#but its already oct 31

[probablyasocialecologist]

The latest questions are centered around Anat Schwartz, an Israeli who co-authored several of the paper’s most widely circulated reports, including the now well-known and scrutinized December 28 article headlined: “‘Screams Without Words’’ How Hamas Weaponized Sexual Violence on Oct. 7.” Independent researchers scrutinized the online record, and raised serious questions about Schwartz. First, she has apparently never been a reporter but is actually a filmmaker, who the Times suddenly hired in October. You would expect the paper to look for someone with actual journalistic experience, especially for a story as sensitive as this one, written during the fog of war. Surely the paper had enough of its own correspondents on staff who could have been assigned to it. Next, the researchers found that Schwartz had not hidden her strong feelings online. There are screenshots of her “liking” certain posts that repeated the “40 beheaded baby” hoax, and that endorsed another hysterical post that urged the Israeli army to “turn Gaza into a slaughterhouse,” and called Palestinians “human animals.” (Just this morning, more evidence emerged online; Schwartz apparently also served in Israeli Military Intelligence.) Finally, one of her co-authors on two of the reports was Adam Sella, who is her nephew.  Let’s pause here. What would happen if the Times suddenly hired a Palestinian filmmaker with no journalistic background, who had recently publicly “liked” posts that called for “pushing Israeli Jews into the sea,” to co-write several of its most sensitive and contested reports? 

[...]

There’s another related example of how the Times has botched the sexual violence story. One of the first Israeli organizations that arrived on the scene of the Hamas attack was Zaka, a volunteer group that recovers dead bodies. On January 15, Times reporter Sheena Frankel wrote a positive profile of the group; she included 3 or 4 sentences of criticism, only to quickly dismiss them. This site had already raised serious doubts about Zaka weeks earlier, pointing out that “the organization’s volunteers have systematically given false testimonies, and continue repeating them to journalists on behalf of the Israel government.” Then, on January 31, the Israeli daily Haaretz published a long investigation, that highlighted “cases of negligence, misinformation and a fundraising campaign that used the dead as props.” Haaretz cited one Zaka report that said a volunteer had seen a murdered pregnant woman, with the baby still attached by the umbilical cord — before concluding that the incident “simply didn’t happen.” At this stage, there are serious doubts about many aspects of Israel’s overall account about October 7. Only a genuinely independent and impartial investigation might some day get closer to the truth. But meanwhile, at the very least the New York Times must publicly recognize its errors, and assign new, unbiased reporters to try to clean up its mess. 

Continue reading

#israel #palestine #new york times #hamas #Anat Schwartz #zionism #october 7

[revenantghost]

Kenji Muto's Twitter Posts: Part 1

Before and while Tristamp was airing, Kenji Muto made some amazing Twitter posts giving us lore and production tidbits along the way. And while I don't speak Japanese (so I'm going to have to use Google Translate for this, so take everything you read here with a grain of salt because it may be skewed by mistranslation), there was some fantastic art and really cool concepts shared, and I want to archive anything Trigun-related. If I miss anything, let me know!) It starts a little slow with stuff we already know, but there are some interesting tidbits! If anyone who knows Japanese wants to correct anything, please feel free! Now, without further ado...

Part 1 [here]

Part 2

?

12:23 AM · Jul 4, 2022

Twitter始めました。 TRIGUN STAMPEDE監督の武藤です。

I started Twitter. This is Muto, director of TRIGUN STAMPEDE.

1:41 AM · Jul 7, 2022

シリーズ長編初監督です。田島光二さんによる美しいコンセプトアートとキャラクター原案をベースに、壮大な世界観を作っています。順次、新しい情報が解禁されるはず。お楽しみに。 #TRIGUN

This is my first time directing a feature-length series. We have created a magnificent worldview based on the beautiful concept art and character designs by Koji Tajima. New information should be released one after another. looking forward to. #TRIGUN

7:27 AM · Aug 3, 2022

公式HPにある花守さんの「依存と執着」という表現は的確だと思った。最も行動原理を組み立てるのに時間のかかったキャラクター、少年ナイ。服に浮かぶ不思議な模様も田島光二氏によるデザイン。果たして、どんな意味が込められているのか。 写真は、追加で届いたロサンゼルス土産。 #TRIGUN

I thought that Mr. Hanamori's expression of ``dependence and attachment'' on the official website was accurate. Shonen Nai is the character that took the most time to formulate his behavioral principles. The mysterious patterns that appear on the clothes are also designed by Koji Tajima. What kind of meaning does it really contain? The photo shows an additional souvenir from Los Angeles. #TRIGUN

12:15 AM · Aug 23, 2022

公式のコンセプトアート公開、なぜか少年時代編が多いなぁ。原作漫画で、ナイが奏でている、オルガンのような、ピアノのような楽器。どうゆう感情で弾いているのか、誰を想って弾いているのか。 そういえばあのコンセプトアートはいつ公開なのだろう。 いつ解禁になるのだろう。 #TRIGUN

For some reason, most of the official concept art released is from the boyhood version. In the original manga, Nai plays an organ-like or piano-like instrument. How do you feel when you play, and who do you have in mind when you play? Come to think of it, when will that concept art be released? When will it be lifted? #TRIGUN

3:42 AM · Aug 31, 2022

出社したら壁にTRIGUN STAMPEDEのポスターが貼られていた。ちなみにお隣のポスターは、初演出デビュー時代からお世話になっている松見真一監督のTVアニメBEASTARS。 第二弾ポスターも鋭意製作中。 #TRIGUN

When I arrived at work, there was a TRIGUN STAMPEDE poster on the wall. By the way, the poster next to me is of the TV anime BEASTARS, directed by Shinichi Matsumi, which I have been supporting since its debut. The second poster is also in the works. #TRIGUN

5:43 AM · Sep 4, 2022

演出用に作ってもらったマザーシップの立体造形。絶妙に捻れていて、左右対称でデザインされてるわけではないので、３面図起こしがとにかく難しい。 レム・セイブレムは五番艦。 大墜落を免れたのは三番艦。 日曜出社の私は現在、音響ブース。 #TRIGUN

A three-dimensional model of the mothership made for the performance. It's exquisitely twisted and not designed with left and right symmetry, so it's difficult to draw it from three sides. Rem Saverem is the fifth ship. The third ship survived the crash. I come to work on Sunday and am currently working in the sound booth. #TRIGUN

11:10 PM · Sep 13, 2022

相手に説明することで、アタマの中が整理されてゆく。 感覚を理屈に落とし込む、言語化って大切。 雑誌の対談取材、刺激になるので今後も積極的に行いたい。 でも、想定外の質問やアドリブ対応は苦手だったりする。 #TRIGUN

By explaining things to the other person, your mind will be organized. It is important to translate feelings into logic and verbalize them. I would like to continue doing interview interviews for magazines, as they are very stimulating. However, I am not good at handling unexpected questions and improvisation. #TRIGUN

12:25 AM · Oct 17, 2022

ようやくお披露目です。 セルルックのCGで作ったポスター第二弾、見た目以上に手間かかってます。まだ名前を公表できない敏腕スタッフたちが、陰ながら活躍してくれました。よく見ると本編内容のヒントが隠されているので、宝探しのように楽しんでほしい。 予告編第２弾も解禁です。 #TRIGUN

It's finally unveiled. The second poster made with cell-look CG takes more time than it looks. The talented staff, whose names cannot yet be made public, have been working behind the scenes. If you look closely, there are hidden hints about the main story, so please enjoy it like a treasure hunt. The second trailer has also been released. #TRIGUN

11:01 PM · Nov 8, 2022

ダビングも鋭意進行中。 この臨場感、音響効果、ミキシング、そして素晴らしい劇伴音楽。映画館の音響環境で聴いてほしいと思っていたら、なんと先行上映会が開催決定。 勝俣さん的に言うと「グルーヴ感がたまらない！」って事なんだと思う。音の力、恐るべし。 #TRIGUN

Dubbing is also in progress. The sense of realism, the sound effects, the mixing, and the wonderful accompaniment music. I wanted to listen to it in the acoustic environment of a movie theater, but it was decided that an advance screening would be held. In Katsumata-san's words, I think it means "the feeling of groove is irresistible!" The power of sound is terrifying. #TRIGUN

4:35 AM · Nov 28, 2022

同じ内容を繰り返し話すことが苦手で、できるだけテーマや内容を掲載誌ごとに変えるようにしている。多角度から見つめると、作品が立体的に見えてくる。 今後も順次、裏情報満載の対談記事が発表されるはず。 ポスター第三弾も、そろそろ完成予定。 #TRIGUN

I'm not good at repeating the same content over and over again, so I try to vary the themes and content from magazine to magazine as much as possible. When viewed from multiple angles, the work appears three-dimensional. We are sure to continue to publish interview articles full of behind-the-scenes information in the future. The third poster will be completed soon. #TRIGUN

12:02 AM · Dec 5, 2022

不慣れなトークを辛抱強く聴いてくれた、優しいお客様に感謝。優しくも暖かい拍手に救われました。役者さんのように笑いを取りつつ、上手く会話を回せないものか。スタンピードチーム陣からは「場数ですよ」とアドバイスを貰う。 場数とやらを踏むためにも、ネクストステージ頑張らねば。 #TRIGUN

Thank you to the kind customers who patiently listened to the unfamiliar talk. I was saved by the gentle and warm applause. Are you unable to carry a conversation while making people laugh like an actor? The Stampede team members advised us, ``It depends on the number of places.'' We have to work hard on the next stage in order to make it to the number of places. #TRIGUN

10:54 PM · Dec 5, 2022

最近、宣伝チームの熱量に圧倒される。 現場スタッフとは違う、これまで接点のなかった役職の人々。こうゆう縁の下の力持ちがいるから作品が広まるんだなぁ。 彼らと飲みに行ったりすると、その人柄にも触れる事ができる。集団戦、集団作業、集団芸術。つくづく学びの多いプロジェクトだ。 #TRIGUN

Lately, I've been overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of the advertising team. People in positions that are different from the field staff and with whom I had no previous contact. It's because of these unsung heroes that my work spreads. When you go out for drinks with them, you can get a feel for their personalities. Group warfare, group work, group art. It's a project with a lot to learn. #TRIGUN

12:30 AM · Dec 22, 2022

新宿アドストリートなどにTRIGUN STAMPEDE看板が多数あるらしい。今後も何やら宣伝チームが面白い事を計画中らしいが、なんだろう、とても楽しみ。何気ない風景の裏にも、陰ながら頑張っている人たちがいる。そうやって作品は更に広がってゆくのだ。ブラボー。 https://youtu.be/oolZJKslJcU #TRIGUN

There seem to be many TRIGUN STAMPEDE signboards on Shinjuku Ad Street and elsewhere. It seems like the advertising team is planning some interesting things in the future, but I'm really looking forward to it. Behind the scenes, there are people working hard behind the scenes. In this way, the work will continue to expand. Bravo. https://youtu.be/oolZJKslJcU #TRIGUN

[Boo, dead Youtube link ):< If anyone knows what it was, let me know and I'll insert that info here]

3:21 AM · Dec 28, 2022

いつの間に、誰かが作ってくれたTRIGUN STAMPEDE年賀状を受け取る。カメラ目線で素朴に座るスタンピード。真摯に作品と向き合っている、そんな現場スタッフの姿勢を感じる一枚。 物語終盤のダビング（ファイナルミックス）に追われている、ラストスパートの2022。 #TRIGUN

Before I knew it, I received a TRIGUN STAMPEDE New Year's card that someone had made for me. Stampede simply sits looking at the camera. This photo shows the attitude of the on-site staff as they approach the work with sincerity. 2022 is the last spurt of dubbing (final mix) at the end of the story. #TRIGUN

6:37 AM · Jan 4, 2023

喫茶店で水出しコーヒーを眺めているとTRIGUN STAMPEDEを連想する。見た目は変化すれど、ちゃんと豆の成分と香りが活きている。内藤先生という豆を炒って、挽いて、一滴一滴丁寧に抽出する。 とびきり今風のコーヒーカップに注いで、さあ召し上がれ。 2023年もどうぞ宜しくお願いします。 #TRIGUN

When I look at cold brew coffee at a coffee shop, I think of TRIGUN STAMPEDE. Although the appearance may change, the ingredients and aroma of the beans are still present. The beans called Naito Sensei are roasted, ground, and carefully extracted drop by drop. Pour into a super modern coffee cup and enjoy. We look forward to your continued support in 2023. #TRIGUN

9:13 AM · Jan 7, 2023

本日からTRIGUN STAMPEDE放映スタートです。 第1話「NOMAN'S LAND」 いろんな思いを、ガツンと込めました。 どうぞ、よろしくお願いします！ #TRIGUN

TRIGUN STAMPEDE will start airing from today. Episode 1 "NOMAN'S LAND" I put all my thoughts into it. Nice to meet you! #TRIGUN

12:37 AM · Jan 9, 2023

シリーズ脚本の第一話、第二話、 第三話は、 ホップ・ステップ・ジャンプだと思う。 まるで、週刊誌の連載ネーム。 #TRIGUN

The first, second and third episodes of the series script are I think it's hop step jump. It's like the name of a weekly magazine serial. #TRIGUN

12:49 AM · Jan 9, 2023

ただのモブからサブキャラへ異例の昇格を果たした愛すべき悪役、チャック・リー隊長。 コンテ描いてると、キャラが勝手に動き出す。 シナリオに無い台詞を話し始めたり、暴れたり。 杉田智和さんの怪演が光る。 #TRIGUN

Captain Chuck Lee is a lovable villain who has achieved an unusual promotion from just a mob to a side character. As I draw the storyboards, the characters start moving on their own. He starts speaking lines that aren't in the scenario, or gets violent. Tomokazu Sugita's mysterious performance shines. #TRIGUN

10:56 PM · Jan 10, 2023

最初期の頃、内藤先生と飲みながら、 「手触り感を大切にしたい」 「実存感を大切にしたい」 ひたすらそんな事を話していた。 惑星の空気感と生活感を見事に再現。 宝石の国の頃からのタッグ、 金子雄司の美術世界。 #TRIGUN

In the early days, while drinking with Mr. Naito, “I want to value the feel of touch.” “I want to value a sense of existence.” That's what I was talking about all the time. The atmosphere and lifestyle of the planet are beautifully reproduced. A tag team from the days of Land of the Lustrous, Yuji Kaneko's art world. #TRIGUN

7:06 AM · Jan 11, 2023

生まれも育ちも第三都市ジュライ。 親の七光りで憲兵隊士官学校に裏口入学。 金ピカの銃は両親からの入学祝い。 画面の外にも彼らの世界は広がり、本編では描かれない彼らの物語もある。 チャック・リー再登場に乞うご期待。 #TRIGUN #杉田智和

Born and raised in the third city of July. With the help of his parents, he entered the military police academy through the back door. The golden gun was a gift from his parents for entering school. Their world expands beyond the screen, and there are also stories about them that are not depicted in the main story. Look forward to Chuck Lee's reappearance. #TRIGUN #杉田智和

9:12 PM · Jan 13, 2023

親子の絆に、善も悪もないんだよね。 どストレート、どシンプルなテーマで挑む、第二話。 ポップ（？）キュート（？）な悪役たちにも注目。 本日23:00〜、よろしくお願いします！ #TRIGUN #トライガン

There is no good or bad in the bond between parent and child. The second episode takes on the challenge of a straight, simple theme. Also pay attention to the pop (?) cute (?) villains. Thank you for your support today from 23:00! #TRIGUN #トライガン

9:12 PM · Jan 14, 2023

二話の絵コンテの修正していたら、 ふと声が聞こえた… 『ゴフセフ』 「え？いま喋った？」 『ゴフセフ…(頷き)』 「そうか、ゴフセフって言いたいんだね？」 『ゴフセフ。(ニッコリと)』 「ゴフセフ！(ニッコリ)」 キャラと対話しながらコンテを描いてゆく。 #TRIGUN #トライガン

When I was revising the storyboard for episode 2, Suddenly I heard a voice... "Gofsef" "Huh? Did you just talk?" “Gofsef…(nods)” “I see, you want to call me Gofsef, right?” “Gofsef. (smiling)” "Gofsef! (smiling)" Draw the storyboard while interacting with the characters. #TRIGUN #トライガン

12:51 AM · Jan 17, 2023

数年ぶりにオキシタケヒコさんに会った。 毎回、東京まで呼びつけていた事に気づく。 次は僕が大阪へ行きたい、行くべき。 大阪でもSTAMPEDEイベントやりたい。 大阪で食い倒れしたい。 #TRIGUN

I met Mr. Oxytakehiko for the first time in several years. Every time, I realized that he had called me all the way to Tokyo. Next I want to go to Osaka, I should go. I want to hold a STAMPEDE event in Osaka too. I want to eat all I can in Osaka. #TRIGUN

7:36 AM · Jan 17, 2023

無口で気弱な青年は、やがて過酷な環境に適応し、 サイボーグとしての「力」を得る。 凶悪犯の仲間入りを果たした青年の名は、ゴフセフ。 語られないバックグラウンドを想像すると、 世界は更に広がる。 #TRIGUN

The taciturn and timid young man eventually adapts to the harsh environment, Obtain "power" as a cyborg. The name of the young man who has joined the ranks of violent criminals is Gofsef. When you imagine the untold background, The world will expand further. #TRIGUN

8:47 PM · Jan 20, 2023

親子の絆？ そんな常識をぶち壊す。 血は水よりも濃い、第三話。 本日、23:00-テレビ東京他にて放送。 是非ご覧ください！ #TRIGUN #トライガン

Parent-child bond? Breaking down that common sense. Blood is thicker than water, episode 3. Broadcast today at 23:00 on TV Tokyo and other channels. Please take a look! #TRIGUN #トライガン

10:53 PM · Jan 23, 2023

ナイというキャラクター性は、 一枚のラフスケッチが語ってくれた。 渋谷で開催された「内藤泰弘の世界」展。 常に優しく微笑む彼。 自身に憑依させて、描きだす。 #TRIGUN

The character of Nai is A rough sketch tells the story. "The World of Yasuhiro Naito" exhibition held in Shibuya. He always smiles kindly. Let yourself be possessed and start drawing. #TRIGUN

11:19 PM · Jan 24, 2023

「人間」という種族を一括りに捉える。 物事を巨視的にみる。 俯瞰した視野で考え、躊躇なく行動する。 コンテを描いていると、僕の中に彼が宿る。 一度宿ると、抜けるまでに時間がかかるところが難点。 #TRIGUN #トライガン

The race of "humans" is lumped together. See things macroscopically. Think from a bird's-eye view and act without hesitation. When I draw storyboards, he lives inside me. The problem is that once you get into it, it takes a while to get out. #TRIGUN #トライガン

9:49 PM · Jan 26, 2023

でも、大丈夫。 きっと逞しく彼も生き抜いていくのだろう。 過酷な環境で、現実を受け入れ、 歪な義手を手に入れ、 青年に成長した彼を想像してみてほしい。 もしかしたらワムズ使いになっているかも。 物語世界は、作り手を離れ、更に広がってゆく。 #TRIGUN

But it's okay. I'm sure he will be strong enough to survive. Accepting reality in a harsh environment, Obtaining a distorted prosthetic arm, Imagine him growing into a young man. Maybe he's using Wams. The story world leaves the creator and expands further. #TRIGUN

[Note that this was shared around episode three and the freckles this guy has--a lot of people theorize this is about Tonis]

8:52 PM · Jan 27, 2023

数年ぶりに田島光二さんと食事。 シャコやカニやエビを注文。 「これは何？」 『シャコワムズ！』 「これは？」 『カニワムズ！』 「これ…」 『エビワムズ！！』 まるで中学生のようなノリ、 同窓会のような時間。 本日23:00-は4話放映ですね。 #TRIGUN

I had dinner with Koji Tajima for the first time in several years. Ordered mantis shrimp, crab, and shrimp. "what is this?" “Shakowams! ” "this is?" “Caniwams! ” "this…" “Ebiwams! ! ” Feeling like a junior high school student, A time like a class reunion. Episode 4 will be aired today from 23:00. #TRIGUN

12:17 AM · Jan 29, 2023

見覚えのあるシルエット。 モーションキャプチャーには重くて使えなかったが、ポージング参考で大活躍した模造品。実際はもっと重いんだろうなぁ、と想像しながら演出する。 外装はロストテクノロジィ、内部は機関銃という合成兵器。 ”パニッシュメント”とは”処罰”の意味。 #TRIGUN #トライガン

A familiar silhouette. Although it was too heavy to use for motion capture, this imitation was very useful as a pose reference. I imagine it's probably heavier in reality when I direct it. The exterior is lost technology, and the interior is a synthetic weapon called a machine gun. "Punishment" means "punishment". #TRIGUN #トライガン

#Trigun #Tristamp #Trigun Stampede #Trigun Meta #Kenji Muto #Food

[trulybetty]

oct' 31 x trick or treat

Prompt: trick or treat (something sweet this way comes p.III) Pairing: marcus pike x f!Reader Word Count: 2,524 Warnings: barely beta'd is the name of the game, all mistakes are my own. mentions of baking, a tiny dash of spice, no spoilers here 💕 Summary: maplewood, a small town nestled in northern bc where people flock to see the changing blossom trees and celebrate the fall season. after losing your job you find yourself a part of the community which includes the towns baker who left a less than stellar impression on you. AO3: coming soon

A/N: It's here! The conclusion to this terribly sweet Marcus Pike story and my October prompts!

x. masterlist x. something sweet this way comes part I x. something sweet this way comes part II

As October inched towards its end, the energy in Maplewood shifted towards an almost palpable excitement. Fairy lights had been strung up between the buildings, ghosts and witches dangled from the trees, and pumpkins of all shapes and sizes sat proudly in shop windows.

You had thrown yourself with full vigour into your job search, declaring that your sabbatical in Maplewood would need to come to an end at some point. So you’d dusted off your resume, worked on cover letters and created many alerts of vacancies between Toronto and Vancouver.

And then, the offer came. A job back in Toronto. On paper, it was everything you had been working towards: good pay, room for advancement, a chance to move back to the bustling metropolis you knew so well.

Just two months ago, you would have snatched it up without a second thought. But things had changed. Maplewood had seeped into your bones; the small-town charm, the sense of community, and the friendships you'd formed had given you a newfound perspective on what ‘home’ could mean.

Adding another layer to your already complicated emotional landscape, was Libby.

“You know,” she said one evening, “the tourism board has an opening. It's in digital marketing,” Libby continued as you both sat in the living room above the bookstore, you with a new mystery novel and her with a cup of herbal tea. “They're expanding their team, and I thought of you immediately. You'd be perfect for it.”

You looked up from your book, “That does sound interesting,” you admitted, your mind racing as you weighed the options.

“Just think about it,” Libby advised, noting your indecision. “You don't have to make up your mind right away.”

But time was not a luxury you had. The job in Toronto needed an answer soon, and the Trick or Treat Parade was just around the corner, a reminder that life in Maplewood moved at its own pace, whether you were ready or not.

And then there was Marcus.

Amidst the excitement for the end of the month Trick or Treat Parade, you had successfully managed to avoid Marcus for the most part since your stint at the bakery.

Whether by luck or meticulous planning, you had kept your interactions brief and formal, a kind of self-imposed exile to protect yourself from... well, you still weren't exactly sure what you were protecting yourself from.

It wasn’t without his efforts either - he’d turned up the afternoon of the Jack-o-Lantern hunt. Libby had been sitting at the counter when she’d glanced up at the store's window seeing Marcus look both ways before jogging across the street. Eyebrows raised, she turned to you, “Marcus is coming over. Do you want me to—”

“Yes,” you interrupted, not even needing to hear the rest, “Libby, you just have to promise me, if Marcus asks for me, say I'm not here, okay?”

Libby chuckled but nodded. “You got it.”

You retreated to the back of the shop, behind rows of bookshelves and out of sight. Moments later, you heard the chime of the front door bell, announcing Marcus' arrival.

“Hey Libby, is—ah, never mind,” Marcus started, seeming to catch himself mid-sentence.

“She's not here,” Libby confirmed, her voice carrying to your hiding spot. “Can I help you with something?”

“Ah, just wanted to drop these off,” Marcus replied. You could almost hear the crinkling of paper, imagining him setting down one of his signature boxes of baked goods on the counter. “For both of you. Consider it a thank you for the help last week.”

“Sure, I'll let her know,” Libby said, slightly hesitant, as if balancing on a tightrope of truth and discretion.

Just as you were thinking you might've pulled off the perfect vanishing act, you accidentally knocked over a stack of newly arrived books with a loud crash. You winced, cursing your clumsiness under your breath.

Back at the front of the store, Marcus raised an eyebrow. “What was that?”

Libby cleared her throat, a little flushed, “Oh, it must be the mice. I've been meaning to deal with that.”

Marcus' voice floated back, laced with a knowing skepticism. “Mice?”

“Uh huh,” Libby nodded.

He gave her a pointed look, “It sounds like a rather large mouse.”

Libby stuttered a response, “I mean, did you see that picture of that rat eating pizza in that New York subway?”

With a departing chime of the bell, Marcus finally left after his conversation with Libby finished, and you waited a full minute before emerging from your hiding spot, guilt written all over your face.

Libby looked at you, then at the box Marcus had left on the counter. “So, what gives? Why are we avoiding Marcus?”

You sighed, finally letting your guard down. “I almost kissed him.”

Libby's eyes widened, her expression shifting from surprise to excitement and then she let out made you wince, “I knew it! I knew you two would be good for each other.”

“Libby, it's complicated,” you said, hoping to dial down her enthusiasm a notch or two.

“What's so complicated?” She nudged the box toward you, lifting the lid to reveal an array of doughnuts and pastries, each more inviting than the last. “The guy leaves you doughnuts, and you're practically swooning. Sounds pretty straightforward to me.”

“It's not about the doughnuts, or the almost-kiss, or any of that,” you said, searching for the right words. "It's about me. I'm confused. I came here to escape my old life, remember? To take a break and figure things out. And suddenly, I'm considering jobs here, thinking about staying in Maplewood, and—”

“Marcus Pike.” Libby finished for you, her eyes softening.

“And Marcus Pike,” you conceded, feeling a weight lift off your shoulders as you admitted it out loud. “Everything was straightforward, come here and take a break, find a job and get back to life, and now? Now it’s like my compass is spinning in every direction and I have no clue what I’m doing.”

Libby moved closer, her eyes sincere. “Look, life doesn’t always fit into neat boxes, and that’s okay. Sometimes the messy parts are what leads us to the most beautiful things.”

“You’re such a romantic, you’ve been hanging around these books too long,” you said, half-teasing but also touched by her words.

“And you’re a realist,” she said with a grin, “That’s why we get along. But sometimes, realists need to let their guard down and see where life takes them,” she replied, pushing the box of pastries closer to you.

You picked one up and took a tentative bite, your thoughts swirling almost as much as the cinnamon in the pastry. As you chewed, you found yourself reflecting on Libby’s words. There was a truth to them that resonated deep within you.

“So, what’s your plan?” Libby finally asked after you’d savoured your bite.

“Plan? Who says I have a plan?” you retorted, a smile creeping onto your face.

“That’s the spirit,” Libby cheered, raising her tea cup in a mock toast.

You clinked your doughnut against her cup.

But as the evening wore on, and you found yourself scrolling through job listings again, your cursor hovered over the tab with the Maplewood tourism board job. What would it be like to build a life here? To become part of this community, to wake up every morning in this sleepy but charming town, and possibly, to explore what it and its residents had to offer?

It was the night of the Trick or Treat parade in the town square.

The evening air was crisp, filled with the smell of autumn leaves and the sugary scent of candy. The Maplewood Town Square had been transformed into a wonderland of Halloween festivities, with strings of orange lights illuminating the dusk, and tables adorned with pumpkins and fall decorations. Kids in costumes scurried about, their laughter and the chatter of their parents filling the air.

You adjusted your witch's hat, the extent of your commitment to dressing up for the occasion. Libby, in contrast, had gone all out, embodying Where's Waldo with red-and-white stripes and a matching beanie. She looked at you and chuckled, "You could've tried a little harder than just a hat."

“I'm wearing all black. That counts for something,” you said, defending your minimalistic approach.

The two of you mingled through the crowd, stopping at various tables to admire the creativity of your neighbors. Your heart thumped a little harder when you saw Marcus’s booth up ahead. He was standing behind a table, handing out intricately designed Halloween sugar cookies to a line of eager children.

“I suppose,” Libby mused, her eyes scanning the crowd as she munched on a caramel apple.

You felt a flutter of nerves in your stomach. You'd run into Marcus a couple days earlier when you’d both awkwardly bumped into each other at the grocery store. Just when you thought you might be able to say something, Ella, who owned the diner, popped between the two of you, asking Marcus about his glazed doughnuts, and you'd taken that as your cue to leave, losing your nerve.

Since then, you'd been keeping an eye out for him but with the town's festivities in full swing for the end of the month it was one missed opportunity after the other and left you feeling that the universe seemed to be giving you every sign that maybe, just maybe, it wasn't meant to be.

And tonight seemed like it was going down the same road.

Marcus looked engrossed now in a conversation with another parent, and you felt that familiar tension creep back in. Just as you thought of moving on, he looked up, catching your eye. For a moment, it was as if the world paused, his gaze locking onto yours. Your heart picked up speed, a sense of anticipation rising.

And then someone screamed, which was followed by the sound of laughter.

All eyes snapped to the spectacle of the haunted house across the way, the moment shattered. When you looked back at Marcus, he was once again absorbed in his work, handing out cookies to a trio of young witches.

“Damn it,” you muttered under your breath.

Libby glanced at you, then over at Marcus surrounded by children eager to fill their bags with treats, “Come on,” she said softly as she hooked arms with you, “Let’s go get some hot cider.”

As the evening wore on, you felt a series of missed chances piling up. It was almost getting humorous.  Every time you managed to get close to Marcus's table, he, or you were pulled away—including Sarah, who’d shown up with her arm in a sling wanting to know about your week in the bakery, and then by the Mayor, who wanted to thank Marcus for his contribution to the event.

Finally, resigning yourself to another missed opportunity, you told yourself it was for the best. It was easier this way—easier to keep Marcus at a distance, safely contained within the realm of 'what could have been' rather than risk the messiness of 'what could be.'

As the clock neared the end of the evening, you and Libby began the trek back to her apartment above the bookstore. Libby looked at you, her expression thoughtful. “You know, sometimes when the universe gives you signs, it's not to deter you but to test how much you really want something—or someone.”

You paused, letting her words sink in. Maybe she was right. Maybe these obstacles weren't stop signs but hurdles, gauging whether you'd leap or turn back.

Once you were inside, you looked out the window across the street to Marcus's bakery, now dark but for a single light on in the back.

You didn’t stop to think it through.

Instead you grabbed your jacket, telling Libby to lock up and you'd be back and headed out the door.

As you stepped out into the cool night, a newfound resolve settled in. If the universe was testing you, then it was time to pass with flying colours. And with that, you walked towards the bakery, not knowing what awaited you but ready to find out.

Standing outside the bakery door you paused for a moment, if only to take a deep breath before you knocked the door, hoping it was loud enough to be heard out back.

You heard him shout from the back, “I've got nothing left Bill, Frank will have to go without!”

You knocked again.

When the sound of hurried footsteps drew nearer, Marcus appeared with a perturbed look until he saw you standing there. His eyes widened with surprise as he opened the door.

“Hey,” you said, your voice tinged with a nervous energy you couldn't quite suppress. “Do you have a minute?”

“Of course,” Marcus said, stepping back to let you in.

The bakery felt cozy, its lingering scent of baked goods filling the air as you stepped inside, closing the door behind you.

You hesitated, your gaze falling on the miniature decorative ghosts that decorated the now empty display case. “I think I owe you an apology,” you started.

“What for?”

You licked your lips nervously before turning back to him, “For avoiding you.”

He smiled knowingly, “I had noticed your lack of presence every time I happened to come into the bookstore. I think Libby was starting to run out reasons for your absence.”

You laughed, “Despite living and breathing books, surprisingly creativity is not always her strongest suit.”

“That it's not.”

You smiled and continued, “I guess…” you trailed off trying to find the words, “we almost kissed…” you stuttered, still trying to find the right words.

“And why would that be a reason to avoid me? It felt like you wanted to as much as I did?”

“I did,” you admitted, “but it was complicated.”

“Complicated?”

You chewed at your lip, “Because I've had an offer to take a job back in Toronto.”

“Oh,” the disappointment in his voice was impossible to miss.

“Yeah.”

“Congratulations,” he started, trying to sound more upbeat, “you've always said it was your plan.”

You paused, “Well, it was.”

He cocked an eyebrow in confusion, “Was?”

You offered him a bashful smile, “You're looking at the newest digital marketing coordinator for the Maplewood tourism board.”

“Congratulations again,” he laughed.

“Thank you.”

Another silence fell between you, the tension in the room palpable.

Marcus looked at you, his eyes full of something you couldn’t quite put your finger on, but it felt like hope. “So, where does that leave us?”

You took a step closer. “I think that leaves us at the beginning of something. Something I’m willing to explore, that is if you are?”

Marcus closed the gap, his hands finding your face, his touch warm and grounding. “Then let’s start at the beginning.”

As your lips met, it felt like the answer to an unspoken question, a missing piece slotting into place.

And as you kissed, soft and tentative, as if both of you were testing the waters, the uncertainties and what-ifs seemed to melt away, leaving only the palpable sense of a new chapter unfolding.

#october x 500 #autumnal offerings #something sweet this way comes #marcus pike #marcus pike fanfic #marcus pike fanfiction #marcus pike x you #marcus pike x reader #marcus pike x f!reader

[piosplayhouse]

I said this in my big tag wall but also I think it's so interesting I will say it separately as well. The supercorp/wangxian instance is particularly interesting as cw supergirl and mdzs both released within a literal week of each other (oct. 26 2015 and oct. 31 2015 respectively) and would continue to run relatively concurrently with supergirl concluding in 2021 after a 6 season run and mdzs having its last major adaptations (the untamed and donghua) debut and end in 2018-2021.

So in terms of fandom longevity and temporal relevancy, they are about as equal as you can get in those regards in the competition interestingly enough, albeit with vastly different cultural and creation contexts. While supergirl has always been a big budget corporate property with an already established fanbase, mdzs has undergone a bit of a strange shift where over the course of its lifetime it's been molded from a small scale indie project by a relatively unknown young author into a big budget corporate property commandeered by basically the Disney corporation of China. So these fandoms grew completely independent of each other with little to no overlap over the same period of time, leading to the sort of dissonance we saw within the notes of the poll where both sides considered the other property irrelevant, with no opportunity for any fandom crossover due to language barrier and platform dominance (Tumblr vs Weibo) until the 2020s when both had already built sizable insular fandom spheres and would largely continue to not interact with each other.

It's a bit of an interesting case of convergent evolution I think, and it's a little sad that the poll got so heated when there's a lot of research points that could've been touched on for some good old scientific analysis

#long post #ao3 top ships poll #long posts

[mysteriouslybluepirate]

hi bestie saw ur post and im kinda curious about this since it's something not a lot of ppl are talking about next to ed's arc and izzy's death and all— what do you think about how they handled stede in the finale? I felt like a lot of the "incompetent wannabe pirate" jokes undermined his progress this season and also him deciding to stay at the inn with ed felt odd as he expressed he wanted to be a pirate and sail the sea. just wondering what other people think about that

[Oct 31, 2023]

Before we get into it, you are allowed to enjoy this show! My past (and next few) responses WILL be negative, but you aren't wrong for agreeing or disagreeing with most posts. Thanks to all the people who have already sent in messages! I can't wait to respond!!

I am an Izzy fan first and foremost, but how a show handles it's protagonist says a LOT about how it handles it' characters overall!

TLDR for this post: In any character-centric media, explore your characters as characters first. Develop your plot around them and their arcs. Don't treat an ensemble cast as faceless props for the story you're trying to tell. Stede's arc is weird because Stede is shoved in places where it feels like he doesn't fit anymore.

Creating a narrative focused on central character conflicts can work. This is how S1 was written. Stede and his actions directly lead to revealing truths of the world that push the plot forward. This worked because I'd argue the strongest part of OFMD overall is its characters. S2 misses out on this strongest aspect by only referencing its characters when it needs something from them.

S1 We went from Stede killing a guy-> The Act of Grace. S2 Stede tells a guy he shouldn't be an idiot and leave behind a calling card -> burning down the Republic of Pirates and killing Izzy. S2 doesn't feel as tied to Stede's arc of growing into a pirate. But Stede isn't the only person this has fucked over.

Each crew member has their role established from S1, we fans know how they work as a family. But in S2 most of the cast can be swapped out interchangeably unless its something that features this side character NICHE (Wee John in drag being good with fabrics, Roach being a cook).

Sadly, by focusing on the larger Zheng vs. Military arc, a story our characters BARELY caused, the audience misses out on potential character development. Instead of our characters facing the consequences of their actions, our favorite side characters are used as faceless narrative tools. This is largely why the crew was abandoned this season unless they had a romantic side plot. Seeing The Revenge sail off in episode 8, it feels like we barely care about them at all anymore.

As seen from @the-buttspie 's comment, even Stede's arc isn't left out of the firing range. His characterization in episode 8 is constantly thrown back and forth between 'Captain doing his best' and 'Village idiot' if the scene needs it.

Analyzing WHY I started to dislike Stede post episode 4 is FASCINATING, and I feel that digging all the way back to the beginning is a smart way to look at his character growth this season.

FRAMING: Stede's early story get's fucked over pacing-wise because his storyline happens side by side to that of Ed/Izzy.

Any dramatic moment is cut short to show just how much the other crew is NOT about to die. Every time I watch S2 with a new person, for episodes 1-3, they'll comment on how much they don't care about Stede's plot. Which is not a thing you'd want for your protagonist in a season of TV that's only 8 episodes long.

Stede goes through a really strong arc from S1 to the start of S2. For the first three episodes of S2, he puts the needs of his crew before the needs of himself. Literally making sure his crew is safe before going down to see Ed's corpse. I genuinely enjoyed how Stede stepped up for his family. How he doesn't blame the Revenge crew for killing Ed, realizing that yes. Ed is the love of his life and also a man who has seriously hurt so many people.

Eps 4-5: From that we see him trying to talk it through with Ed. While both of them aren't telling the whole truth, it's a good start! We're midway through the season, so we should expect things to get fleshed out more soon.

Until Stede decides 'I'm going to bring a man that tortured my family for 80+ days onboard less than 24 hours after my crew voted him off' Yes. Stede loves Ed to a stupid extent, but this starts the trend for Stede to be dangerously selfish this season using his power as captain to overwrite the want of his crew, a habit of his that partially gets Izzy killed.

I really enjoyed Stede in episode 5, and for me, this felt most like the Stede we recognize growing into a real Captain with hints of who he was. I think it says a lot that Stede still misses his layers and silks. That he craves the softness he used to have in the form of that cursed jacket. But as soon as Izzy is like 'you idiot, please listen to them, they will mutiny' Stede gives it up!!!! He's grown. He's listening to Izzy, he's talking with his crew! This episode did the one thing I wish the season did more of, show the reunited crew just living their lives.

This is where Stede stands out, it lets him be a bit more of a leader to the crew. Let him find his groove again. I loved it!!

Now: Killing Ned Low.

Stede choosing to kill Ned Low is the first time Stede killing someone counts. Yes, he burned down the ship French ship. But this is the first time the audience is supposed to care. I think this moment WAS in character and a really important moment for Stede. He chose this. This wasn't up to crew vote, Ned insulted Ed so fuck him, he deserves to die. Ned walks the plank, also referencing historical Bonnet's tendency to do the same thing.

This is where both Ed and Stede make an in-character mistake, having their first time after the rush of 'oh shit, I'm still alive, and I'm hurting and you're here too'. They don't regret their first time, clearly, they both enjoyed it, but both of them can't ignore what fueled it. Stede has had 3 episodes to re-establish himself with his crew, and now has very little time for the rest of the season with them to show off his growth. That's why, after the party, we don't feel like this show is showing off a family anymore. Even when reunited, they barely feel like a united front.

But from this point on, I personally feel that Stede should have toned down the humor a bit and act like he did in episode 3. Well, I'm getting a bit ahead of myself so-

Episode 7: Stede enjoys being popular, following in Ed's footsteps. He holds his ground against Ed, and overall this feels like a natural progression of his arc from episode 5. He knows what he wants in life and Ed not communicating is genuinely frustrating for him. Him being heartbroken and trying to fight Zheng like she's Izzy is one of the few callbacks I feel that works. As it compares a Stede who was supported by his crew, to this Stede who feels totally alone. I loved Stede this episode, only to be disappointed by-

Episode 8:

Where Ed is allowed to have his silly moments in private, I feel that Stede fluctuates between silly and serious WAY too much for us to take him seriously. Stede's response to Ed telling him he loved him being 'I know' also felt off to me.

"You're not a dick, life's a dick" This line is frustrating to me as it's Stede's response to Ed apologizing. Genuinely apologizing for his actions in the previous episode. This could have been a moment for us to feel like Stede and Ed were a united front but Stede's constant joking and not taking shit semi-seriously. Yes. He feels more comfortable around his family which is amazing.

But I can't help but point out how Stede chooses to go along with a plan the rest of the crew doesn't like. What NARRATIVE purpose was there for Stede trying to sell the captain? He has money, clearly. With the loot they still have, and a future alliance with Zheng.

Stede fucks up. His choice a plan that gets Izzy killed. The writers sacrificed Stede being a competent Captain who cares about his crew into what is described as a 'suicide mission' to push Izzy into his rushed death. A disservice to both characters.

ONTO:

Stede abandons piracy

I'm not shocked they did this, not after the other flubs of the episode, but I hate that it wasn't a conversation held between Ed and Stede.

They could cut the stupid joke about Ed being bad at fishing at the beginning and have these two idiots talking about their issues. Maybe establish that, yeah, piracy is a lot, and they deserve to settle down and get to know each other. Even if they return to the sea, this frames it as Ed finally finding peace and Stede getting pulled along, going against his character growth this season.

I'm surprised that they're setting this up now and not at the end of Season 3. Hell, I used to think S3 would be focused on Ed and Stede avoiding/faking their historical deaths. Given all the bullshit they'll have to clean up to wrap up all the loose ends established this season- S3 will be VERY Ed/Stede focused, I think the crew will still be inserted in without care or arc. Characters like Jim and Oluwande will be prioritized as they are in a relationship before our nonromantic characters like Wee John and Frenchie.

Stede and Ed's relationship, the driving force of the plot, still falls flat because after everything it still feels like puppy love. They've spent at most two months in person together, and two weeks in a serious relationship. I don't really feel convinced that they actually love each other. Ed still doesn't know that Stede was kidnapped at the end of S1, or why he struggles to talk about his feelings. Ed still hasn't talked about why he feels he needs to leave piracy, or his issues feeling like he doesn't belong anywhere in life. Their habit of running away the MOMENT things get hard just makes me not care about them.

I blame the size of the Izzy fandom on the fact that if you don't buy into the leads, there's almost nothing left here to sink your teeth into. The moment the show seems like they'll talk about it they hard pivot.

I hope S3ep1 happens after a LONG time jump. I want these fuckers to be snippy like two people snowed into a cabin for months. Sick of each other and bitching back and forth like no tomorrow. S3 is about genuinely breaking down their walls. Until then, I'll stick with Izzy, the Canyon, and his depressing version of this reality.

#stede bonnet #I'm a bit worried this post will reach all the Stede fans directly and they'll feel attacked. Please don't feel that way! #I genuinely enjoyed where he was going until episode 8 where Stede seemed emotionally distant the entire episode #I just wish Stede had more impact to his own central story #ofmd critical #ofmd meta #ofmd season 2 #ofmd s2 spoilers #stede bonnet critical #IDK if thats a tag #stede critical #? #ofmd s2 finale #ofmd s2

[miraxetine]

Ecstasy

Characters: Simon “Ghost��� Riley x OC Fem!, John “Soap” MacTavish, John Price, Kyle “Gaz” Garrick, Kate Laswell.

Summary: A new female operator has joined Task Force 141. Codename Ecstasy. The woman, here, began her first mission with Gaz, Laswell and Price in Spain. While on the other side of the world, Ghost and Soap find themselves alone in Las Almas, surviving empty handed, and curious about the new recruit joining them.

Warnings: Typical COD stuff, I guess.

A/N: Uh, I have not written stuff in ages, so excuse my illiteracy. The character goes by she/her. For some reason it took me too long to write this. And tbh, I feel like its mid. ANYWAYS, inspired by @the-bottom-of-the-abyss siren >>>>>. ENJOY <3, inshallah. Also why tf is the formattin here so weird. Also its short im sry i had a brain fart. okay bye

Recon By Fire

Spain

31 OCT 2022 1100

Haar covered the landscape, and the cold air created ignored goosebumps on the soldier’s skin. Flat on her stomach, behind the captain and the sergeant was the woman. Covered with garments that helped her merge in with the topography of the island, some island in Spain.

“We’re set at our firing point. Eyes on pair armed targets hiding in the field.” Captain Price stated in the comms. One eye shut whilst the other remained looking through the scope of his own arm.

“You’re green-lit. Execute when able.” The familiar voice replied after receiving status report.

“Rog’. Stand by…” Captain replied. “Gaz?”

“No wind. 200 meters. On me—“ Gaz was cut off.

Two silent bullets had already the killed pair of men who were sitting and hiding in the same field as she and the two other men were. Not even giving a chance to the fellow “teammates” to finish with comms. The captain looked back at her, scanning the shooter, giving her a stern look, and Sergeant Gaz remained quiet, starting to move his way through the grasslands of the island, not wanting to get involved in the rising tension between the two.

“Bravo, what do you have?” Laswell received silence, “Bravo, how copy?” faint concern was heard in her voice.

The newbie of the Task Force took her vision away from the scope, her eyes meeting with the captain’s. Price showed irritation by the silent commotion she’d made. The woman’s eyes were null, full of nothing. They were brown, the basic dark brown, maybe even black. There was not a single sparkle in them, not a single reflection of light, nothing. Not moved by her higher-ups gaze. Her body slightly moving from the reloading of bullets, she began to push forward and into the tall grass, disuniting the silent fight between both pair of brown orbs.

“Solid. Watcher. Two down.” The Captain spoke into the comms, his eyes following the woman moving, scanning her body language before he began moving himself. Her lack of liveliness bothered him, not even the Ghost himself was this null. Ghost showed concern and emotions when in a mission, miraculously maybe one on one, but this woman… It was just a soulless perfect body, built from steel and bolts, programmed just for ending the lives of other’s. Automatic aim and shooting.

“Good work. Push forward, see what you can find.” Laswell remarked.

The woman seemed to be already scoped in, her eye watching a group of armed men, gathered around a truck. Six men in total, with high chances to be part of the Cartel due to their complexion, the female knew her own kind and the memory of all the files Laswell had provided her with covered her claim.

“Scope in, Sergeant, and let’s see what we’re dealing with.”

“I see ‘em.” Gaz replied, flat on his stomach a meter or two away from the silent woman. “Cartel?”

“Likely.” Price answered.

The feminine figure remained quiet throughout the next few callouts, listening and obeying. She didn’t report anything, she didn’t want to, and she felt like she didn’t need to. She saw what they saw, no need to add-on. Perhaps, she was more observant, more quick to realize her surroundings and more quick to acknowledge her surroundings. She read everything like a book and watched life through a scope. Perhaps if she were in a more dangerous situation, she would probably make more callouts than the captain himself. But she didn’t, she didn’t. Why share what we see? It’s not even sharing. It was seeing and stating the obvious, something everyone was capable of doing but chose not to. The woman was patient, but not too much with people who see but don’t observe, the obvious was obvious.

Everything that was going on was obvious, or close to the educated guesses she had made before landing on the isolated island. Submarines, cartels, terrorists, drugs, and the taking of Kate by Hassan’s men. The woman wasn’t surprised, upon receiving the call from the station chief for recruitment towards this mission, the female sniper knew too well this wasn’t going to end well. Laswell’s plans always had some type of imperfection that complicated everything.

Whilst Gaz and Price occupied themselves by worrying about what to do next to get to Kate, the woman stared blankly out of the cave before making her own internal call to get out the way she came in. Gaz changed his focus from the captain to the fellow she-sergeant going her on mery way back towards the ladder. “Hey! Where do you think you’re going?”

The woman turned around making eye contact with Gaz. Her eyes obscure, empty, intimidating to the younger British. “I’m leaving to get Kate,” she pointed at Laswell’s direction with her sniper while keeping eye contact, revealing her voice to the other two.

This dry but intense interaction seemed to make Gaz nervous, it was obvious on his face. Her face and body was already plenty to leave a man in awe, to make him weak to his knees but her personality, her aura was one to make a man suffer. The coldness was the complete opposite from the warm tone of her skin, the cherry-colored lips that screamed sweetness resulted with bitter words, and the curvy and strong body that seemed to fight for the reverences of others, resulted to be a brick and stone wall, refraining others to break it down. The female raised a brow at his reaction.

Price didn’t seen to happy upon hearing the first name basis regard the woman had for Laswell, he walked up to her, the tip of the sniper close to his forehead. Not only that, John was the one who made the calls, not whoever she was. Price commanded and ordered everything, if he asks you to stop breathing, it’s a must. To stay behind, it’s s a must. To give up your on life, it’s a must. “You don’t have a plan, sergeant.” John gritted through his teeth, anger levels increasing after each word.

Lowering her sniper, the tip slightly missing the Captain’s nose, she moved her head towards her higher-up before parting her eyes from Gaz to meet with the Captain’s once again. “You don’t have a plan, captain,” she turned her body towards him, “Apart from sitting and crying, it appears you don’t. You can continue to wail while embracing one another, I’m used to working alone, anyways. I already have enough information and the balls to start taking action.” The woman announced before retiring towards the ladders, her footwork quiet as she moved up each step.

Gaz turned to the Captain, embarrassed for having such an obvious weakness for the new member. Price walked by him passively aggressively meeting his shoulder with him, sighing, “Let’s go.” Price commanded following the woman’s trace towards the ladders.

—————

Alone

Las Almas, Mexico

03 NOV 22 0000

“Ghost, you missin’ a knife?” the Scott asked, a knife in his hand, ignoring the dead Shadow before him and jumping out a nearby window.

“Several.” answered the man on the other side of the comms.

“I think I found one.”

“Some of the dead Shadows are my handiwork…” joked the named Ghost, settled and safe in the church of Las Almas.

“You came through here?” Soap asked, feeling a certain pang shoot at his heart.

“On my way to the church.”

“And you left me?”

The man on the top of the church remained quiet, thinking about what his response should be. Looking through the scope of his weapon, aiming at Shadows at the bottom of the church, he answered. “I’m used to working alone.”

“So much for no man left behind.” Soap reminded.

“Just get yourself to the church,” Ghost replied quickly, trying to stand his defense, “tryin’ to keep you alive and get you here in one piece. One of us needs to survive to tell the tail”

“Taken a shine to me, then?”

“Not in the slightest. Still got a lot of ground to cover” The comms went silent.

And that is how the night progressed, killing, jokes, hiding, working alone, trying to survive all alone. Eventually, the two reunited. Struggled to meet each other, but reunited. Now, headed with much speed towards a destination unknown to the Scott.

“Get the chance to read about the Bolo joining us, Ghost?” Soap asked, his elbow resting on the window of his seat, trying to ease his breathing as his arm still remained in pain.

Looking forward, Ghost recalled one of the many files he had looked before the named situation with Graves had happened. “I don’t know whether you’re being racist or using shit American military slang.”

“I’m not being racist!” Johnny raised his arms in defense.

“She’s South American, sergeant.” His mind went back to reading the black letters under the woman’s picture on her file which gave her background information, ‘Maracaibo, Zulia, Venezuela’.

“How was I supposed to know that?” Soap scoffed, looking at Ghost.

“By reading the file you have just asked if I had read.” Ghost reminded him.

Soap became silent.

“I meant to use the term as a person who sucks at our line of work—“ tried to explain John.

“I figured.” Cut off Ghost.

“Ecstasy.” Soap called out the woman’s codename, “I quite fancy her face, should I try and get to know her bett—“.

A lot of people fancied her face, her looks overall. Her tan yet light skin. Her picture showed most of her body. She had the ideal thick thighs, hidden under the cargo pants, the long legs, her arms toned and smooth, her hands small and delicate, surprising as a soldier. Her lips plump and colored forming a smile, her skin clear, eyes in crescent moons, and black hair short to her shoulders, a green military beret sitting on top of her head, and on the side of her arm, a small french flag. She had served in France and in the picture she didn’t seem to have empty and soulless eyes. Happiness was written all over her face.

“Shut up, Johnny.” Ghost cut him off again.

Ignoring him, the man continued talking about the woman. “She was named so while working with the Americans a few years back. Apparently, she lives up to the name very well.”

Ghost remained quiet, not interested on hearing about Soap’s next target.

“Her ways of doing things was described by the Americans as ecstasy, the drug itself.” Soap looked at Ghost, trying to read his face, his eyes to be more clear. “The pleasure you get by just being in the same room as her, by just looking at her rather impressive skills as a sergeant, when making eye contact with her, it makes you feel like you’re on ecstasy, not that I’ve done it before.” He proceeded.

However, no response was gifted to him. After all this time together, Johnny still struggled to read the man. It was hard to do so. The mysterious picture Ghost gave himself, made it hard, his personality wasn’t enough, apparently.

Ghost did think about the Latina. Her eyes dead and dark. He wasn’t much phased, he’s met, saved, and killed people in this world, the woman is just another human, another person who will eventually die. Though, the codename did trigger him. He’s dealt with substance abuse, “naturally” Ghost would say. His past was harsh, and he supposed he managed momentarily with certain substances. Ghost knew what ecstasy was, how it made you feel, the obsession the Americans had with it, he understood. Though, he did not like the sound of someone nicknamed such way. She gave him the wrong impression without even meeting face to face. Bad vibes. Ghost, again, was not phased. Concluded to not think about it much, if one thing led to the other, he might even have to kill the new operator of 141, preferred to not get attached. Specially, now, since he noticed himself thinking about the woman’s features more than he would’ve liked.

“Ecstasy…” Ghost whispered to himself, the picture of the woman memorized in his head.

#call of duty #ghost x reader #simon riley x reader #simon ghost riley #cod mw22 #john soap mactavish #kyle gaz garrick #john price #ghost x oc #ghost x fem oc #fanfiction #fanfic #simon riley #modern warfare #idek tbh

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

by Adam Levick

Jay Rayner, in a restaurant review for The Observer (sister site of The Guardian), sampled the salt beef sandwich, matzah ball soup, chopped liver, bagels, and pickles at a new Jewish deli in London called Freddie’s. (Freddie’s, London: “Over salt beef, I brood on the need to review this Jewish deli” — restaurant review, March 31).

The review was mixed. The Jewish journalist loved the salt beef sandwich, but it “pained” him to criticize the chicken soup as “desperately under-seasoned.” Something else that clearly pained him actually isn’t on the menu. Nor does it have anything whatsoever to do with the review. Though, as you’ll see in the paragraphs below, he tries desperately to imagine one:

And now I should warn you that it’s going to take a dark turn. When I first came across Freddie’s I was excited. For all my lack of faith or observance these dishes, kept alive by a vestigial memory of the shtetl, root me. Then I hesitated. Could I really write about a Jewish restaurant given the current political turmoil? Would I get abuse for doing so? Surely better to keep shtum.

At which point I knew I had no choice: I had to write about it. The horrendous campaign of the government and armed forces of Israel in Gaza cannot be allowed to make being Jewish a source of shame.

When Hamas mounted their 7 October attack on Israel, they committed both an atrocity and a provocation. With so many hostages taken, there were no good options for the Israeli government. Nevertheless, they managed to choose the very worst one. They have killed thousands, starved many more, destroyed homes and turned their country into a pariah. As it happens, they have also made life for Jews who live outside Israel and have no responsibility for the decisions its government takes, so very much harder. I deplore what Israel is doing. But that doesn’t mean I can “refute” my Jewishness. That is a surrender to antisemitism. And so I sit here with my terrific salt beef sandwich and my chocolate mousse, indulging that bit of my Jewish identity which makes sense to me. It’s not much, but it’s all I have. [emphasis added]

Life for the British Jewish community has indeed been much, much harder since Oct. 7.

The CST reported 4,103 instances of anti-Jewish hate in 2023, 2,699 (66%) of which occurred on or after October 7. This figure alone, they note, “exceeds any previous annual antisemitic incident total recorded by CST, and marks an increase of 589% from the 392 instances of antisemitism reported to CST over the same time period in 2022″ [emphasis added].

However, Rayner’s suggestion that the decisions of Israel’s government has made life for Jews “so very much harder” is itself a classic (and codified) trope that has been used by antisemites — blaming Jews in Israel for the racist actions of non-Jews in the UK.

It’s amazing that this even needs to be stated, but the only ones responsible for increased antisemitism — in the UK or anywhere else — are those committing antisemitic acts. Even if you buy into the author’s argument that Jerusalem’s military decisions since the barbarism of Oct. 7 have been the “worst” ones possible, or subscribe to the specific lie that Israel has intentionally “starved” Gazans, what people — other than those who are already predisposed to hating Jews — would take their anti-Israel fury out on diaspora Jews?

Only at The Guardian, would a Jewish restaurant critic writing a review about salt beef, bagels, and shmears feel the need to condemn and distance himself from the Jewish State.

#jay rayner #the observer #jewish deli #israel #jews #freddie's #freddie's london

[bethanysnow]

Golden Hour: a SKZ thanksgiving~

Writers Notes:

As I get back into K-pop and South Korean Culture. The fandoms of K-pop, and Stray Kids. I am reminded of my first holiday season having moved from Alaska. Coming from a big family it felt like the house was too empty, that I couldn't turn the tv loud enough to replace the people that weren't there. Everyone has had that at some point. A holiday, a birthday, or some event where you just wished that person or those people were there for. Even as good as that event or holiday turned out to be. You still saw an empty chair and thought it would be filled. So I write this because of that feeling. I have friends now as an adult all over the world and it's hard to convey that specific brand of isolation.

I know Thanksgiving is a very U.S.-centric holiday. But go with me here lol. I promise it's cute.

So to my fellow stays all across the world you make not only stray kids but also me, stay. So thank you. I may not speak to you directly, but if you are tagged below you have impacted me in your work, and blog, and it's been an honor to be in this space with you. I dedicate this work to you. I hope it doesn't suck!

@hyunsvngs @moonlightndaydreams @moonjxsung @ddyskz @queen-in-the-shadows @chansmanda @antoniorhinothethird @cbini @its-hannjisung @noellllslut @channieandhisgoonsquad @sweetracha @skzms @hyunjinfairy @7ndipity @forlix

Stray Kids ot8 X Platonic!Foreigner!Reader. (But honestly, it can be whatever you want ;) ) 2.7k wrds

"Vanilla! I fucking forgot Vanillia! God damnit!" Recircling it on the very long list that had been trailing behind her through the week. It was days before Thanksgiving and it was not only a herculean task to try and buy cranberry sauce in Korean, but also to find a whole turkey from meet markets and buchers who of course looked at y/n like she was insane.

It was only because Seungmin and Minho teased y/n about just how festive she was getting for the holidays she had to open her big mouth. You just had to, didn't you? Of course! Y/n was gonna show them just how amazing the holidays could be, starting with the third week of November. If she had to pull a full Martha Stewart out of her ass to prove her point she would, Y/n was already too deep into it now.

That is how she found herself in the middle of a grocery store on the outer edges of Seoul trying to buy potatoes and cursing about Vanilla. Y/n thought back on how she got into this mess while continuing shopping.

Originally Y/n worked as a remote context translator for a couple video editors based out of South Korea. That of course turned into more and more Zoom meetings and a vacation to Seoul later she had moved and worked full-time with JYP and Stray Kids. Still as a context translator, but also now as an assistant to their manager whom she grew close with. He was the big brother/father figure one needed in a country you weren't from originally. The eight boys who followed her around like lost puppies also maybe had something to do with it maybe just maybe.

Getting out of the store with her now chosen ingredients it was time to hail back to the apartment and start the process that everyone dreaded most of all. Cleaning. It wasn't the obligatory floordrobe, or the collection of maybe two mugs too many on the coffee table; but left to ones own devices the apartment was...not great for hosting what will be the greatest dinner ever?? One would love to have the ~aesthetic~ apartment you see on Pinterest, but fuck even the Idols she worked for didn't have that. So why should she? Y/n's roommate of six months was out on a bussniess trip for the next week, so she got to fight the great pile of doom on her own.

Walking in the mix of preparation and desolation that greeted her would make Marie Kando tremble in fear. But she was determined! The kitchen was stacked with dishes so strategically one would call her a master of her craft- now this artform isn't one for the faint of heart, but art nonetheless. Putting down the new groceries away in the refrigerator and cabinets it was time to start.

"CUE THE CLEANING MONTAGE!" Y/n yelled as music filled the room. Pretending to be a tavern wench as she cleared the table and did the dishes or Cinderella waiting for a Hwang Prince Charming.

As the night wore on it was becoming increasingly obvious cleaning the entire apartment wasn't going to be an option tonight. Flopping on the couch looking at her phone Y/n scrolled through social media. Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter (Authors note: Fuck you Elon). She stopped and tossed the phone down onto the cushion beside her. Her shirt was wet, cold, still sudsy from doing the dishes that needed to be handwashed. Her knees hurt from getting under the table. Hands ached with the grip of a thousand suns it felt like.

All Y/n could hear though was the quiet. The dripping of the faucet, the cars outside, the heater kicking on. But like a ringing in her ears she just heard quiet. No laughter, no joy or drinks being spilt over stories that don't see the light of day. The air was heavy and thick cold enough to cause goosebumps up her arms. Y/n had moved away from everything she knew on the hope that she would find her place in the world. That she would find her people. Maybe she had, but in the moment she exhaled all that was left was a tired body. It was for thanksgiving, it was for people she now considered friends to come over and have a good time. The emptiness in stagnation though diligently reminded her of why they were her friends in the first place. There was no support group here like back at home. She didn't have to think twice about connotation or what someone meant when they said something because they all spoke the same language at home. Found similar things funny. Understood implications of words and meanings. That was all gone. Working twice if not three times as hard just to get a foot in the door Y/n was faced with the reality and consequence of her decision. She didn't regret it. Or at least at the moment, she didn't. The gnawing in her chest would subside one day and she would find friends, family. People to kiss under the golden hour sun and dance in the kitchen as things baked in the oven. To sneak around roommates and hold hands under the table at a restaurant. She would find them, like a mantra she chanted this over and over while moving to Korea and now she sat on her couch. Looking off into the middle distance her brain coaxing her to the scenarios where she wouldn't find them. Didn't take that step. Didn't say hi.

Yet she was swimming in silence meant to choke her. Drown her hope.

It wasn't enough to be lonely.

it wasn't enough to not understand.

It was in moments like these did she allow tears to reach her eyes and fall.

Over her cheeks, down her jaw, her neck. Just silently spill into empty glasses that never could be filled in the first place.

Her heart was wretched and blue it needed a fire to stay warm and she was almost there.

She looked around the apartment and could almost see Changbin and Seungmin yell at one another about cards, or Hyunjin silently judging her decorations, Chan trying to help but being told not to, and Felix talking about the pie she made. Just like a picture book, it was so close and she blinked and it was the empty room again. Sinking her fantasy into the sea.

...soon

............its soon

~~~~

The days leading up to the fateful Thursday were one of a lot of shopping, decorating, and cooking. Lots of cooking.

Proving the bread to make the rolls, blind baking the pie crust, hell even making the pie crust to then blind bake it. Mixing stuffing to set overnight, potatoes to peel and mash, cranberries to turn into a sauce, a turkey to baste and season and cook, Arms deep in a bird stuffing it with stuffing.

And yes the fisting jokes abound.

The group chat that was made kept the phone buzzing its way off the counter with the fervency in which some of the boys texted.

Jinnie: What should I wear?

Wolf boy: Do we need to bring anything?

Cat: I googled Thanksgiving and...do you really make hand turkey art?

It made Y/n giggle seeing how excited the boys were getting. This was what she needed after the work put in.

Y/n: Wear whatever you want, be comfortable, but Idk..like nice comfortable? Stuff you wouldn't mind photos being taken in? No don't bring anything, and yes we did as kids.

Bin: ...So no girl group outfit? lol

Y/n: No no you could if you wanted to, but that's between you and Stay lol.

Wolf boy: You sure we don't need to bring anything? I can pick something up on the way.

Minnie: Oy, grandpa she said not to~ ;P

Wolf boy:

Y/n: I cannot wait to see you thursday. Don't kill each other before then. Or else no one is gonna eat the food.

~~~~

The day had arrived. At least the dress rehearsal had. The day before it was no holds bars, if it wasn't going to be done that day it wasn't going to be done. Waking up at 6 am Y/n padded out to the kitchen. Making coffee and something to eat it was the waiting before the rush. The inhale of the orchestra before placing their bow on the strings, the grabbing of a mic and feeling it in your hand, the stare into the crowd before going on stage.

The 'hold your breath and jump.'

And the race was on!

Dishes from the cabinet were taken out, the nice dishes, the ones Y/n picked up thinking her social life would be fuller than it was. Yes those dishes. Beautiful and shined like the inside of a clamshell, pearl dust and fairy tears was what the label read originally. Some rich people shit as far as she was concerned, she just liked it being pretty.

The table was set with a red tablecloth, and leaves from maybe the tree outside her apartment, (they were yellow and red, and who really would have noticed?). Crystal glasses, and tapered candles waiting to be lit. Pine cones and wreath garlands shrugged against window sills and folded oh so strategically a brass-coloured throw blanket on the couch to cover a night of drinking.

The food slowly grew from one side of the counter to taking up the entire kitchen. Even having to borrow a table from her roommate to set everything out. Drinks, games to play. The oven heated up the apartment till Y/n had to take off her hoodie and reminisce that maybe this was what it was like to put coal into a train engine. Warm light from the stove swallowed the apartment in an amber-golden glow. Sitting on the kitchen linoleum her head fell back against the cabinet under the countertop. A smile gracing her features. She could hear the timer tick by, feel the heat from the stove, she could look up to the counter top and see dishes filled with food and it was all for tomorrow. For a good day. To have a good day. It will be worth it. She was sure.

By the time Y/n had decided to fold the fabric napkins it was past 1 in the morning. Her phone lit up with a notification, and she swiped her pin to see it was a text from Chris.

"Hi"

"Hey Chan, whatsup?"

"Nothin, working on music. You uh sure you don't want me to bring anything?"

*sends a photo of the buffet that has been created* "That your answer?"

.....

..........

"You did all that for us?"

"Well yea, I want you to have a good time."

"Y/n-"

"Yes Chan?"

"Thank you. I cannot wait to see you tomorrow. Thank you for doing this, I know you've been homesick. So I am looking forward to it!"

"Me too"

turning the screen black Y/n sat back against the chair and looked at the now decidedly more festive apartment. It was like a hallmark movie threw up and she wouldn't change a thing about it.

~~~~

The morning had come. Unlike Christmas or a birthday, this was about family and gathering around a table and honoring those around us. That is what it was supposed to be at least.

Taking the most deep everything shower one can achieve Y/n had it down almost to a science. Lathering body washes, scrubs, hair masks, everything! To hope she could look maybe half as good compared to who was going to walk into her place in a couple hours.

Slipping into a green dress, she put on an apron. Putting the last rolls into the oven wiping down countertops and doing last touches.

She had a hour before all hell would break loose and eight of the most talented men in their generation would be walking in through her front door. It made her nervous.

Not nervous bad, but nervous. First time she had people over to her apartment, first-time friends, but also she did work for them technically. It wasn't lost on Y/n just how amazing this situation was.

How many people would kill to have these opportunities in life. Sure things hurt, and sucked sometimes, but looking around she knew she was grateful and that's what mattered. Till the stove timer went off snapping her back to what needed to be done. Rolls out, covering them with a kitchen towel, running into the bedroom to slap on some makeup and finish her hair. It was just as she put down the last thing did the doorbell go off.

~~~

The group walked in with confidence like they owned the building but Y/n would expect nothing less. All in sweaters and hoodies, sweatpants and big hugs for the host. Standing next to the door Y/n was crushed with biceps only the kpop industry could produce. Holding her tight she kept each boy embraced till they were the first to let go. With Han, Felix, and Chan that could last the entire night though.

"This is your apartment?"

"LOOK AT THE FOOD!"

"You made bread???!"

"Do we eat now??"

"Oy! Y/n you decorated for us? Why?"

*insert Minho elbowing them*

"Its really nice!"

Her apartment was now filled with laughter. Han finding a guitar of course needed to waltz through and serenade anyone who would listen. Chris and Changbin fussing with the tv to get karaoke set up. Hyunjin indeed was judging the decorations but with the artistic eye of admiration in reality. Felix and Seugmin hovered over the food talking about it, pouring drinks. Leeknow sat on the couch scrolling on his phone ultimately being more moral support for the boys at the television. IN staying close to Y/n watching the groups chaos ensue.

It was what she needed.

What she had been missing.

Family.

"Okay everyone, dinner is served!" Taking the turkey out of the oven and the foil off the tops of serving plates "Chan would you do the honors?" Offering to have him place the turkey out on the serving table. His smile reached his eyes as his chest puffed up with pride calling the boys to have a seat. One by one they piled food on their plates high, filling their glasses full, and sitting down at the table antsy so excited to eat with everyone there. For they too felt the separation of the two apartments, they didn't get to have homecooked meals or someone to plan something this nice. But Y/n did. She saw how they ate from food delivery containers, vending machines, and out of each others plates. Her heart ached as did theirs and so tonight, today, would be spent healing that pain.

Chan cut the turkey, Minho continued to smack people's asses because he could, Changbin got up and did a girl group dance playing the song on his phone. People laughed till they cried. Pie was served and everyone commented at how much cool whip was on Felix's because "That's how you're supposed to eat it!"

The sun was setting casting the apartment in that golden hour hue. Where Y/n had normally kept busy, ignoring the pit in her stomach of another day gone by alone. She got to sit back and watch her friends, her new family enjoy time together. Eat a meal that they didn't have to stress about. The golden light filled Y/ns chest with warmth and the fuzziness of blankets at a sleep over, the stuffed animal won at a claw machine, the bed of home after being away. Time had passed, and she could let go of the pain that held her back if these boys were the ones to catch her.

And they would. Time and time again they would catch her. All she needed to do was jump. So while Han sang a disney princess song, and Seungmin and Minho admit defeat that maybe the holidays aren't as bad after all, or even Chan stopped the ever-present work load to be in the moment; Y/n finally had it. What she had been wanting all along. She found her place in the world.

In with these boys, in the laughter, in the pain of loneliness, she had found it.

Uno rounds, songs sung, pillows thrown, food ate, it was truly a Golden StrayKids Thanksgiving after all.

Where no one can be forgotten.

~~~

La fin.

#stray kids #stray kids x reader #hyunjin #lee know #seungmin #bang chan #changbin #han jisung #in #lee felix #happy holidays #and thank you for being my friend moots

[reasoningdaily]

Less than two months ago, parts of Port-au-Prince seemed like a ghost town. Streets and parks normally bustling with commerce and people were nearly empty.  

Market women, who normally lined the roads selling everything from food to second-hand cellphones, were few and far between. Charred tires, piles of rocks, and makeshift barricades, the remnants of months of protests against the government, could be seen throughout the capital. The once pristine Petionville,  an affluent suburb of Port-au-Prince, was barely recognizable in some parts, with trash overrunning the streets. 

Over the last 18 months, Haiti has been in the throes of a perpetual cycle of protests —  some violent — and unrest that has destabilized the country for weeks at a time. Years of pent-up frustration over rising inflation and basic costs of necessities on the island came to a boil during a week in July 2018, when the Haitian government nearly doubled fuel prices over night. The move, which was a condition for future aid imposed by the International Monetary Fund, sparked outrage that spilled into the streets, leaving Haiti’s capital charred by flames and fury. People were barricaded in their homes, offices, restaurants, while thousands of people took to the streets rallying against the fuel hike. 

The Best Western, which permanently closed its doors on Oct. 31, loomed over Petionville as a symbolic and literal reminder of the state of affairs in Haiti. For many, the U.S.-based hotel chain’s arrival in the country had marked a positive new turn in Haiti following the January 2010 earthquake.

Now, it seems, the hopeful signs have come undone. While daily life in Haiti has always been difficult for most Haitians, the past 18 months on the island have been particularly hard. As the country finds itself in the throes of a fluctuating political, economic and social crisis, the capital city has been virtually paralyzed, with schools, businesses, and banks closed for days, if not weeks, at a time.

This was not the Haiti anyone had hoped for 10 years after the disaster.

The 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti on Jan. 12, 2010 killed roughly 300,000 people and displaced nearly a million more. While the epicenter of the earthquake was only 16 miles from Port-au-Prince, the tremor could be felt as far away as Cuba and Venezuela. The devastation was the single greatest humanitarian crisis the small-island country had ever faced. The capital’s already fragile infrastructure was nearly decimated, while the airport and seaports were rendered inoperable. The National Assembly building and Port-au-Prince Cathedral were also destroyed.

“There was a natural expectation that things would be done differently from there on because it was such a big tragedy and the way that that tragedy unfolded was in itself a reflection of choices that were made historically in the country in terms of governance,” said Ludovic Comeau Jr., professor of economics at DePaul University and former chief economist of Haiti’s central bank. 

According to Comeau, most of the country’s wealth was severely impacted by the earthquake because of the centralization of Haiti’s economy in Port-au-Prince, with damages totaling 120 percent of the country’s GDP. 

“[It was] not only our hope, but almost our certainty, that things would be done differently [in Haiti] and within the next 20 years, Haiti would be an emerging economy,” Comeau said. “It’s certainly not the path we took. There’s no way Haiti will become an emerging economy by 2030.”

“This is worse than the earthquake”

Melinda Stephanie Dominique, a medical student at Quisqueya University, spent the fall semester waiting to find out when it would be safe enough for her to return to school. Instead of studying for exams and walking the halls of her campus with her classmates, she was home weighing the risks she would face if she did decide to venture out. 

“We watch the news, we see the videos,” said Dominique, who has three years left in her program. “We’re not going out just like that. Especially when you can hear the bullets yourself. There’s no way to know whether you’ll be able to make it back home.”

While some schools sent notice and formally closed their doors at the height of the protests, others simply shuttered their doors because students stopped coming in.  In Dominique’s case, Quisqueya University opted to suspend classes until the protests subsided. 

“We don’t know what’s going to happen in this country,” Dominique said. 

The political and social turmoil in the country is exacerbated by a feeling of hopelessness that has taken hold in the country, in large part due to the disappointment surrounding earthquake relief and reconstruction efforts. 

For the first time in decades Haiti had the world’s attention. However  the overwhelming consensus is that the Haitian government and members of the CORE Group — composed of the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General, the Ambassadors of Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, the European Union, the United States of America, and the Special Representative of the Organization of American States — squandered what little chance Haiti had to emerge as a growing and stable economy. 

Comeau says the last decade is one of “missed opportunities, endemic corruption sustained by an equally endemic impunity.”

“You have a situation where public officials in charge of budget in some administrations pilfer the country’s money, and there’s no accountability,” he said. “There’s this mentality that people can do whatever they want, including mismanaging and essentially embezzling public funds. You see all of this culminates in the PetroCaribe scandal.” 

In 2005 Venezuela launched the PetroCaribe program that allowed Caribbean countries to buy oil at market value, with only a portion of the payment made upfront, while the remainder of the balance could be paid through a 25-year financing agreement with a 1 percent interest rate. The aim of the program was to spur development and fund social programs in recipient countries. In Haiti, however, nearly $3 billion of the PetroCaribe funds went missing, with Haitians having little to show for the billions of dollars that were poured into the country. 

“There’s nothing that can be shown for that $3 billion,” Comeau said. “This is what I’m talking about when I say missed opportunities. Here you have this money from 2008 – 2017 that was available to do something great. We could have built a major hospital in every major region in the country. We could have built universities in every department. We could have improved our infrastructure and modernized, which would have attracted foreign investors. We missed all of this.”

Since the earthquake, more than $7 billion in foreign aid has been disbursed to Haiti, according to research from the Center for Economic and Policy Research.

Haitian organizations and firms, however, received just over 2 percent of the funds that had been allocated to the country. 

Criticisms and accusations of fraud, mismanagement and misappropriation of funds plagued relief efforts for years, spurring accountability campaigns demanding answers to the whereabouts of billions of dollars that were meant for reconstruction efforts in Haiti. 

Bill and Hillary Clinton were at the center of many scandals surrounding Haiti and the relief funds.

In the days following the earthquake, Bill was tapped as co-chair of the commission tasked with allocating relief funds, while Hillary oversaw more than $4 billion Congress earmarked recovery efforts. However, emails released through a Freedom of Information Act request, revealed officials from the Clinton Foundation — the couple’s personal philanthropic fund — were looking out for bids and proposals from the Clintons’ friends and associates.  In the end, the foundation secured 34 projects in the country, including the $350 million Caracol Industrial Park project. The project led to the creation of 10,000 jobs in Haiti, instead of the 65,000 the Clintons promised. 

“Billions of dollars were donated to Haiti after the earthquake and we have no idea what was done with that money,” Comeau said.

“In 10 years, nothing has changed,” Dominique said. “We didn’t move forward; we stayed static.”

For many, the current state of affairs in Haiti is worse than any damage the country suffered because of the earthquake. This was more devastating because of its “man-made” nature. 

The chain of events to follow would set the stage for a Haiti that many are saying is at its lowest point ever.  The Kot Kob Petrocaribe movement would highlight more than ever the endemic corruption in Haitian politics, and pave the way for the dismissal of prime ministers and eventual calls for the  resignation of President Jovenel Moise. The movement, which started on Twitter, has since been co-opted and used by Haitian politicians and oligarchs to further their political interests by calling for the ouster of Moise. 

Haiti’s already fragile tourism sector has been one of the biggest casualties of Haiti’s unrest. Following the earthquake, former President Michel Martelly made a big push for tourism in the country, with then-Minister of Tourism Stephanie Voulledrain leading an international branding tour, selling Haiti as an untapped tourism treasure trove. 

Several fruitful projects began as  part of the effective branding campaign. Airlines added flights to the country, new hotel brands were drawn to Port-au-Prince and more and more members of the Diaspora and their friends made their way to Haiti for vacation, conferences and more. 

However, in a matter of months, years of work has been reversed. Best Western closed its doors. Delta ceased flights to Haiti, while other carriers significantly reduced their service to the country. Popular resorts and hotels like Decameron Indigo Beach Resort and Spa, and Karibe are virtually empty. 

Searching for understanding

There are several theories as to why Haiti is in the state it is in, despite the billions of dollars in aid and donations the country received. Some point to neo-colonialism, imperialism and U.S. intervention, while others place blame on the Duvaliers, the corrupt Haitian government, or the lack of engagement among the Diaspora. The truth is, it’s a melange of it all, which is what makes imagining what comes next for Haiti so difficult. 

“The Haitian-American convention did away with Haiti’s sovereignty and it’s a sovereignty that Haiti has never gotten back,” Alain Martin, director of The Forgotten Occupation, said. The documentary tells the story of the U.S. occupation of Haiti from 1915 to 1934 from the perspective of Haitian historians, authors, journalists and politicians. “To this day, nothing happens in Haiti without the say-so of the State Department.”

The Haitian-American Treaty of 1915 gave the U.S. control over Haitian finances, and the right to intervene in Haitian affairs whenever the U.S. government deemed necessary. That same year, the U.S. government placed Philippe Sudré Dartiguenave as president of Haiti, making him the first leader in the country under the U.S. occupation.

“He represents the father figure of the modern Haitian president. Ever since Dartiguenave, with maybe one or two exceptions, every president we’ve had, has been  beholden to the State Department,” said Martin. 

“You have to look at Haiti as a Shakespearean tragedy. Those of us who truly love Haiti and would like to see the country move forward, don’t have the physical resources to make that happen,” he said. “How can we fight against the State Department? We need allies that we simply don’t have. What the US wants to happen in Haiti is what’s going to happen.”

So what comes next for Haiti?

“The change will have to come from the U.S.,” Martin said. “We need to build a leftist movement in the U.S. that elects leaders that are going to have different policies toward Haiti. But it’s a long shot. Regardless if there were Democrats or Republicans in power in the U.S., their foreign policies toward Haiti have never changed.” 

As for Moise, he at least has public support from the U.S., which is enough to keep him in power for now. Over the last three months, U.S. officials have made their way to Haiti or Haitian communities in the United States to “encourage dialogue” over the political impasse that has held the country in its grip for almost two years. Their efforts have been met with gratitude from some and with anger from others.

“There’s always a segment of Haitian society that is looking to the U.S. to be a sort of savior for the county,”  Martin said. “They are incapable of seeing Haiti foster its own destiny and barely its own institutions to get the country going. It’s a subconscious collective insecurity that we do not have the capability of doing it on our own.”

In October 2019, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Congresswoman Frederica Wilson — who represents the largest Haitian constituency in the U.S. — participated in a roundtable discussion with members of South Florida’s Haitian community over the growing unrest in Haiti. 

Ambassador Kelly Craft’s November 2019 meeting with Moise was met with anger and disapproval from Haitians over what they perceive to be U.S. interference and meddling.  And just last month, Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale met with members of the opposition and various Haitian business leaders in a closed-door meeting where he pressed for a functioning government that can work together. 

“Haitians in Haiti acknowledge now that the Diaspora is the backbone of Haiti,” Comeau said. “The Diaspora is the primary source of foreign funds in the country.” In 2019 the Diaspora sent $3.5 billion to Haiti. While remittances are primarily sent from those living in the United States and Canada, more money is starting to come from Chile and Brazil, where there are growing Haitian communities. 

“The Haitian government needs to think more strategically in terms of Diaspora remittances,” he said. “Most of the money sent is spent on consumption. Haiti needs to tap more systematically into the resources of the Diaspora.

We need to have Haitians in the Diaspora invest in Haiti instead of sending money.”

One of the consistent U.S. voices when it comes to Haitian / U.S. affairs has been Marco Rubio, whose comments regarding Haiti have fluctuated from supporting the will of the people calling for Moise’s ouster, to urging calm and support for Moise.

While protests had subsided and a sense of normalcy seemed to return to Haiti as the 10th anniversary of the quake approached, what happens next is uncertain, and Haitians remain discouraged.

“The earthquake came and there were so many promises to build back better,” Martin said. “Yet the earthquake is forgotten, the people who died in the earthquake are forgotten and the promises made have been forgotten.”

#Haiti #Haiti Since the Earthquake: A Decade of Empty Promises #bill clinton #hillary clinton #clinton foundation

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Anna Krylov and Jay Tanzman

Published: Oct 2, 2023

Note: A version of this article will appear as an invited chapter in the forthcoming volume The Free Inquiry Papers edited by Robert Maranto, Lee Jussim, and Sally Satel.

1. An age of unreason

The liberal enlightenment, humanism, and democracy are under siege. A once-obscure postmodernist worldview, Critical Social Justice (CSJ) [1-3], has escaped the academy and is quickly reshaping our institutions and society at large. Long-standing merit-based practices in science are rapidly being subordinated to practices based on the tenets of CSJ theory [4]. Increasingly, scientists must compete for funding, no longer only on the basis of scientific merit, but also on the basis of how their proposed research will promote the goals of CSJ. As an example, an NIH neurology program requires grant applications to include a “plan for enhancing diverse perspectives” with the goal to “bring about the culture change necessary to address the inequities and systemic biases in biomedical research….” [5] Similarly, funding for fundamental research in chemistry and physics now depends on researchers demonstrating their commitment to “promote equity and inclusion as an intrinsic element to advancing scientific excellence” [6].

In the academy, faculty hiring and administrative appointments are increasingly made on the basis of the candidate’s identity [7-9]. Merit-based admission to schools and universities is being weakened, with standardized tests such as the SAT and ACT being abandoned on “social justice” grounds [10,11]. K–12 is affected as well. Some school districts have stopped giving D and F grades in order to improve “equity” [12]. In math classes, activist teachers claim that getting the right answer and showing your work are white supremacist concepts and are advocating, instead, a supposedly anti-racist CSJ pedagogy [13,14]. Accelerated mathematics programs for gifted students, necessary to prepare them for advanced training and careers in STEM [15], are being dismantled in the name of “social justice” [16-18]. Many school districts have eliminated honors classes altogether in the name of “equity” [19]. The resultant weakening of the workforce has already contributed to the fall of the US from its position as the world leader in science [20].

In the university, faculty and staff are instructed to use Newspeak—neopronouns and other neologisms—in their written and verbal communications for the purpose of “inclusivity” [21,22]. To be avoided are such apparently un-inclusive terms as “strawman,” “brown-bag lunch,” and “picnic” [22–25]. Professional societies and corporations are following suit, proscribing terms such as “field,” “dark times,” “black market,” “double-blind study,” “nursing mother,” “hip-hip hooray,” “smart phone,” “homeless,” and “the French” [26–30].

In biology, an education paper recommends that teachers emphasize the sexual diversity across species in nature, which includes “organisms such as ciliates, algae, and fungi [that] have equal-size gametes (isogamy) and do not therefore have gametic sexes [that is, binary sexes, as mammals do].” This is supposed to promote inclusivity of LGBTQIA2+ students in the classroom [25]. Chemistry education also needs to be reformed, according to the journal Chemical Education, which published a virtual Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) collection of 67 papers exploring such topics as decolonization of the chemistry curriculum, chemistry and racism, and gender and sexual orientation identities in the chemistry classroom [31]. A recent paper in the same journal describes “a special topic class in chemistry on feminism and science as a tool to disrupt the dysconcious racism in STEM,” which explores “the development and interrelationship between quantum mechanics, Marxist materialism, Afro-futurism/pessimism, and postcolonial nationalism.” “To problematize time as a linear social construct,” the paper says, “the Copenhagen interpretation of the collapse of wave-particle duality was utilized” [32]. No, Deepak Chopra was not a co-author of the paper.

In STEM, prospective faculty are asked to pledge their commitment to the ideology of CSJ and to document their activism in advancing DEI [8,9,33,34]. Medical schools are abolishing long-accepted assessments of competency in order to improve racial parity in residency programs [35]. A pamphlet published by the University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health claims that public health anti-obesity campaigns are an example of “fatphobia,” that public health’s “focus on body size is rooted in racism,” that “higher weight is not causal to worse health outcomes," and that “focusing on weight ignores systematic injustices” [36,37]. Under the doctrine of gender-affirming care, adolescents are offered life-changing transgender treatments, often after only perfunctory psychological assessment, despite the poor understanding that medicine currently has on the risks and benefits of these treatments [38–40].

[ Unreason and intolerance. Upper left: Yale students protest “offensive” Halloween costumes (2015). Lower left: Activists burn books by J.K. Rowling (2023). Right: Students at UC Davis disrupt a film viewing by throwing a bag of manure into the room. ]

Free speech itself, the cornerstone of liberal democracy, is under attack. As viewed by CSJ activists, free speech is dangerous, harmful, and equivalent to violence [41]. Adherents of DEI ideology believe that DEI should trump academic freedom [42]. Institutions essential for providing a platform for the marketplace of ideas, information exchange, and debate have largely abandoned their mission in the name of social justice activism. Articles in the press are infused with CSJ ideology [4]. Scientific publishers from Scientific American to the flagship journals Science and Nature have become mouthpieces for CSJ [43–56]. Universities, whose primary mission is education and truth seeking, have become complicit in censorship, scholarship suppression, indoctrination, and intimidation [57–59]. Universities and professional organizations have compromised their mission as seekers and communicators of objective truths by abandoning traditional institutional neutrality in favor of political activism, taking official positions on elections, police reform, abortion, wars, and other social issues [60,61], leaving dissenters out in the cold. Where debate, constructive disagreement, and discussion were once cultivated, conformity and dogmatism, enforced both top-down (by CSJ-infused DEI trainings [62,63]) and bottom-up (by ideologically driven activists [58]), now reign.

On campus, another essential provision of democracy, the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, no longer guides procedures for resolving conflict. Suspensions and terminations of professors without a hearing in response to offense taken by students, faculty members, or administrators has become commonplace (see, for example, Ref. 64–67). A predictable consequence is that there is now an unprecedented level of self-censorship by students and faculty [57,68,69]. Proposed changes to Title IX regulations will further erode the free speech of students and the protection of due process [70]. 

CSJ adherents accuse dissenters of being indifferent to existing inequalities and historic injustices, of being bigots, of having nefarious motives, and of perpetuating existing power structures. We reject these accusations. We oppose the practices of CSJ because they harm everyone, including those groups they purport to elevate [71-73]. It is precisely because we care about the existing problems in the world and about real social justice that we oppose CSJ.

What we are witnessing today—curriculum “decolonization,” the elimination of honors classes in schools, the ubiquitous war on merit [4], the imposition of political litmus tests for academic positions, Newspeak, the renaming of everything in sight, and on and on—are not isolated excesses perpetrated by a handful of overly zealous but otherwise well-meaning individuals; they are symptoms of a wholesale takeover of our institutions by an illiberal movement that currently has the upper hand. The current situation is not a pendulum that has swung too far and will self-correct [74]; it is a train hurtling full speed toward a cliff. Those of us unwillingly to go over the edge can either jump off—leave academia (or maybe start up alternative institutions)—or fight to get the brakes applied before it is too late. The remainder of this chapter is about the latter course of action.

2. Why we should fight

To put it simply, we should fight because it is the right thing to do. It is not only our duty to the next generation, but an opportunity to pay our debt to the previous generations of dissenters who fought against forces of illiberalism to create the free and prosperous world that we enjoy today [75,76]. By fighting, we, too, can fend off the forces of unreason and restore the values of humanism, liberalism, and The Enlightenment. Inaction and submission will only enable the further spread of illiberalism. The history of past illiberal regimes, such as the USSR and Nazi Germany, provide ample lessons and motivation to stand and fight today. The train is gaining momentum; the longer we wait, the harder it will be to stop it. We must act now, while we still can.

Although there are uncanny parallels with totalitarian regimes of the past [23,77–80], we are still living in a free, democratic society. Despite the advances of illiberal ideology, manifested by the rise of censorship, the spread of cancel culture [23,57,58,81–83], and the proliferation of institutionalized structures (such as DEI bureaucracies) to enforce CSJ ideology, the dissenters of today do not face incarceration in prisons, labor camps, and mental hospitals. Nonetheless, we can learn from history.

In his book To Build a Castle: My Life as a Dissenter [84], Vladimir Bukovsky [85] describes his experiences as a dissident who refused to comply with the Soviets and challenged the regime. Bukovsky describes the apathy and complacency of the majority of the population at that time. People understood the corrupt and inhumane nature of the regime, but they chose to keep their heads down because—as the Russian proverb goes—“No man can splay the stone” (in Russian: плетью обуха не перешибёшь).

Because of this complacency, the economically bankrupt, oppressive, and inhumane Soviet regime lasted as long as it did (70+ years). But it was the actions of dissidents that ultimately catalyzed its downfall. Consider, for example, the impact of the books of Solzhenitsyn, who told the world the truth about the atrocities of the Soviet regime [86]. In addition to meticulously documenting the scale of the atrocities, Solzhenitsyn explained that they came to be, not due to deviations from the party line or shortcomings of its individual leaders, but as the direct result of Marxist-Leninist ideology.

In Bukovsky’s time (the late 1950s to mid-1970s), open dissent was rare. Growing up in the Soviet Union, I [Anna]—as most of my peers—did not even know dissidents existed. It wasn’t until Perestroyka in the late 80s, when I read Solzhenitsyn’s books and learned about Sakharov [87] that I found out. Yet, it is through the actions of the dissidents that the West came to understand the Soviet regime as an “evil empire,” and this understanding propelled the political forces in the West that ultimately decided the outcome of the Cold War. The impact of the dissident movement on the Soviet regime has been illuminated through a series of memoranda of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, stolen and published by Bukovsky in his book Judgment in Moscow [88]. The acts of individuals splayed the stone after all.

I [Anna] was born (in the then-Soviet state of Ukraine) into the luckiest generation in the history of the USSR—the generation that witnessed the fall of the Wall when they were still young. We could escape to the free world, live as free people, and build successful and fulfilling careers in the West. Had the regime lasted another 20 years, my generation would have been yet another of the long list of those whose lives were ruined by the Soviet regime. I feel a personal debt to the dissidents of the day. 

Now, it is our turn to be the dissidents and to fight the good fight.

Fighting for what is right is not just the right thing to do; it is empowering. Standing up and speaking your mind is liberating, even exhilarating; while hunkering down in fear, hoping the storm will pass, is a bleak experience. Being honest feels good, while being complicit in lies is dispiriting. Fighting the good fight puts you in control, whereas passive submission leaves you helpless. Whether we ultimately win or lose this fight, those who choose to remain silent will look back and ask themselves why they did not act when they could. As Martin Niemöller wrote after World War II,

First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Eventually, this illiberal movement, like those of the past, will come not only for the dissidents, but for the silent bystanders as well (and, eventually, for its own vocal supporters).

There are myriad excuses, as old as the history of totalitarianism and oppression itself, invoked to justify inaction, complacency, and collaboration. Bukovsky [84] enumerates a few of the more familiar: “What can I do alone?”; “I’ll be more effective after I get the promotion”; “It’s not my job; I’m a scientist.” “If I don’t collaborate, someone else will anyway (and I’ll probably do less harm).” These reasons may seem logical, even compelling; however, they are self-deceptions. Not pushing back against bad ideas allows them to spread. Not fighting back against illiberalism allows it to grow. Not standing up for truth permits the lies to flourish. Not confronting the CSJ ideologists permits them to advance. And when they advance, we lose. It is a zero-sum game.

The choice to fight in the face of potential consequences is personal [89] and not an easy one to make. But as you contemplate whether to act or to lay low, consider the importance of truth and integrity in your life. To paraphrase Bari Weiss: Worship truth more than Yale. As she says:

[D]o not lose sight of what is essential. Professional prestige is not essential. Being popular is not essential. Getting your child into an elite preschool is not essential. Doing the right thing is essential. Telling the truth is essential. Protecting your kids is essential. [90]

Sure, no one wants to become a martyr for free speech or experience bullying, ostracism, and professional damage [81,91–93]. Cancel culture is real, but the risks are not what dissenters to totalitarian regimes faced historically or face today—cancel culture does not put you in jail. One still can write a dissenting op-ed without the fear of being stripped of their citizenship and expelled from the country, as Solzhenitsyn was for his writings [83]. We still can criticize DEI policies without fear of being put under house arrest, as Sakharov was for his vocal opposition to nuclear weapons and his unwavering defense of human rights [87]. But if we delay, some of the totalitarian nightmares of the past may become a reality. There are already worrying signs of this totalitarian-style repression in America: parents opposing CSJ in schools have been accused of terrorism and investigated by the FBI [94]; a journalist who wrote about collusion between the government and social media was paid a surprise home visit by the Internal Revenue Service [95]; a student who questioned the concept of microaggressions [96] at a mandatory training was expelled and forced to “seek to psychological services” [97]. These incidents in America today are chillingly similar to practices in Russia in the Soviet era, when the KGB routinely investigated dissidents, and dissent from Soviet ideology was considered a psychiatric disorder [84,88]. In the absence of resistance, this illiberal movement, like illiberal movements of the past, will gain ever more power, and we will face ever worse repression and erosion of individual freedom.

Inaction does not guarantee survival, but fighting a successful fight does. The only way to defend yourself against repression by an illiberal ideology is to stop the spread of the ideology.

The dangers of inaction are real, but how much risk one should take must be a personal decision [89]. Above all, it rarely does any good to get fired. Getting fired is playing into their hands. It’s one less enemy in the organization to fight against its ideological capture. Should all the dissidents get fired, the ideology wins. Full stop.

But it’s not hopeless. As we elaborate below, there are ways to maximize the impact of your actions and minimize the chances of negative consequences of resistance.

3. How to fight

Although there is no sure-fire roadmap to solve the current crisis, there are some do’s and don’ts. A recently published handbook, Counter Wokecraft (which we highly recommend), written by an anonymous STEM professor, provides concrete recommendations for staging the resistance [98]. It convincingly explains how small but deliberate actions add up to big change and elaborates on the perils of delaying action. In what follows, we offer our view on how to fight, and we share examples of successful acts of resistance that give us reason for hope. Small contributions add up, so do something rather than nothing.  As Gad Saad writes in The Parasitic Mind:

The battle of ideas knows no boundaries, so there is plenty to do. If you are a student and hear your professors spouting postmodern nonsense or spewing anti-science drivel, challenge them politely and constructively. If you are a graduate and your alma mater is violating its commitment to freedom of speech and freedom of thought, withdraw your donations—and let the school know why. If your Facebook friends are posting comments with which you disagree, engage them and offer an alternative viewpoint.... If you are sitting at your local pub having a conversation about a sensitive topic, do not refrain from speaking your mind. If your politicians are succumbing to suicidal political correctness, vote them out of office. [99]

1. Educate yourself; knowledge is power.

To effectively counter the ideology of CSJ, it is crucial to understand its nature and the tactics it employs. As two-time Nobel Laureate Marie Sklodowska-Curie said:

Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so we may fear less.

Although Curie was referring to phenomena of the natural world, the observation applies equally to the world of ideas. By understanding the origins and tenets of CSJ, we can fear less—and fight more effectively.

For me [Anna] and my former compatriots, who were forcibly schooled in Marxist-Leninism and experienced its implementation as Socialism firsthand, it is easy to recognize the current illiberal movement’s philosophical roots [78,79]. We recognize the familiar rhetoric and the Orwellian co-option of the language: the media outlet of the Communist Party, which disseminated its lies, was called Pravda (Правда), which is Russian for “truth”; victims of Red terror were called “enemies of the people” (враги народа); Soviet troops invading other countries were called “liberators” (освободители); and  nuclear weapons were developed with the slogan “nucleus for the cause of peace” (атом—делу мира). We are used to looking behind the facade of nice-sounding words and seeing their real meaning to those in power [100]. It is not hard to see that today’s “Diversity,” “Equity,” and “Inclusion” have about as much in common with the noble concepts of diversity, equality, and inclusion as Orwell's Ministry of Love had to do with love or his Ministry of Plenty had to do with plenty. (A more-fitting operational definition of DEI would be Discrimination, Entitlement, and Intimidation.) This linguistic tactic is used because it works. It has fooled many STEM academics and ordinary citizens and has enabled the illiberal ideology to get its foot in the door [3].

As Counter Wokecraft explains, the tactics CSJ employs to gain power in our institutions include the use of liberal-sounding “crossover words” to shroud the illiberal aims of the movement [98]. The concise essay “DEI: a Trojan Horse for Critical Social Justice in Science” by the same author offers insights into the philosophy that undergirds the CSJ movement and clearly elucidates its aims [3]. For a deeper dive into CSJ, we recommend the book by Pluckrose and Lindsay [1].

2. Use all existing means of resistance, but first and foremost, the official ones.

Mechanisms of resistance are available through existing institutions, even if the institutions themselves are failing to protect their mission [101]. These mechanisms can be exploited to change the institution from within.

Bukovsky describes how their dissident group worked within the legal boundaries of the Soviet regime [84]. He contrasts this approach with anarchism and revolutionary destructivism, which, he argues, lead to outcomes that are worse than the original evils. Bukovsky and his dissident comrades structured their activism and resistance within the framework of the Soviet constitution—which many legitimately considered to be a joke. When allowed to speak in court, Bukovsky framed his defense to emphasize the constitutional rights of Soviet citizens, for example, to peacefully demonstrate. Bukovsky attributes their success to this strategy. As an example of an important victory, he describes how he and his fellow political prisoners managed to resist and ultimately eliminate mandatory “corrective labor” for political prisoners. Following legal protocols, they rolled out a concerted effort of filing official complaints. Although isolated complaints never had any effect (they would be registered, duly processed, and dismissed), by flooding the bureaucratic system with a massive number of such complaints (which each had to be properly registered and responded to), they pushed the system beyond its limits. The sheer number of complaints compelled administrative scrutiny of the prison and its officers. And the prisoners won the fight.

Today, we can work within the system of our universities and professional organizations, even if they have already been ideologically corrupted. We can participate in surveys; communicate our concerns to leadership; nominate candidates committed to liberal principles to committees and leadership; vote against CSJ ideologues; speak up against practices that violate the stated mission of the institution [43,102,103]; publish well-reasoned opinion pieces [4,14,15,23,82,83,102]; and insist that our institutions adhere to their stated institutional (and legal) commitments to free speech and non-discrimination, such as being equal opportunity employers. Counter Wokecraft [98] provides concrete suggestions on how to effectively oppose the advances of the CSJ agenda by simply insisting that standard protocols of decision-making be followed—that is, through formal meetings with organized discussions that adhere to a set agenda, vote by secret ballot, and so on. In short, the existing governance structures and institutional policies can still be utilized to defend and even restore the institutional mission, even when the institution’s workings have been undermined by CSJ activists.

The following success stories illustrate the effectiveness of working within the system.

At the University of Massachusetts, a faculty group fought—and won—against a proposed rewriting of the university mission statement, which would have redefined the purpose of the university as engaging in political and ideological activism, rather than pursuing the truth [104].

Faculty at the University of Chicago succeeded in having departmental statements that violated institutional neutrality (by voicing collective support for specific social and political issues in violation of the University’s Kalven Report [105]) rescinded [106].

Also at the University of Chicago, in response to faculty complaints to the institution’s Title IX coordinator and general counsel, at least seven programs that gave preferences to specific races or sexes in violation of Federal regulations were discontinued [106].

The faculty of the University of Washington voted down a proposal to require DEI statements for all tenure and promotion candidates [107]. As reported to us, an email campaign initiated by a single faculty member was decisive in defeating the proposal.

At the University of North Carolina (UNC), the Board of Trustees adopted [108] the Chicago Free Speech Principles [109] and Kalven Report [105]. The former articulates the university’s commitment to free speech and is considered to be a model policy on this issue; the latter ensures institutional neutrality, prohibiting units of the university from taking stands on moral, political, or ideological issues, unless they directly affect the mission of the institution.

Also at UNC, responding to a faculty petition, the Board of Governors moved to ban diversity, equity, and inclusion requirements from its hiring and promotion process. The mandate states that the university “shall neither solicit nor require an employee or applicant for academic admission or employment to affirmatively ascribe to or opine about beliefs, affiliations, ideals, or principles regarding matters of contemporary political debate or social action as a condition to admission, employment, or professional advancement” [110].

In California, mathematicians organized a petition that has, so far, blocked the implementation of radical, CSJ-based revisions to the K–12 math curriculum [18]. At the time of publication, the fight is not over; but they’ve won so far.

A new nonprofit, Do No Harm, has been formed to fight against the encroachment of identity politics in medicine [111]. Among their successes, filings with the US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights against two medical schools has resulted in the elimination of race as a requirement for certain scholarships. Scholarships “meant for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, [a] worthy goal, can and should be met without racial discrimination,” writes the organization’s founder [112].

Adverse publicity and mockery, too, can cause Universities, which are sensitive to their public image, to roll back woke policies, as the following examples illustrate.

The administration of MIT reversed its own decision and reinstated the use of standardized tests for admission [113], the elimination of which had been mocked by dissidents [114].

The Stanford University “Elimination of Harmful Language Initiative” website, which listed 161 verboten expressions, including “beating a dead horse,” “white paper,” “insane,” and even “American,” was taken down after sustained mockery in the press and on social media. The university’s president ultimately disowned the initiative and reaffirmed the university’s commitment to free speech [29].

At the University of Southern California, the interim provost made a clear statement that “the university does not maintain a list of banned or discouraged words” in response to the mockery [115] of an earlier memorandum the university's School of Social Work announcing the cancellation of the word “field” as racist [26,29].

At Texas Tech, the administration announced that it was dropping mandatory DEI statements from the hiring process [116], after details of how these statements influenced hiring decisions had been publicized [9].

These examples illustrate the maxim that sunlight is the best disinfectant [117]. We can use social media and the press to shine a light on the excesses of CSJ to bring about change.

Pressure from state governments can also force universities to change course away from DEI ideology. Facing threats from the state assembly to cut funding, the University of Wisconsin system has announced it will eliminate mandatory DEI statements for job applicants. As we are writing this chapter, the state assembly is also threatening to eliminate funding for administrative positions at UW dedicated to DEI [118].

Arizona has also dealt a blow to DEI ideology. The state’s Board of Regents has mandated that public universities drop the use of DEI statements in hiring. The move was in response to a finding by the Goldwater Institute that DEI statements, which were required in over three-fourths of job postings, were being used “to circumvent the state’s constitutional prohibition against political litmus tests in public educational institutions” [119].

Organizations such as the Academic Freedom Alliance (AFA) and the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) have successfully used institutions’ own governing policies and bylaws as well as the law to defend scores of scholars who have been attacked for their extramural speech and threatened with administrative discipline or firing [120,121].

A move is afoot to strengthen universities’ commitment to academic freedom by encouraging them to officially adopt the Chicago Trifecta (the Kalven report, the Chicago Principles, and the Shils report). The “Restoring Academic Freedom” letter [122], which calls on universities to do so, has garnered 1700 signatures so far.

3. Don't play their game: You can’t win.

We are trained to seek compromises and solutions that bring different groups on board; we seek consensus. That is a fine approach under normal circumstances, when all agents are acting in good faith. But we must recognize that we are up against agents who are driven—knowingly or unknowingly—by an ideology whose goal is to take over the institution. Every compromise with them brings them closer to their goal [1,3,74,98,123]. Therefore, we must stand our ground.

A major advance in the spread of illiberalism has been the establishment of DEI bureaucracies in our intuitions to enforce CSJ ideology through policy [3,8,98,124-127]. It is important to understand the power of this system and to distinguish the system from the people. A DEI apparatchik can be a nice, well-meaning individual, who has been fooled by the movement’s deliberately deceptive language [1,98]; a cynical opportunist who seeks power and career advancement; or a True Believer. A DEI administrator may be completely unaware of the philosophical origins of CSJ, whose goals the DEI machine has been installed to implement. But just as a Soviet apparatchik need not have read Das Kapital to have been an agent enforcing conformity to Marxist doctrine, a DEI apparatchik need not have read the works of the critical theorists Gramsci, Derrida, Foucault, Bell, Crenshaw, and Delgado to be implementing CSJ-inspired ideology. But even participants who are naive of the movement’s history, philosophy, or ultimate goals are furthering its aims; they are still cogs in the machine. Do not be fooled by DEI administrators who may naively or deceptively deny that they are advancing CSJ ideology. They are, whether or not they know it or acknowledge it.

The power of the system—the DEI bureaucracy—and its ideological foundation make the motivations of the individual participants irrelevant. The story of Tabia Lee illustrates this point [128]. Lee—a black woman who directed a DEI program at a community college in California—questioned anti-racist and gender orthodoxy, declined to join a “socialist network,” objected to land acknowledgments and Newspeak terms such as “Latinx,” “Filipinx,” and neopronouns, and supported a campus event focused on Jewish inclusion and antisemitism. Lee describes her non-orthodox worldview as follows:

I don’t have ideological or viewpoint fidelity to anyone. I’m looking for what’s going to help people and what will help our students and how we can be better teachers and our best teaching selves. [128]

This attitude was found to be incompatible with the ideology of DEI. When Lee refused to change her worldview to comply with the orthodoxy, she was terminated from her position [128].

The establishment of the DEI bureaucracy in our institutions represented a tectonic shift from CSJ as a grass-roots movement to CSJ as an official power structure within the university equipped with a massive budget to promote its ideology [124,126,129-132].

A 2021 report by the Heritage Foundation [130], which documented the size of this new bureaucracy, identified 3,000 administrators with DEI responsibilities among the 65 universities they surveyed [124,131]. This number is in addition to the already extensive staff of Federally mandated Title VI, Title IX, and disability offices, who also perform DEI-related tasks. The new diversicrats already outnumber the mandated staffers. For example, the average university examined had 4.2 DEI personnel for every one ADA compliance administrator [124]. Given the sheer number of DEI officials and their generous salaries (one-third of chief diversity officers are paid more than $200,000 annually [132]), it is not surprising that DEI budgets are enormous; for example, in 2021, UC–Berkeley dedicated 41 million dollars to DEI [129].

The DEI bureaucracy is given official status within the university and is empowered to interfere in faculty hiring, to disseminate CSJ ideology by means of mandatory trainings, to infuse the ideology into teaching [10,13,16,25,31], and to curtail academic freedom [42,127]. Khalid and Snyder provide insight into the logic and financial incentives behind the DEI machine:

This attitude was found to be incompatible with the ideology of DEI. When Lee refused to change her worldview to comply with the orthodoxy, she was terminated from her position [128].

The establishment of the DEI bureaucracy in our institutions represented a tectonic shift from CSJ as a grass-roots movement to CSJ as an official power structure within the university equipped with a massive budget to promote its ideology [124,126,129-132].

A 2021 report by the Heritage Foundation [130], which documented the size of this new bureaucracy, identified 3,000 administrators with DEI responsibilities among the 65 universities they surveyed [124,131]. This number is in addition to the already extensive staff of Federally mandated Title VI, Title IX, and disability offices, who also perform DEI-related tasks. The new diversicrats already outnumber the mandated staffers. For example, the average university examined had 4.2 DEI personnel for every one ADA compliance administrator [124]. Given the sheer number of DEI officials and their generous salaries (one-third of chief diversity officers are paid more than $200,000 annually [132]), it is not surprising that DEI budgets are enormous; for example, in 2021, UC–Berkeley dedicated 41 million dollars to DEI [129].

The DEI bureaucracy is given official status within the university and is empowered to interfere in faculty hiring, to disseminate CSJ ideology by means of mandatory trainings, to infuse the ideology into teaching [10,13,16,25,31], and to curtail academic freedom [42,127]. Khalid and Snyder provide insight into the logic and financial incentives behind the DEI machine:

DEI Inc. is a logic, a lingo, and a set of administrative policies and practices. The logic is as follows: Education is a product, students are consumers, and campus diversity is a customer-service issue that needs to be administered from the top down. (“Chief Diversity Officers,” according to an article in Diversity Officer Magazine, “are best defined as ‘change-management specialists.’”) DEI Inc. purveys a safety-and-security model of learning that is highly attuned to harm and that conflates respect for minority students with unwavering affirmation and validation.

Lived experience, the intent–impact gap, microaggressions, trigger warnings, inclusive excellence. You know the language of DEI Inc. when you hear it. It’s a combination of management-consultant buzzwords, social justice slogans, and “therapy speak.” The standard package of DEI Inc. administrative “initiatives” should be familiar too, from antiracism trainings to bias-response teams and mandatory diversity statements for hiring and promotion. [127]

The DEI bureaucracy is a categorical enemy. Don't deceive yourself that you can work with it to accomplish good for your institution [128]. This bureaucracy is founded on ideas that are in direct opposition to the liberal enlightenment and humanism [1,3,4,42,79,99,125–128,133,134]. Their goals are not your goals; consequently, you cannot ally or compromise with them. We must, instead, focus our efforts on stripping the DEI bureaucracy of its power, ideally, ridding the institution of it completely. This will not be an easy fight, but neither is it an impossible dream. State legislatures are already taking action against DEI. At the time of this writing, 35 states have introduced bills that would restrict or ban DEI offices and staff, mandatory DEI training, diversity statements, and/or identity-based preferences for hiring and admissions [135]. Recognizing that such bills could go too far and compromise academic freedom, the Manhattan Institute has drafted model legislation that would abolish DEI bureaucracies on campuses while preserving academic freedom [136]. To date, at least one state, Texas, has enacted legislation based on the Manhattan Institute’s model [137].

Another reason not to attempt to work with the DEI bureaucracy is that CSJ ideology leaves no space for rational dialog. As explained by McWhorter [71], Pincourt [3,98], Pluckrose [1], Saad [99], and others, CSJ is not a rational or empirical worldview, but an ideology whose adherents have accepted a set of unfalsifiable tenets that may not be questioned. Thus, CSJ ideologues are not open to reasoned arguments that contradict their worldview; it is, thus, futile to argue with them. We need, instead, to reason with those of our colleagues who have not yet drunk of the Kool Aid.

Finally, since the goal of CSJ is to take over the institution, small compromises with them ultimately lead to large losses for us. Give CSJ an inch, and it will take a mile. Consider, for starters, the following example, in which the dean of the Duke Divinity School made the mistake of conceding to student activists, which led to ever-increasing demands and personal attacks on the dean herself [138]. “The chickens have come home to roost at Duke’s divinity school,” writes John Staddon. Dean Heath, the dean of the school, fully allied herself with the CSJ agenda, rolled out a variety of DEI initiatives, issued a self-flagellating editorial admitting the “structural sins” of the school, and forced non-conforming faculty to resign. Yet, despite these concessions, the demands of “marginalized groups” only grew stronger, culminating in uncivil acts, such as the disruption of the dean’s state-of-the-school address by “four dissident female students bearing bull-horns and chanting, ‘I am somebody and I won’t be stopped by nobody,’ followed by a rap, a little theatrical performance [of a rude nature].”

Staddon writes:

There is poetic justice in this incident. Despite the dean’s earnest attempts “to provide a welcoming and safe place for students,” even after she designed “a space for the work of Sacred Worth, the LGBTQIA+ student group in the Divinity School”—even after disciplining, and losing—Professor Griffiths [a non-conforming faculty], in spite all this, she has apparently not done enough! The LGBT folk want more, much more, in the form of 15 demands. “We make up an integral part of this community, and yet our needs remain deliberately unheard.”

The demands include:

“To appoint a black trans woman or gender non-conforming theologian” as well as “a tenure-track trans woman theologian” and a “tenure-track queer theologian of color, preferably a black or indigenous person.”

A dissident MIT website, the Babbling Beaver [139], illustrates the same point by a mock resignation statement by MIT’s former President Reif:

You would think giving them a Women’s and Gender Studies Program, hiring six dozen DEI deans and staffers, most of whom couldn’t pass 18.01 [MIT’s introductory math course] if their lives depended on it, and cancelling invited lecturers to appease shouting Twitter mobs would be enough,” lamented the weary lame duck. “But noooo ... The only thing I accomplished by giving in to the incessant demands was encouraging additional demands, each more strident than the last.” [140]

The statement is satire, but the concessions made by the president and the ever-increasing demands were real.

Stories of how CSJ, once it is let in the door, rapidly infiltrates the organization and eventually takes it over are too many to enumerate. We present but one example, where the process has been meticulously documented. The report, spon.sored by the organization Alumni and Donors Unite, explains how CSJ took over University of San Diego “first gradually then suddenly.”

Gradually, over the course of a decade, CSJ-DEI became sown into the university’s fabric through changes in hiring committees and curriculum. Then suddenly in 2020–2021 the administration, outside all normal channels of decision-making, initiated a hostile takeover of USD and adopted a radical woke agenda into nearly all facets of the university’s life. [141]

The devaluation of merit and intellectual honesty in the guise of social justice that we now witness will inevitably lead to the decline of our institutions, if not to their destruction [4]. A case in point is The Evergreen State University, which, in 2017, experienced a notorious CSJ uprising on campus [142]. Since then, the university has suffered a 25% drop in enrollment and has lost 45 faculty through lay-offs and attrition [143].

Learn how to recognize and take on categorical enemies [98]. Remember—it is a zero sum game.

4. Focus on truth, not partisanship. Do not fear verbal attacks.

When you take on CSJ, there is something you will need to come to terms with: you are going to be called names, and your views and beliefs are going to be distorted and misrepresented. These are standard tactics of the CSJ movement. Since the adherents of CSJ have adopted an ideological, rather than a rational, worldview, they cannot rationally defend it; so they use the only tools they have: personal attacks and strawman arguments. They will call you transphobe, racist, misogynist, alt-right, Nazi, etc., no matter what you say or do. They will use deliberate misrepresentation of your expressions to subvert and discredit them [98]. They will use the “Motte and Bailey” trick [144] to derail conversations. Learn about these tactics so that you can anticipate, recognize, and counter them [98]. As Gad Saad explains:

The name calling and accusations are locked and loaded threats, ready to be deployed against you should you dare to question the relevant progressive tenets. Most people are too afraid to be accused of being racist or misogynist, and so they cover in silence.… Don't fall prey to this silencing strategy. Be assured in your principles and stand ready to defend them with the ferocity of a honey badger. [99]

Because you will be attacked no matter what you believe, what you say, or how carefully you say it, there is no point in affirming in your interactions with CSJ ideologues that you are committed to traditional humanistic, liberal values. They don’t care. In her essay “I'm a Progressive, Please Don't Hurt Me,” Sarah Haider calls this practice of hedging “throat-clearing” and explains why it is not effective [145]. She also points out the hidden bigotry of it, that is, the implicit assumption that those on the other side of the aisle are inherently evil. Haider writes:

Before touching on any perspective that I knew to not be kosher among other Leftists, I tended to precede with some version of throat-clearing: “I’m on the left” or “I’ve voted Democrat my whole life.” I told myself that this was a distinction worth insisting on because 1) it was the truth and 2) because it helped frame the discussion properly—making clear that the argument is coming from someone who values what they value. But there was another reason too. My political identity reminders were a plea to be considered fully and charitably, to not be villainized and presumed to be motivated by “hate.” The precursor belief to this, of course, is that actual conservatives should not be taken charitably, are rightfully villainized, and really are motivated by “hate.” But I’m done sputtering indignantly about being mischaracterized as “conservative,” or going out of my way to remind the audience that I really am a good little liberal.

She goes on to explain that throat-clearing is counterproductive because: (1) it doesn’t work, you won't be spared; (2) it is a tax on energy and attention; (3) it is bad for you; and (4) it is bad for the causes you care about.

So we should stop worrying about our group loyalties and focus on our cause. Truth wears no clothes, so do not try to dress it up in partisan attire. Say what you mean, mean what you say, and move on.

It may be tempting to stay out of the fight in order to preserve friendships. It is true that some people you thought of as friends may turn against you—privately or even publicly. It has happened to us, and it hurts. But it also lets you know who your real friends are—those who stick up for you whether they agree with your views or not. And you will find new friends and allies who share your values. These relationships, forged fighting the good fight, will be enduring and empowering.

5. Do not apologize.

We cannot stress this enough. Your apology will be taken as a sign of weakness and will not absolve you—in fact, it will make matters worse. Apologies to the illiberal mob are like drops of blood in the water to a pack of sharks. Additionally, your apology can be interpreted as an admission of guilt, which can come back to haunt you in the event you need to defend yourself legally or in an administrative proceeding. The Academic Freedom Alliance advises: “If you confess to an offense you didn’t commit, or if you concede to a claim or accusation that is factually inaccurate or not truly an offense, the admission can and will be used against you.” [146] Recognize that the CSJ activists on Twitter do not care about your apology; they care about publicly flaying you in order to sow fear among other potential dissenters [147]. Someone claims to have been offended by your speech? Someone claims it caused them pain? Fine, that's their problem [148]. You know what your views are. And your friends do too. Stay on message. 

6. Build a community and a network.

Communities and networks provide moral support and there is safety in numbers. Some groups already exist. The Heterodox Academy (HxA), for example, provides a platform to organize communities (e.g., HxSTEM is a community of STEM faculty) and to connect with colleagues who are open to reasoned debate, as per the HxA statement, which each member is asked to endorse: “I support open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and constructive disagreement in research and education.” The Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism (FAIR) also provides resources and support to those who push back on anti-humanistic policies, especially in schools, universities, and in the medical profession.

Organizations like FIRE and the Academic Freedom Alliance (AFA) provide educational resources, opportunities to network, and—most importantly—protection, including legal representation. Join and support them. Build groups and act as a group—e.g., write an op-ed piece with a group of co-authors. Ten people are harder to cancel than one. Counter Wokecraft describes how to identify the allies among your colleagues and how to build effective resistance at your workplace [98].

Stand up for others. Next time they will do it for you. When you see a colleague being ostracized for what she said, think first, “Which parts of her message do I agree with?” not “Which parts do I disagree with?” If you agree with the main message, say so, and be charitable about imperfect expression. Way too often do we hear colleagues justifying their silence with excuses like “I agree with her in general, but she should have been more careful about how she said this or that.”

Some communities, including mathematicians and psychologists, in response to CSJ takeovers of their professional societies, have simply started new ones [149,150]. Perhaps we need more of these to send a strong message to the old societies that they need to change course. We see evidence of the effectiveness of this strategy; for example, the American Mathematical Society [151] cancelled its CSJ-dominated blog shortly after the establishment of the new Association for Mathematical Research [149], whose apolitical mission is simply to “support  mathematical research and scholarship.”

In 2022, in response to increasing ideological influence and censorship in their profession, behavioral scientists founded the Society for Open Inquiry in the Behavioral Sciences, dedicated to “open inquiry, civil debate, and rigorous standards” in the field [152]. It publishes the Journal of Open Inquiry in the Behavioral Sciences, which commits to “free inquiry,” “rigorous standards,” and “intellectual exchange” [152]. Notably, its terms and conditions state that the journal will base retraction decisions strictly on the basis of the widely accepted COPE guidelines [153]; otherwise, the terms and conditions state, “We will never retract a paper in response to social media mobs, open or private letters calling for retraction, denunciation petitions, or the like....” [154]

There is even a new university—The University of Austin (UATX)—established in response to the current crisis in higher education [155]. The message on the UATX webpage—“We are building a university dedicated to the fearless pursuit of truth”—makes clear what void in the American academy UATX aspires to fill [156]. That the university received over $100 million in donations and over 3500 inquiries by professors from other institutions within six months of the project’s announcement, makes clear the demand [157].

The success of such new initiatives will inspire more educators and scientists to stand up and defend the key principles of science and education. And it will send a strong message to our leadership. Even if we cannot appeal to their sense of duty, the financial considerations (Go Woke, Go Broke [158]) and the effect of negative publicity of the excesses of CSJ (such as DEI loyalty oaths, “decolonizing” the curriculum, renaming everything, and Newspeak [9,23,24,139]) may provide incentives to straighten out their act.

4. Conclusion

Will we succeed? Will we stop the train before it goes over the cliff? We do not know what will happen if we fight. But we know what will happen if we don’t. The task ahead might look impossible. But remember the USSR. It looked like an unbreakable power, yet in the end it collapsed like a house of cards. The Berlin Wall looked indestructible, yet it came down overnight. Recalling his 20 years’ experience in the gay marriage debate, Jonathan Rauch told us: “I can tell you that the wall of received opinion is sturdy and impenetrable...until it isn't. And that it's the quiet people in the room who are the swing vote.... and please illegitimi non carborundum [159].”

We are not helpless. We have agency and we should not be afraid to exercise it. We should fight not just because it is the right thing to do, but because fighting brings results. If we behave as if we were living in a totalitarian society, it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Afterword

A Russian proverb says, “Fear has big eyes” (у страха глаза велики), meaning that people tend to exaggerate danger. Accordingly, it may feel like resisting the mob will inevitably lead to career damage. But this is not the case; the flip side of risk is reward. In recognition of her activism, including her publication of “The Peril of Politicizing Science” [23], which “launched a national conversation among scientists and the general public,” Anna Krylov, co-author of this chapter, was awarded the inaugural Communicator of the Year Award, Sciences and Mathematics, by the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences [160]. In “Victory Lap” [161], Lee Jussim, co-editor of the book in which this article will appear, documents how as a result of his public resistance to a mob attack on a colleague falsely accused of racism, his career enjoyed a variety of benefits including additional conferences invitations, massive positive public support for his activism, national attention to his scholarship, and an appointment to a departmental chair (with commensurate increase in salary), which he was offered because he had demonstrated that he could take the heat.

==

Stop saying "nO oNe iS sAyInG aNy oF tHiS!!" They are. You know they are. Dotted throughout the article are references to sources for quotes and claims. For the list of references, see: References.

Liberalism really is under attack. It's always been under attack from the religous right, but its influence has diminished over time, with society becoming increasingly secular and irreligious, or at least indifferent to religious influence. And principles like the US's First Amendment keep it, at least in theory, from breaching the threshold.

But where the religious attack is on the downswing, the attack from the illiberal left is on the upswing, and both more rapid and more successful, having infiltrated everything from government to science and even knitting clubs. And it hides behind nice-sounding words like "equity" and "diversity," people don't recognize it for what it is, and welcome it inside in a way they don't welcome religious intrusion.

This isn't about left vs right. It's about do we want a liberal society, or do we want a rampantly illiberal, or indeed anti-liberal society?

#Anna Krylov #Jay Tanzman #enlightenment #the enlightenment #attack on liberalism #liberalism #liberal values #liberal society #enlightenment values #throat clearing #critical social justice #social justice #DEI #DEI bureaucracy #diversity equity and inclusion #diversity #equity #inclusion #woke #wokeness #wokeism #cult of woke #wokeness as religion #cancel culture #DEI statements #diversity statements #compelled speech #humanism #liberal principles #liberal ethics

[kikker-oma]

Hi Oma! I’m sure I’ve already said this but I have to repeat myself because your art is so awesome 💖 I’ve been loving everything this month so much!! it’s been really fun seeing what you do with the prompts, and you’re so good at scratching that angsty itch XD

Hope you’ve been doing well!

-Sky Floor

PEGGYYYY

You're honestly so sweet, my goodness😭❤️

I need to catch up before October ends! I'm determined to finish everything on Oct 31, no matter what!

Speaking of scratching an itch, YOUR FICS

I need to go on a reblog spree soon! I read them all, but its all on my lunch break and then I want to tag properly and then I forget details and then kts the next day already and there's another fic, and I need to be able to properly scream about how good of a writer you are❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

#sweet sky floor

[whumptober]

Life decided to whump me and now im down with the flu ir smth andcause i have rhinitis its even worse for me (as if i dont have to deal with enough angst already) and as a result i coudnt finish the whumptober fic i was supposed to do today so im super nervous abt finishing in time

Oh no! We hope you feel better soon! Remember, you have until Oct 31 if you're aiming for a completionist badge, and until forever if you aren't trying to get that badge. So if you aren't ready to go by October 1 it's ok.

Get some rest, friend!

#mod yenn #asks

[usafphantom2]

MiG-31K crewers can now program the target designation for the Kinzhal hypersonic missile during flight

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 10/25/2023 - 13:00 in Military

Russian Kinzhal hypersonic missiles (Dagger) can now receive in-flight target designation and change it, if necessary, without landing the aircraft for this operation by a ground team

Until then this programming occurred only on the ground, with the coordinates of the target being inserted into the missile before takeoff.

A source told TASS: "Now, the MiG-31K will begin to be in service in the Black Sea area, and the Kinzhal with which they are armed can be programmed directly from the aircraft, which means that programming no longer needs to take place on the ground, but can be carried out during the flight, including for redirection."

However, according to other information confirmed to TASS by a defense industry source, the Kinzhal can already be programmed in the air by the weapons operator having received the ground coordinates.

On October 18, 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the Russian MiG-31K high-altitude interceptor fighters with the Kinzhal hypersonic missile will begin patrolling the Black Sea. Putin said: "This is not a threat. What I announce now is that, under my instructions, the Aerospace Forces are starting to patrol permanently in the neutral zone of the airspace over the Black Sea and our MiG-31 aircraft are armed with Kinzhal systems."

Previously, Rostec stated that Kinzhal hypersonic missiles are mass-produced and supplied to troops in the necessary quantities.

Tags: Military AviationKinzhalMiG-31KRussia

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Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has work published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. Uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

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[btsdreamcourt]

Mystic Manor - an 18+ Event

𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖓𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙𝖒𝖆𝖗𝖊𝖘 𝖔𝖋 𝖒𝖞𝖘𝖙𝖎𝖈 𝖒𝖆𝖓𝖔𝖗

Join BTS Dream Court and BTS Carnival Net for a collaborative, 𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔯𝔦𝔣𝔶𝔦𝔫𝔤, event this season!

As the first leaf falls marking the start of Autumn, Mystic Manor reopens its doors each year, welcoming all who creep within the shadows and hide from the mundane eye. Too chilling for humans, this Dead & Breakfast offers horrifying hospitality and frightening specialties for all Monsters to enjoy, such as complimentary Wiltweed Wraps providing a perfect ghastly complexion, Bat Bites that pair perfectly with midnight tea enjoyed in the graveyard, and our popular Witches Brew that will have you seeing double early into dawn. Your time spent at Mystic Manor will be nightmarishly memorable, to say the least, and our Concierge Team is ready to make this season one you won’t forget. Find out what all we can do when you book your stay!

     ↳ Book your Stay      ↳ View the Ledger

Requirements:

Must be 18+ BTS fanfic writer to participate

Must be a member of BDC, BCN, or a member from one of our affiliated networks

Must have a discord account to join our event server

Fic Specifics:

1k word count minimum

Must obey our network and event server rules

Must include at least one BTS member in the main pairing

Must have at least one smut scene

Must contain a monster, supernatural, magical, or spooky being

Use the tag #nightmaresofmysticmanor

Timeline:

Sign ups: Aug 20 - Sept 10

Check ins: Sept 30 - Oct 2

Masterlist shared: Oct 22

Posting period: Oct 23 - Oct 31

To Join:

Reblog this event post

Follow both @btsdreamcourt​ and @btscarnivalnet​​ if you are not already doing so

Fill out this form

Wait for your confirmation DM which will contain the link to our event server!

If you meet the requirements and are interested in participating, sign up now! Any questions about our project can be directed towards an Admin via our inbox. Further details will be explained in our event server.

#nightmaresofmysticmanor

[tomorrowusa]

Parliament in Thailand is considering changes in its legal code to allow same sex marriage. If the draft legislation passes, Thailand would become the first country in Southeast Asia to guarantee this right.

Thailand is already a gay-friendly country and this would solidify its reputation in the LGBT+ international community.

Thailand edges closer to legalising same-sex marriage

Thai lawmakers on Thursday overwhelmingly passed four draft bills on same-sex marriage in their first reading, moving the country closer towards its legalisation in a country with one of Asia's most open and visible LGBT communities. Rights activists have said that Thailand's laws and institutions still do not reflect changing social attitudes and still discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people and same-sex couples. All but 11 of 380 lawmakers present in parliament's lower house voted to approve the draft legislation, paving the way to the formation of a committee to merge the four bills into one ahead of further debate and votes expected next year.

Here's a stat that would send Putin, Iran, and the entire Axis of Homophobia into convulsions. (emphasis added)

"In principle, this draft law is for the amendment of some provisions in the civic codes to open the way for lovers, regardless of their gender, to engage and get married," Deputy Prime Minister Somsak Thepsuthin told parliament, referring to the government's draft bill. [ ... ] Somsak said a government survey conducted between Oct. 31 and Nov. 14 showed 96.6% public support for the draft bill.

Even if the margin of error for that survey were 20%, it would still mean that a super majority of Thais support same sex marriage.

#lgbtq+ #same sex marriage #thailand #equal rights #chaiwat songsiriphan #lauren day #สมศักดิ์ เทพสุทิน #somsak thepsuthin #ประเทศไทย #รัฐสภา

[captainelliecomb]

WIP Wishlist Round Seventeen

WIP Wishlists

The Lion and the Lake by slipsthrufingers (2,393 words, first posted 29 Dec 20)

Summary: The girl in the village had tried to talk her out of the journey. “You won’t find what you want up there,” she said earnestly, though Brienne had not listened.

“If there is no lake, then I will simply appreciate the view from the peak then climb back down,” Brienne insisted, stubbornly.

Things I Love: The worldbuilding, the potential in Brienne's backstory, Brienne's search for Oathkeeper, Brienne's characterisation, that cliffhanger ending.

The Pricking of the Veils by @angelowl-fics (563 words, first updated 31 Dec 21)

Summary: The portal looks innocuous enough. It’s a massive rectangular mirror that spans the height of the wall from floor to ceiling. On closer inspection, however, the white border that frames it is recognizable as weirwood and the shimmer within the glass pane denotes its mysticism.

King Bran has assembled his advisors today to bear witness to the pricking of the veils, as he calls it. His grace maintains that their reality is simply one of an infinite multitude that runs parallel to theirs. He claims that every choice, every action or inaction, can ripple out and lead to vastly different outcomes. And that exploring that potentiality is critical to clarifying his reign.

Things I Love: King Bran and his multiverse, everyone's agreement that two Bronns in one reality would be a terrible idea, Brienne worried about falling to pieces over seeing Catelyn Stark again when in fact she should be prepared for King Jaime, Brienne trusting them to warn her and learning she shouldn't have, the painful emotions already building in this one short chapter.

Inhale by Anonymous (13,394 words, first posted 8 Oct 21, last updated 19 Oct 22)

Summary: Like it says - inhale. Jaime kept the gown, when he’s lonely he gets it out and pretends she’s still there.

Things I Love: The delicious sexual tension between Jaime and Brienne, Jaime gentle and careful in how he takes care of Brienne and her injuries, Jaime slowly undressing Brienne, Aunt Genna's letter of admonishment, the slow, slow burn, the dangerous plot looming over them.

a hungry dawn by renlybardatheon (aheartcalledhome) (21,138 words, first posted 11 Jan 20, last updated 14 July 21)

Summary: by chance, two babies that will change the fate of westeros are born on the same day: one late, the other early. the three heads of the dragon unite at casterly rock, and whether it's for better or worse is yet to be seen. robert's rebellion is over and the baratheons have taken the throne, but that does not mean war is no longer on the horizon for westeros.

the lannister family now faces an uphill battle against trauma, unhealthy relationship dynamics, and the fruits borne by their own schemes for their troubles. oh, and someone put jaime, cersei, brienne, and tyrion in charge of raising a toddler. oops.

Things I Love: The premise of the series (this is the fourth story in a series about Jaime time traveling and trying to set things right, how he changes with all the things he lives through, the pain of growing up no matter how many times you've done it), young Brienne and Jaime supporting each other through terrible things, Brienne's characterisation, all the ways Jaime tries to change things.

the top of my to-do list by Valmalpal (29,905 words, first posted 21 Aug 22, last updated 20 Oct 22)

Summary: Jaime has a problem. It’s tall, huge, and freckled. It’s a towheaded plank of a girl and her name is Brienne Tarth.

Things I Love: Jaime's obsession with Brienne, how hot they are together slowly moving closer to sex, Brienne's mix of stubborn and shy, how they care for each other, the way the tension builds.

#wip wishlist #jaime x brienne #slipsthroughfingers #angelowl #renlybardatheon #valmalpal