oneself",[2]

By the 1950s and 1960s to say “I am queer” was to tell of who and what you were

a share in ruling the world.[85][86][87][84]

people of his hometown Ayodhya were following him. He told them, "Men and women, turn back", and with that, those who were "neither men nor women" did not know what to do, so they stayed there. When Rama returned from exile years later, he discovered them still there and blessed them, saying that there will be a day when they, too, will have a share in ruling the world.[85][86][87][84]

love of oneself”,[2]

Track listing [edit]

Gay people in the pre-war years [pre-WWI] ... did not speak of coming out of what we call the gay closet but rather of coming out into what they called homosexual society or the gay world, a world neither so small, nor so isolated, nor ... so hidden as closet implies.[13]

Love Is Love Is Love (The Remixes) – EP[5]

Proud comes from late Old English prut, probably from Old French prud "brave, valiant"

Etymology [edit]

brave

a world neither so small, nor so isolated, nor ... so hidden as closet implies.[13]

"brave, valiant"

valiant

brave

“I am queer”

Pride

#pride 2022 #wikipedia poetry #wikipedia poem #Harsha look

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peregrin-nook · 2 years

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A wizard has cast a spell upon you! You have now entered

[ID: The Dogs Portal, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia. Many good dogs in a grid. There's a lanky girl and a good boy on a lead and some snowy guys with long snoots and a black-and-white boy with a curly tail and a fluffy girl and an alert girl and a gorgeous royal dog and a dog doing parkour on some sheep and a happy dog and a huge adult dog and I'm very sorry I have no idea what breeds are other than they are dog end ID]

#dogs #wizard

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splendidemendax · 5 days

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ok so. long story but. tl;dr: i'm working on making a website for funsies and i've run out of basic structural stuff to do so now i'm doing predictably weird shit like. well. making a fanpage for ovid shut up

and i decided that i wanted to have a quote from wikipedia on there and what i really wanted was to put a screenshot there for the instant this-is-from-wikipedia-the-free-encyclopaedia vibes, but pictures of text are countraindicated for accessibility reasons and so. i decided to do the Very Normal Thing which is to say i made a css class for wikipedia quotes and then i went to wikipedia and used the firefox dev tools to steal her look and

i am SO proud look at her

#mea res

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rejectedbad · 2 months

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Rejected Bad: Wikipedia

The following is a rejected script from an early season of Breaking Bad.

INT. DEA OFFICE - DAY

Hank sits at his desk, while Mike walks in with a perplexed expression. Walter paces back and forth, agitated.

HANK: (looking up) What's got you boys all worked up?

Walter stops pacing and faces Hank and Mike.

WALTER: (urgent) Gentlemen, I've made a shocking discovery. That bastard Bezos is planning on moving to California and launching a meth powered rocket to target Albuquerque..

HANK: (sceptical) Bezos, the Amazon guy? Walter, you sure about this?

MIKE: (leaning against the desk) Walter, if Bezos was really moving to Cali, it'd be all over the news. You can't just speculate.

WALTER: (defiant) No, I'm sure of it. He's got some diabolical plan, and we need to stop him before it's too late.

Hank rubs his forehead, exasperated.

HANK: Walter, calm down. If this is true, there has to be some evidence. Why don't we look it up together on Wikipedia?

Walter scoffs at the idea.

WALTER: (dismissive) Wikipedia? Come on, Hank. The free online encyclopaedia that anyone can edit?

Mike chuckles and pulls out his phone.

MIKE: (nods) But it's a good starting point. Let's just see what we find.

INT. DEA OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

Walter reluctantly walks over to Hank’s desk as Mike begins searching on his phone, while Hank watches with raised eyebrows.

MIKE: (tapping on his phone) Alright, let's check this out. Bezos' current residence.

Walter leans in, his eyes darting across Mike's phone screen.

MIKE: (raised eyebrows) Ah, here it is. Bezos resides in Medina, Washington. Not California. The president would not allow rockets in Washington. Remember when he banned flying kites?

Walter freezes, his face twists in disbelief.

WALTER: (angry) That's impossible! He must have edited the article himself to cover his tracks!

Hank, frustrated, stands up from his desk.

HANK: (voice raised) Walter, this conspiracy theory is getting out of hand. Bezos has no reason to target New Mexico. Remember, he's a bald billionaire CEO, not some supervillain. I’m bald, am I a supervillain?

Walter becomes visibly deflated, realising his mistake.

WALTER: (defeated) But… I was so sure. I thought I had him figured out.

MIKE: (puts a hand on Walter's shoulder) Walter, we all make mistakes. But let's keep our focus on what's important. Building our business and keeping our operation intact.

Hank grabs his jacket from the back of his chair, preparing to leave.

HANK: (sighs) Alright, enough excitement for one day. Walter, leave Bezos to the FBI, CIA, NSA, and Richard Branson. We have our own problems to deal with here in New Mexico.

Walter nods reluctantly, reassessing his priorities.

WALTER: (sullen) Yeah, you're right. Let's get back to work.

Hank and Mike exchange a knowing look as the tension dissipates.

EXT. DEA OFFICE - DAY

Hank, Mike, and Walter exit the office, heading in different directions, ready to face the challenges that lie ahead.

FADE OUT.

#breaking bad #rejected bad #walter white #hank schrader #mike ehrmantraut #california #washington state #Washington #new mexico #jeff bezos #amazon #richard branson #wikipedia #half life vr

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syrakhanistan · 6 months

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The Elbrus Atrocity

This could have been avoided, o’ little rat. Be that as it may, let this information put forthwith consume you.

Unlocking files, category: Elbrus Atrocity. Security levels: OVERRIDDEN.

Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia: The Elbrus Disaster

The Elbrus Disaster, also known as the Elbrus Atrocity, or the Burning of the Mountains, refers to a military incident – referred to as a war crime, a preventive strike, a decapitation strike, an ambush, and many other tactical names – wherein an element of the Syrakhanistani Armed Forces launched an annihilation order against several key Russian defensive positions in the latter stages of the Greater Caucasian Conflict. This total obliteration of several important strongholds of Russian strength, most notably the temporary command headquarters of the entire Russian Southern Military District stationed on the cusp of Europe’s largest mountain, Mt. Elbrus (which gives this incident it's more common nomenclature), and the dual bunker-system of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces, along with the main command of the 12th Directorate of the Ministry of Defence (responsible for nuclear command), on two mountains of Kosvinsky and Yamantau.

This series of events, all occurring within a single hour on a single day, was quickly seen as the primary motivation behind the Grand Armistice proceedings, alongside the Moscow Spearhead Incident a day later. The events remain hotly debated between scholars of military, science and history thought, particular between the political ramifications of such an attack as well as the physical capability of a small number of Syrakhanistani forces to deal such a blow.

As such, it should…

…

Recording footage of the remains of Mount Elbrus, roughly half an hour after contact was lost with the headquarters there

• 00:00 minutes in. “As we are seeing from the helicopter… an impossible sight. Moving in for extra verification; inspector himself states that it might be a hallucination.”

• 00:05 into operation. “It’s true. Impossibly, the entire mountain has been turned into a quite literally smoking crater. In fact, the inspector on the ground now notes that the material currently bubbling like lava on the ground matches the natural stone formation of the former mountain; which is to say, whatever was used here was powerful enough to turn a 6km high peak into a liquid puddle of rock. Similar operations on other fortresses currently being inspected due to lack of comms activity are reporting identical results.”

• 00:06 into operation. “MilSci calculates that, with the evidence of the old Ivan bomb [Russian name for Tsar Bomba] and the crater it physically created, it would take roughly, and this appears to be very rough, somewhere between 30Mt to 860Mt, if not more, concentrated into a single explosion. That’s… well, Ivan was around 50Mt, if the old government were to be believed, so this is easily the most powerful human explosion ever registered…”

• 00:07 into operation. “We have visual – photographic – confirmation of similar attacks at the other sites. So not only have they deployed a weapon of unheard-of scales, but they have done it around ten times within an hour. Kurchatov, eat your heart out.”

• 00:15 into operation. “So… this is unconfirmed as of yet, but we’re not getting any radiological signatures from the points of impact. We’ve only just managed to get some drones close to Ground Zero, so this is hypothetical, but… somehow, this weapon they’ve deployed is non-nuclear in nature. Jesus fucking Christ...”

• 00:20 into operation. “The non-nuclear nature of the explosions has been independently verified. The inspector is back from the edge of the site; he’s been shivering for the last five minutes. I think he might have thrown up along the way back.”

• 00:25 into operation. “We’ve got unconfirmed reports of enemy troops closing in on the location. However, said reports also indicate they march under a white flag… What the fuck is going on?”

• 00:35 into operation. “So… the Syrakhanistani force that has just deployed here is just as confused as we are. They detected massive heat signatures that terrified a scientific attache they had been assigned – apparently they were concerned it could have been a third-party, like the Americans, or even an asteroid – and decided independently to conduct a humanitarian effort. Hang on…”

• 00:50 into operation. “That was quite a lot of effort. Another Syrakhanistani force appeared, and I mean quite literally. Stealthed in and everything, one of their goddamn invisible machines we’ve heard reports of. Apparently, this operation was conducted by the top echelons of their armed forces; virtually nobody, even the actual Army Group Marshal of the force that had arrived, had been told. These stealthy guys are from this echelon; I’m not in charge of this operation, but the guy who is has currently passed out, so I’m confused to my orders, but… they’ve essentially told us that the War will be over by tomorrow. One of them is even personally seeing to the inspector, under guard of course. This whole situation stinks.”

• 1hr into operation. “It’s finally hit the international news. The Syrakhanistan government and our own still haven’t said anything, but the UN has officially requested an immediate ceasefire. Sounds like even the Yanks are terrified. The silence from the bosses in Moscow is... well, unnerving. Anyways, those special high-echelon forces I mentioned earlier seem like a lively bunch, if I might say so. They’re fully decked out in sinister looking black armour, even with skull icons, but they’re actually seeming kind of nice. As I said, one of them saw to the inspector, and he’s up and about again. He does look a fair bit more pale though…”

• 1.15hr into operation. “First stage of research is coming to an end. The current hypothesis is that they used some sort of direct energy weapon via a non-nuclear charge, but we have currently no idea what in God's name that could be, or how such a powerful non-nuclear weapon could be deployed almost concurrently in separate places thousands of kilometres apart. Whatever the answer is… this is unpatriotic to say, but I’m pretty sure we’ve soundly lost this war. We could use literally every single weapon in our arsenal at the same time, and it would do less damage than what they just used. What was all our fighting for, then…?”

…

Cabinet meeting of Syrakhanistan, roughly 3 hours prior to Atrocity.

“So… you’re in full regalia.”

“I am.”

“This should be good.”

“With her? All will be.”

“I wish I had your enthusiasm.”

“Hey, can someone fill me in…? What does being in ceremonial armour mean?”

“Didn’t you read the memo? I sent it, like, an hour ago.”

“My liege, not everyone has the ability to read at the speeds you do!”

“…forgive my intrusion, but he does have a point. Heh, I can’t absorb information at a fraction of the speed and level you do, and I’m… well.”

“Pfft. It really is like you guys to bring me down to Earth sometimes. Ahem.”

“As I said, this should be good.”

“So, you know how I have [REDACTED]?”

“Oh, not this again. I still can’t physically wrap my head around it, sometimes. Even after the Minister demonstrated for you.”

“Well… On that note.”

“My liege, do you want me to…?”

“No. This is my fault for being secretive.”

“…”

“So, in terms of being [REDACTED], I have been somewhat… uncompromising with my secrecy around it.”

“Such as…?”

“Well. To be blunt… if you were a planet, then the Minister would be a solar system. If the Minister is a solar system, then I’m an entire galactic cluster.”

“Your Excellency, you’re not that fat!”

“Ex-FUCKING-SCUSE ME—Oh, wait, you’re joking. Or…?”

“What my esteemed colleague was trying to articulate is that he doesn’t understand your example.”

“Hey! It’s not that I don’t understand… I just don’t really get metaphors sometimes.”

“Fine. FINE! Pardon my French, then. Basically, compared to normal [REDACTED], ahem, 'I’m the fucking Juggernaut, bitch!'”

“Eh…?”

“Oh, dear lady up above, you don’t know…? Have you SERIOUSLY never watched the X-Men?!”

“My liege, are you sure—”

“Don’t make me repeat myself. Besides, I think I’m close.”

“Well, I mean… A juggernaut usually means something big, but also strong, right?”

“Yeah! So, you’re trying to say…”

“I’m trying to say, I’m like ABSOLUTELY FUCKING GIGA-STRONG.”

“Like, really, really powerful.”

“As in, I can blow up cities by myself.”

“She once destroyed an entire army with a snap of her fingers.”

“I can make the Tsar Bomba look like a plump stinkin' turd after a somewhat weird burger bought at a station in the middle of the night.”

“What, like… I dunno, a Superman or something?”

“Eh, if that example is descriptive enough, then go for it.”

“Alright, so we kind of understand now. You’re powerful, like physically, or something. What does that have to do with the… well, the over-dramatic glowing armour of doom?”

“Phrpt, glowing armour of doom…”

“Well, cool armour details aside, it’s mostly to psyche myself up. But it’s also a demonstration of how serious I am, to anyone who understands the context of my… well, the [REDACTED].”

“Alright. So… what are you going to do?”

“I’m, well. I’m gonna give ‘em an airshow. I’m going to demonstrate that, whilst this little war was fun, I’m finished with it at this point. We have them on the retreat anyways, but… well, what I’m about to do would give Harry Truman a wet dream.”

“Y’know…”

“Don’t, seriously. Don’t…”

“No, I have to ask. I’m sorry, but if we had a trump card that would put the Tsar Bomba to shame, then why haven’t we used it until now…?”

“How dare—”

“No, wait. It’s a good question, and I forgive your… impertinence. It does deserve an answer.”

“I… I hope it is a satisfactory one. You seem a little, well, flippant about this situation, your excellency. With all, and I do mean all, due respect… I cannot find the death of so many in this war to be such a small thing. On both our own side and for the Bear.”

“Heh. Growing a conscience in your old age?”

“Perhaps. I do have kids now, after all.”

“True. Well, I do have a reason. Two-fold, really.

One: I believed, somewhat selfishly, that our combined arms would manage to defeat the Russians conventionally, especially after we repelled the initial attack. I certainly didn’t expect them to refuse to surrender so stubbornly; I mean, we’re on the precipice of European Russia. We’ve taken the Caucasus, and Crimea is in sight. Do they not know when to quit?”

“It’s the Russians. They really don’t.”

“Quite.

And, two: This level of destruction I am about to demonstrate is detrimental in many a manner. It risks hurting us nationally, internationally, and with regards to [REDACTED] [REDACTED]. It breaks several treaties and agreements about [REDACTED], and it will be condemned as a war crime above all others, and frankly as an act of environmental terror that exists above all possible crimes against humanity. It’s also… well, all energy must come from somewhere. I might be [REDACTED], and the [REDACTED] [REDACTED], but this level of violence should not be released unless absolutely necessary.”

“My God... And... well, will you be...?”

“Heh. Maybe you’re the one with the conscience.”

“Ha! Perhaps. You’ve seen another meaning, then?”

“Of course. In my time with working with you, you’re not a fan of doing things that wouldn’t be necessary. As absurd as I do find you being a superman, you wouldn’t reveal such a fact in such a serious manner if you didn’t think it was a last resort.”

“Heh. Yeah, you’re right in many regards there. Frankly, I don’t want to prolong the suffering we’ve already dealt. This might be over the top, but it’s such a feat that I must only pray that they will give up afterwards. Otherwise… Well, to make me do something so unnecessary, even more than this, would be bad for literally everyone involved.”

“My liege…”

“Come now. We’re this informal now, we're all friends and comrades here. You have my permission.”

“Just this once then, War... Warmaster Hazuki. The First among all. You do have a heart, somewhere in there, don’t you?”

“…Maybe. Some days, I do doubt it.”

“'This was, and remains, necessary', then?”

“Umu; indeed. What we will do today will make historians quiver; but it is better than the alternatives we’re left with. I can’t let this war go on any further, anyways; there are more pressing matters, for me personally and for the nation, to deal with anyways.”

“Do what you will, Hazuki. As always, we stand with you, no matter the cost.”

“…Thank you. You don’t know how much that means to me.”

“The details, then?”

“Ah, yes. I plan on using the Minister’s powers – I hope that’s alright, [REDACTED]? – to duplicate a few of myself. It is vital that this appears to be a united effort from more than one person, so as to avoid… well, this whole thing will have many consequences, so let’s at least cut a few down if we can. I will inflict a horrendous loss upon the Bear, all within the space of between ten minutes and an hour, depending on a few factors.”

“…How long have you been planning this, my liege…?”

“Heh.”

…

Recording: NONE APPLICABLE. LOGGING OFF…

Wow, you actually watched that all like a champ! How did--- oh, ahem.

Thoust… Art thou insane, perhaps? You still wish to go on? Fine... For once, I shan’t complain of the failures that man can be. So… well, I suppose you can have this one on my behalf. Indeed, this would be metaphysically impossible… without a few little tweaks on my part. Be gracious, if your feeble mind can actually understand this…

Recording: REALITY OVERRIDE IN EFFECT. RECORDING TAKEN VIA [#?#?#?#?]; NEAR TO AND AT MOMENT OF ATROCITY.

WARP RUPTURE DETECTED. PROCEED WITH CAUTION.

The smell of burned ozone preceded the brief but bright flash of light, indicating a teleportation; an abhorrent act, tearing through two sides of the warp back into the reality of this world. A single figure steps out from the hole, with a soft thump, before the warp reclaims the gap in reality.

She stood quietly, at the summit of Mt. Elbrus. It was a clear morning, but cold, and every breath she took let out a small cloud.

Comms chatter.

“My liege, I’ve set up the Duplicates as requested. On photos and footage, if any, along with visual confirmation, it will appear that you are surrounded by several others in SIM armour.”

She grunts, and the comms goes dead again.

She gives a small sigh, and looks almost wistfully up to the sky. The sun was just about to rise above the horizon, and the moon still burned brightly behind her, the slight pink shadow only visible to people like herself ever present when looked at for too long.

“Let’s begin…”

She cleared her throat, and projected herself and the Duplicates to the locations of her machinations.

“Greetings, oh Russian forces.”

Chaos immediately rang out across each fortress. Sirens blared, and guns were loaded. All for naught, naturally.

“Today, you will be sacrificed for the good of our two nations. Be at peace, for the deaths of you thousands is a necessity for fate to run it’s cruel course.”

More running around, like headless chickens. Her left eye twitched a little, a fiery anger held in cold chains attempting to escape.

“Well then… good morning; and goodbye.”

A small, golden shield materialised onto the Warmaster's arm, and she swiftly twisted it---

[REALITY ERROR: PARSING CODE… DONE.]

--And Chaos returned to this world.

The sky blazed a cruel, unfamiliar colour, frozen in an unseen fury. Piles of melted and bloody corpses littered the landscape, the ruins of cities burning across the wastes. Elbrus erupted, even whilst she stood atop it, the lava frozen in the air next to her.

Her eyes finally lost a little tension, and she coughed.

Spluttered.

Bloody puke and bile spluttered from her mouth, her nose beginning to ooze a horrific black substanced stained with flecks of crimson.

“I will never get used to this… no matter how long I play this stupid fuckin' game.”

Hazuki clenched her fists, squinting at her surroundings, her hair reflecting a long-erased purple. As always, that disgusting fucking egg, having replaced the Moon, swung in the sky, the corrupting pink seething through the frozen surroundings. The Sun, replaced by a single broken cog as if ripped violently from a wheel still turning; the laughter of the grinning death from eons past ever present.

The World of Lost Time, the corrupted haven located within the reality-warping power of time control, would always be both a peaceful respite as well as a truly terrifying reminder of…

Well. Speaking of terrifying reminders.

“#!#?#?!//#?!//~#...”

The death of worlds, the incarnation of evil, made itself known, placing non-existant hands made of pure darkness onto the girl's shoulders while speaking heresies in a language unrecognisable to those who know not, only recognisable as an incomprehensible shadow if witnessed to those who know not, often shortly prior to a sudden and painful demise.

Put simply, those who do not know cannot comprehend that one.

Unfortunately, Hazuki remained one of those cursed few who did. Her often blank features turned to a genuine scowl, like someone woken abruptly from a good sleep.

“You’re later than usual. What gives?” She spoke scornfully, her fists clenched tight.

“??!!##//#!?!#?#!!?#/#!”, the shadow giggled in response, a small puff of smoke emerging from where a mouth would be. A slither of shadow flickers purple as the figure absently combed non-existant hair.

“Typical. Anyways… do you know why I’m here?”

“?!#!?”.

“…I probably should have expected that. Ah, well. Maybe one day…”

Hazuki sighed, and looked up to that awful sky once more. Memories of an era long since past drift to the surface, before being swiftly banished back from whence they came. She shook her head again.

“Anyway – try not to disturb me. I need to do this as quickly as possible, despite how utterly irritating such a task is...”

“??!##//!!?#//?”, the thing spoke with an unseen smile, wings of pure misery puffed up with a sense of glee.

The Warmaster closed her eyes, ignoring the figure next to her and the bleak surroundings of a frozen wasteland, before smiling; and then—

…

[REALITY OVERRIDE DISCONNECTED. RESUMING PLAYBACK...]

Diary entry: Personal guard of Russian Premier [REDACTED], 25hrs post-Atrocity

“The death toll, all given, appears to be in the hundreds of thousands, and that is likely a low-ball estimate.” The soft-spoken advisor finished his spiel, before nervously sitting back down.

The Premier was sweating profusely. He was already aging in a bad way, and this war had only exacerbated his various issues. You can’t help feel a little sorry for him, even if you’re sure that the majority of this is his fault in the first place.

“What I want to know is… how did this even occur? A group of 30 elite soldiers, or so, somehow unleashing a weapon that quite literally melted Europe’s largest mountain?! For fucks' sake, we thought their nukes were only tactical until they glassed the WHOLE FUCKING ANATOLIAN highlands. Honestly, if there’s one thing I’ve certainly taken from this disaster, it’s to fire my military logistics team and re-allocate all their money into the FUCKING dirt, for all the goddamned use they’ve been.” The Premier screeched in an almost deranged manner, stamping his foot like a petulant child.

A murmur around the room. You grip your holster a little tighter – you really would like to avoid any more coup attempts, if possible. The last one had your wife in a proper fit following the number of casualties.

“Mr President, if I may interrupt… I think it might be better to think about what we should do next.” The Undersecretary to the Minister of Defence spoke coldly; a younger woman, who seemed to have aged a century during the process of the war.

“Wow, you DON’T say?!” Her common rival, the Undersecretary to the Minister of Trade, grunted in response. “For once, Premier, I have to agree with the muppet on my opposite side. We have to do something.”

“Well, what do you two geniuses actually suggest, then? Hm?” The Minister of Defence himself stated with a growl, scratching at an untrimmed hair near his beard. One of his oldest comrades, the former Foreign Minister, had died in the trigger event for this whole mess. From the beginning, he had been one of those most ardent for a military response – yet, at this point, even he had begun to tire of the war (if solely because it was getting more and more difficult to import his favourite brand of cigar).

“Well…” One of them began.

“Let’s just nuke them all. I mean, really, why didn’t we do it sooner?” The current Foreign Minister, a young chap with all the charisma but none of the brains, spat out.

The Minister of Defence chortled at that. “For what, exactly? As revenge? I mean, for crying out loud, we don’t have enough nukes to properly saturate their whole territory, let alone the means to do so in an efficient manner anymore. Maybe if we had started with NUCLEAR FUCKING GENOCIDE then we might have had half of a chance, but at this point we’ve run out of half of our own means to deploy our weapons.”

“Well, what about nuking their capi—”

“Do you not remember the LAST time we tried that?! Have you never heard the phrase “the definition of insanity…”?”

“Guys, come on, we need to—”

“Oh, you’re such a twat—”

“Why did I even want this job in the first place…”

The State-Security Council of the Russian Federation descended into pandemonium, as years of pent-up stress finally boiled over into a heated shouting match. You shake your head in shame at what this once great nation had become.

“You know, I have a few ideas for what we could do next.”

One oddly clear voice finally spoke above the din of the room. A voice they had all heard before, in broadcasts and on impatient diplomatic phone calls. A voice they both feared and hated.

The leader of their opposing nation sat nonchalantly at the other head of the table, the Deputy President somehow unceremoniously plopped on the end of the table itself. She smiled that cold yet pleasant smile, one foot relaxing on the table whilst she picked at the underneath of one of her nails.

It was at this moment of pure, sudden silence that the situation outside suddenly began to set in. Sirens were blaring; smoke drifting through shattered windows. It was as if reality itself had suddenly changed in the space of mere moments.

You go straight for your sidear-

AAAAAAAARGHHH

FUCKING HELL IT HURTS FUCKING SHIT THE PAIN

“AHHHH- oh?” You scream before suddenly stopping. You look down at the bloody stump where your arm had just been, only to find it miraculously returned, as if the gory mess that had just occurred was just a strange halleucination. Were it not for the massive spray of blood now covering the wall behind you.

A dark, towering and armoured figure silently nodded next to you, a shining light fading from their arm as they moved away. You look around, the Council sat nervously and shaking, staring at you, at the First, and at splatter of viscera that coated the walls.

“I trust you won’t cause any more issues for a little while, Mr. [REDACTED]?”

The First spoke calmly, her cold eyes staring daggers at you whilst still somehow giving you a relaxed and calm aura. The way she spoke your name, as if you had been friends for decades... yet this was utterly terrifiying to you - as how would this world leader know your name?

You nod, somewhat shakily, as the Syrakhanistani Imperial Marine helps you to your feet. You return to your post next to the Premier, who at this point is positively drenched in sweat.

“Now then, as I’m sure you kind folks have guessed… your resistance is positively futile. You have absolutely no means of escape, and your guards have been completely neutralised. None of them are dead, by the way; I’m feeling merciful today.” She continued.

“If… If I might ask, how did you…?” The Minister of Defence hesitantly asked.

“We used an Electromagnetic Pulse to temporarily disengage Moscow’s air defence and alarm systems, before physically obliterating the defence apparatus around the city. Myself – I’ve actually been sat here for ten minutes or so, but I was enjoying your little argument so much I lost track of time, ahaha!” The woman grinned coyly at that last remark. Such a warm gesture from such an utterly terrifying person put you even more on edge.

The Premier stood up all of a sudden, and glared down the table at the First; she simply raised a single eyebrow.

“You… Even now, with all the king’s horses at my doorstep… I refuse to surrender, you kn-know…! Russia will never fall to it’s enemies, ever again…!” He spoke harshly, desperately trying to cover up the dread in his voice.

“Pfft! Oh, how adorable… And, uh, misunderstood.” The First’s cold smile grew into a genuine grin, a rarity.

After a few moments of silence, one of the two rivalling Undersecretaries finally spoke up. “Eh…? Wh-wh-what do you mean…?”

The First looked to one of the Marines stood around the office, and they began to distribute a simple piece of paper to each of the members of the Council. The looks on their faces…

You try to squint at the one given to the Premier, shortly before the Marine gives a small static-filled sigh and hands you a copy. Your face rivalled your superiors at that moment.

The First stood up, and began to pace around the sides of the room she was in. “Indeed. Misunderstood. As you are no doubt reading, I am not expecting – or, indeed, wanting – a surrender from the Russian Federation.”

Her grin turned from pleasant to cat-like, a predator’s façade before the kill.

“No, the great, nay, Grand Armistice I propose will be far more embarrassing for you personally, even if the world will never know of how insulting it would be.” She spoke carefully, emphasising every word.

“The Grand Armistice will solidify us not as rivals or enemies, but as best friends, and allies on the international stage. What it will cost you each personally would make the Mongol hordes quiver, but… well, I don’t suppose you would prefer the fate of Elbrus for the rest of your nation?~”

As Moscow grew silent as the sirens died down, and as the rubble in Red Square was being piled up, the quiet tapping of pens signalled a new day of peace. ‘But at what cost?’, you thought wistfully, as your dear Premier cried silent tears onto the parchment whilst the pint-sized enigma of your enemy smiled a sickly-sweet grin of ice at the end of the table.

A new era was to begin, and you couldn’t help but ponder if nuclear annhilation would have been a better alternative.

#syrakhanistan #middle east #magical girls #factbook #war #Gold #witches

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