#it's not the most socially conducive

[icewindandboringhorror]

a boye whom'st loves to attack paper balls

#cats #nhgnhmmm.. yommy... paper favorite food #(I do not actually let him eat paper) #ALSO I'm still working on doing the poll adventure thing I've just had a lot going on. as usual. It's actually harder than #I initially thought to regularly find time to do a quick ms paint sketch and a small writing blurb #it's like even though it doesn't take extremely long it's still one of those things that is hard to carve out a little portion of the day #to do if your day is set up in a way not conducive to portion carving #BUT .. at least I have posted many drafts #as usual.. my style of like.. post nothing for 3 weeks then randomly post 25 things at once #NO idea why my brain works that way. it just does. it's easier #even though I know it's worse in terms of like. social media #the algorithms in most places prefer consistent steady uploads over time. not jarringly wavering between absence and hyper presence #then absence again. but .. alas... #Good to clear out a few drafts once in a while anyway. And I do really want to get back to scullptures and costumes. I stopped as much for #a while due to the pandemic (can't go to the bins anymore to get new supplies for costumes and stuff) as well as my worsened #health things/lack of energy and also my chest injury (so repetitive movements with my arms such as sitting in the same #position sculpting for 4 hours or changing clothes multiple times in quick succession etc. could flare it up) but obviously #none of those things are going to get better any time soon. so I should probably just try to do it here and there anyway. It's still not #safe to go to the bins. still having muscle problems. still low energy. But I could make it work maybe. I just feel bad having gotten out #of the habit when it is really fun stuff that I enjoy. Some things just get more difficult for me over time #But even like 3 sculptures and 10 costumes a year is better than 0 of any of those things. So. eh #I'm also just trying to clear out pictures still. My spring cleaning (which I do at the start of every new year instead of actual spring) #was kind of delayed this year due to me feeling sick and everything so even late into april I'm still working on the side at like orgnazing #all of the files on my computer. deleting things and backing up whatever I want to keep. clearing out photos. #editing and drafting (and maybe one day posting) old stuff form a while ago. etc. etc. #So any progress is good progress. I suppose. #ANYWAY.... a son... he gets very excited everytime he hears anyone anywhere crinkle up a piece of paper

[niconiconwo]

Anyways, I'm tending an angry wrist and now that I've partly unfried my receptors I don't feel like hanging around too long. If you must reach me in the mean time you can signal me with smoke or send a pigeon pursuant to RFC 1149.

Unrelated but it's a bitch using a typewriter with a wrist brace on. Do not recommend, but will continue anyways.

#I think I'm going to find a different social route soon tbh #the handful of hours I allot to use the PC is not conducive to sites like this where you have to lurk to really get the most of it

[multitrackdrifting]

its genuinely sad how arcades have died out in australia and other parts of the world. whether you have some ethical concerns about wasting kids' money or whatever, it's another social space that just disappears off the face of the earth. those grassroots rhythm game communities, watching someone get bodied in a fighting game, kids making friends with similar interests and the intense feeling of someone challenging you on a racing game like maxitune or initial D. that shit is just gone, probably to be replaced but some bullshit that is way more expensive and less conducive to everything good that arcades accomplish. i met some of my most cherished friends randomly at the arcade and while it's not going to be like that for everyone, it is worse that random encounters like that aren't even possible anymore

#this shit is not right!!!!!!!

[shituationist]

I think we forget sometimes just how deranged the fundamentalist christian attitude towards "the flesh" is and just how much this deranged belief impacts fundamentalist christian politics. i can't think of a value in the christian imaginary that is more corrosive towards the goals of compassion and brotherly love, or more conducive to cult-like control of congregants by clergy. maybe this is just the reichian in me, but the control of people's sexual lives - prohibitions on masturbation, casual sex, sex before marriage, and so on - is a very successful way to channel people's libidinal energies from self-satisfaction (a kind of psycho-sexual autonomy) to dependence on the approval of authoritarian figures, reinforced by feelings of guilt produced by "sinful" pleasure.

and of course the churches can't be alone in this. for this to work the heavenly father and the padre have to be identified with the real father figure in one's life, and so i would suspect the vast majority of christian fundamentalists who follow through on the sexual prohibitions grew up in households where masturbation was punished, where the sex lives of the children of the house were policed by the parents and where the outcome of this was the development of a fear of pleasure, or feelings of guilt associated with sexual pleasure in particular, and an identification of authority in general with the authoritarian mother and/or father.

and all of this i think puts into perspective more the current puritan wave in american culture surrounding youth sexuality. there is a certain squeamishness, and the fundamentalists aren't alone in this, in even admitting that youth sexuality is a thing, that we discover genital pleasure very early on in life (unconsciously in infancy, which is has to be repressed by parents with a slap of the infant's hand, and consciously not much long after) and that the intervention by adults in the sexuality of children (through authoritarian repression but also through pedophilic participation) does harm to children by traumatically interrupting their natural course of sexual development.

but we can't even discuss these things honestly and realistically because if you so much as use the phrase "youth sexuality" you are immediately accused of being a pedophile, and this has a chilling effect on discourse around youth sexuality such that no one talks about youth sexuality because doing so could result in accusations which are such a scarlet letter that even if they are false they still result in the termination of critical thought towards what the accused has to say - full takeover of discourse by anxiety and emotion, wilhelm reich's "emotional plague". unfortunately this gives the most shrill moral panickers, the real zealots who have internalized their sexual repression and subsumed their sexual energies by religion, more and more control over the debate, and has turned this debate in non-scientific directions, with immense social harm being done through reactionary legislation against the youth justified by emotionally-infused religious ideology.

#hits bongs

[max1461]

I will reiterate again my views on private property, for those who have not heard them:

Property is a legal construct, by which an individual is recognized by the state as having essentially unilateral authority over some bundle of resources, and whereby this control is enforced by the state at the behest of the individual using the state's monopoly on violence.

Right-libertarians view the right to private property as a fundamental individual liberty that must be respected any just state, akin to freedom of speech. However, I believe this view is incorrect. At the most basic level, the difference is that freedom of speech puts restrictions on what the state may do—it may not arrest us for what we say. On the other hand, the "right to property" demands an enormous amount of active interference by the state in everyday life—to decide who is the legitimate owner of what, and thereby who may use what and step where, what is trespassing or copyright infringement and what is not. It demands that if you use the wrong resources in the wrong way, resources not recognized as yours, you must be jailed. It demands a constant management by the state of exactly who is using what where. Far from being the actions of a "small government", a pervasive system of private property is a status quo that can only be maintained by an extraordinarily large and everywhere-reaching government.

This difference needn't mean that private property is bad. In fact, I don't think it is in general bad! But I also don't think it is in general good, or in general conducive to the ideal of individual liberty and autonomy.

In our present society, private property serves a variety of social functions that I think are very positive. For instance, private ownership (or something basically akin to private ownership) of one's home provides them with certain guarantees of privacy and autonomy within their own living space that I think are vital in any free society. At the same time, when a home's resident is not its owner, as in the case where a home is owned by a landlord, the right to property is instead an obstacle to these basic individual liberties.

Furthermore, I think that owning a very large amount of property makes one a kind of de facto autocrat, backed by state force in the exercise of their own private whims. As goes the old quip: who has more control over your life, the president, or your boss? And which one is democratically elected?

The truth is that we almost all spend the majority of our waking lives within the workplace, a domain ruled autocratically by an unelected, unaccountable authority. Yes, we each have the meager freedom to choose which autocratic authority to submit to, or to submit to none and starve on the street. But this is not freedom in any sane sense. And I think the notion that we live in a free society when the majority of most of our lives are spent in submission to the arbitrary whims of state backed authority is ridiculous.

Does this mean that I think private property should be replaced with nothing? That all rivalrous resources should be allocated by first-come first-serve, or according to who can guard them by exercise of the most individual force? No, of course not! Rather, I merely think property as it exists today is something of an arbitrary system, an accretion of history, steered at every turn by the powerful to guard their own interests. I would like to see a wholesale reworking of the way that resources and their use are coordinated by society—this time, engineered from the ground up specifically to empower the greatest number of people with the greatest amount of personal autonomy. I think anyone who defends the present system of property against such efforts has no business calling themselves "libertarian".

This is no simple project, and though I have many ideas (which you can find by perusing my posts), I am almost certainly not equipped with the full set of skills necessary to envision an ideal system. This is a project which must be approached at the same time with a technical eye towards economic issues and a humanistic eye towards the broader effects of the new system on people and their wellbeing. I am, as always, interested in talking with anyone who can contribute towards a vision of better system.

#society

[thepotentialof2007]

Twenty thousand years ago, someone dropped a deer-tooth pendant in a cave in southwestern Siberia, where it lay until archaeologists excavated it in 2019. Now, researchers have caught a glimpse of its last wearer. After years of effort, Elena Essel, a graduate student at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (EVA), developed a way to extract DNA embedded in an artifact’s porous surface by sweat and skin cells. Her team’s analysis of the ornament, reported this week in Nature, shows it once adorned a woman whose ancestry lay far east of the cave.

“It’s the first time to my knowledge that we have a nondestructive way to extract DNA from Paleolithic artifacts,” says co-author Marie Soressi, an archaeologist at Leiden University. The technique promises a window into how, and by whom, ancient ornaments and tools were used. Human DNA gleaned from their surfaces could offer “new insight into cultural practices and social structure in ancient populations,” says evolutionary biologist Beth Shapiro of the University of California, Santa Cruz.

The EVA team found some of the ancient DNA came from wapiti, the species of elk whose tooth was used to make it. But some DNA was from a female modern human; its sequence revealed she was most closely related to people of the Maltinsko-buretskaya culture, known to have lived 2000 kilometers farther east near Lake Baikal—and who are among the ancestors of Siberians, Native Americans, and Bronze Age steppe herders. By comparing the DNA from both the woman and the elk with other ancient samples, the researchers dated the pendant to between 19,000 and 25,000 years ago.

The paper has come out just in time for a new field season, Essel says. She has a request for colleagues as they unearth new artifacts: “Please, please, please wear gloves and face masks if you want to look at the DNA of the people who were making these things and using them.”

In theory, such analyses are most promising for artefacts made from animal bones or teeth, not only because they are porous and thereby conducive to the penetration of body fluids (for example, sweat, blood or saliva) but also because they contain hydroxyapatite, which is known to adsorb DNA and reduce its degradation by hydrolysis and nuclease activity. Ancient bones and teeth may therefore function as a trap not only for DNA that is released within an organism during its lifetime and subsequent decomposition but also for exogenous DNA that enters the matrix post-mortem through microbial colonization or handling by humans.

DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06035-2

#elena essel #marie soressi #paleoanthropology #archaeology #dna analysis #wearer of adornment #identified by #25000 year old sweat #wild

[safety-pin-punk]

hi, baby punk here ! regarding your latest post about informing people on the punk scene: what exactly is the praxis?

OKAY OH BOY! THIS IS GONNA BE A RIDE!!

To start, I already have a post written about what punk even is. I'll link that right here for anyone who wants to read it.

Moving on to what Praxis is for those who don't know: Praxis is the customary practice or conduce. Teachers have a praxis. Cops have a praxis. Doctors have a praxis. And yeah, punks have a praxis too. But uuhhhhhh, ours can get a little messy.

Why is punk praxis messy? Easy. There are SO Many different types of punks. Straight Edge, Folk, Riot Grrrl, Sista Grrrl, Solar, Anarchists, C Punk & Sick Punk, Skinheads, and SO many more. All of these groups have different things that they value, so there is no real strict 'you have to believe or do this' to be a punk.

That said, there are things that the vast majority of punk groups agree on

Take care of your community and genuinly care about people

DIY as a cheap and sustanable alternative

Use critical thinking skills rather than following a bandwagon

Stay true to yourself

Activism

Activism is probably the easiest one to expand on, and probably the most important. Through out the different groups of punks, activism can look a lot of different ways. That's because punk ideology is really just a group of varied social and political beliefs. So what do the beliefs that activism is based on look like? Mutual aid, anti-consumerism, anti-capitalism, anti-cop, environmentalism, socialism, standing with disadvantaged groups and minorities, non-conformity, animal rights, equal human rights.

Some groups find different things more important. For example, Anarchists tend to place importance on direct action while solarpunks are very heavy into environmentalism.

One last thing I want to point out (a really good quote I stole from Wikipedia actually): "Punk does not necessarily lend itself to any particular political ideology, as it is primarily anti-establishment". Essentially meaning you can't simply be part of a specific political party and be punk. Punk doesn't support the full views of ANY political party.

#punk #punk praxis #punx #punk culture #mail tag #add to masterlist

[crystaltoa]

Interesting to think about what each Vahki stun staff power implies about what the perceived social problems with each Metru were.

Bordakh (Ga-Metru)- Staffs of loyalty. Perhaps it was thought that Ga-Matoran, being typically quite sociable and forming very close friendships, might prioritize loyaty to their friends over the greater good of the city, and would not report a friend that they knew was engaged in suspicious or criminal behaviour.

Rorzakh (Onu-Metru)- Staffs of Presence. Perhaps Onu-Matoran were thought of as overly secretive, hiding away underground out of sight.

Nuurahk (Ta-Metru)- Staffs of Command. Ta-Matoran are known for their hotheadedness and tendency to be outspoken, these staffs were likely introduced to divert them away from whatever the were unproductively occupied with and back to whatever they were meant to be doing. Alternatively, they may have been developed with one very specific Ta-Metru resident, known for his "unscheduled vacations", in mind...

Zadahk (Po-Metru) Staffs of Suggestion. Like Ta-Matoran, Po-Matoran are famous for being stubborn, the Suggestion staffs being used to make them easier for their superiors to handle. (A key difference from the above is that the Nuurahk give commands to the Matoran directly, whereas Zadahk makes them obey other Matoran. Interesting...)

Vorzahk (Le-Metru) Staffs of Erasing. This one is really bizarre, since turning someone into a shambling but mostly harmless zombie does not seem conducive to maintaining peace, order and productivity, especially in an area already as chaotic as Le-Metru. One possible interpretation is that Le-Matoran were considered such troublemakers that it was thought that temporarily frying their higher brain functions when they put a foot out of line would result in less disruptions than allowing them to do whatever it was they were thinking of doing. The other possibility is that it was largely a deterrent, not intended to be used often, but the threat of such a punishment being enough to maintain order. If it's the latter, the fact that "shamblers" were supposedly a common sight in Le-Metru means that this plan failed spectacularly. Either the Vahki were overusing the staffs for minor transgressions, or a number of Le-Matoran were utterly unfazed by the threat of getting their heads scrambled. Maybe some of them even did it recreationally.

Keerakh (Ko-Metru) Staffs of Confusion. It is noted that the effect is considered more merciful than the Erasing staff by the Ko-Matoran. That's interesting in light of the fact that the idea for the Kralhi, their predecessor, reportedly came from Ko-Metru. So the idea of law enforcement robots in general was put forward by Ko-Matoran, and they may have had some input into the design of the Vahki and the choice of Stun staffs for each Metru. The choice of Presence power in Onu-metru is particularly telling, since if anyone thought the Onu-Matoran should be spied on, it would be the Ko-Matoran. Kind of understandable given the tendency for new mining tunnels to "accidentally" destabilize Knowledge towers. Interestingly, you would think Ko-Matoran would be among the most orderly groups and therefore least likely to get in trouble with the law, but dazed, confused Ko-Matoran wandering around after being zapped by Vahki suggests they have the exact same problem as Le-Metru. Either the Vahki are over-applying their power instead of taking more reasonable actions to get Matoran back to work... or Ko-Metru just has a LOT of stun-junkies...

#bionicle #vahki #i don't doubt that Dume had a hand in assigning roles and powers to the Vahki as well #but the idea of law-enforcement-by robots coming from Ko-Matoran has some fascinating implications for the relationships between metru

[the-sappho-of-lesbos]

This might be a bit niche but I’m starting to see a big shift in how wlw spaces online and irl operate within my age range (early 20s - 30s) where there is this almost demonisation of relationships between 2 women - that it’s inherently abusive or toxic or not worth your time or true love was only experienced once dating men (and no this isn’t me shaming women who date men)

It’s just wild. It almost feels like a cultural push back to the acceptance society is starting to have for us. As if the very nature of it being more accepted is pressuring women to date other women and then they feel resentful that it wasn’t the magic safe haven they were promised.

I think too many people expect these relationships to be perfect and uwu and a salvation from certain things men in society push onto us that when it’s not they get even more upset. I feel like I’m general women who date men have this social narrative of EXPECTING some level of bad with relationships with men, so when it’s good it’s perfect. But they expect perfection from their relationships with other women so when it’s good it’s horrible.

It’s just very concerning to see and I don’t like it. I don’t like going to wlw spaces and seeing all the bonding being over either which man is the hottest (again, need to say not criticising women who date men just that it’s sad when in WLW spaces that’s the most talked about thing ) OR how utterly crap and horrible and toxic dating women is.

It just feels like the spaces that celebrate these relationships are getting smaller and smaller and smaller and then the ones that DO only do it under the guise of not showing or acting upon sexual desires and just being cute hand holding. It’s not good for all wlw’s mental health. It’s not a conducive environment

And not I’m not saying we should just shut up and never talk about abuse or difficult things. Those things need to happen of course. But this isn’t that a lot of the time. Most of the time it’s just a way to dunk on women.

#personal

[shehangsthemoon]

To anyone out there that may be reading this… hi.

My name is Sam. I am 33 years old, married, and drifting through life like a plastic bag. Which might sound negative, but it’s not all bad. I create stained glass from my home, and I’ve been trying to build and run a brand new business with absolutely no prior experience or knowledge. I also also work a part time job at the zoo, and I do gig driving when needed.

Lately I’ve been avoiding glass to do literally ANYTHING else. Escaping into the worlds of Witcher III or TOTK, painting/watercolor, digital art (Procreate), photography, taking long baths, doom scrolling, ordering craft and “cosplay” supplies from Temu, creating blogs, etc.

I actually am glad the idea of a blog came to me today. I struggle with depression, general and social anxiety, PTSD, and lord knows what else. I’ve gone untreated for a majority of my life, and pretty recently started my journey to becoming better.

The reason I am bringing this up is because, this morning, while having a mild meltdown about finances, I realized I needed to make a change, for myself, and for my business.

Social media (Meta) has become a monster to me. It’s too polarized; I get interaction one day, the next, nothing. And it doesn’t lead to sales. I, like most people, don’t understand the algorithm, and I know it’s not designed to be understood. It’s also too competitive for my baby business, and if we’re being completely honest, I have been relying on those likes and follows WAY too much. When I don’t receive that instant gratification or feedback, I fall into negative or fearful behaviors/thinking, and none of that is conducive to my, or my business’ growth.

I’d like to use this platform to share my glass work and trials and tribulations of running a small business in a recession, but I would also like to utilize it as a kind-of-journal. I promise I will not be sharing extreme or in depth details from my life (unless asked), but my therapist told me to put my feelings down somewhere. He probably very explicitly meant somewhere private, but whatever. Oh god, is this the introvert’s answer to starting a podcast?

Anyway, some other things that you can probably expect to see or hear from me:

- Any creative projects I am working on, including my own photography and editing,

- fantasy,

- art, music, television, books I like,

- gaming,

- self realization and integration,

- self love and self care,

- burn out and compassion fatigue,

- tarot/astrology (I’m a beginner),

- pictures of my cats.

If you took the time to read this, THANK YOU. Please stay a while.

Sam

#stained glass #mental health #the witcher #fantasy #art #self love #music #cats of tumblr #self care #ptsd #self awareness #television #photography #gaming #witcher 3 #totk #botw #loz #legend of zelda #witchcraft #alchemy #journal #relatable #small business #neurospicy #manifestation #tarot #astrology #self realization

[hanslanda77]

Crafting a Transformative Healthy Daily Routine: Your Path to Wellness

In the hustle and bustle of modern life, it's easy to neglect our well-being while tending to various responsibilities. But adopting a healthy daily routine can have a profound impact on our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Whether you're a student, a working professional, or someone seeking a more balanced life, here's a comprehensive guide to help you create a transformative healthy daily routine.

1. Rise and Shine with Intent: Morning Rituals The way you start your day sets the tone for the rest of it. Begin by waking up at a consistent time to regulate your body's internal clock. Engage in activities that promote mindfulness and positivity, such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, or journaling. Avoid immediately reaching for your phone or electronic devices to prevent a rush of information before you're mentally prepared.

2. Nourish Your Body: Balanced Breakfast Breakfast is often touted as the most important meal of the day, and for good reason. Fuel your body with a nutritious breakfast that includes a mix of complex carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats. Opt for whole grains, fruits, yogurt, eggs, or smoothies to provide sustained energy throughout the morning.

3. Move and Groove: Physical Activity Incorporate exercise into your daily routine to boost your physical fitness and enhance your mood. Whether it's a brisk walk, a yoga session, or a full gym workout, find an activity you enjoy and make it a non-negotiable part of your day. Regular exercise improves cardiovascular health, increases metabolism, and releases endorphins, the "feel-good" hormones.

4. Structured Work (or Study) Time: Maintain Productivity For those with professional or academic commitments, structuring your work time is crucial. Break your day into focused work intervals, such as the Pomodoro technique (25 minutes of work followed by a 5-minute break). This approach enhances productivity while preventing burnout.

5. Mindful Consumption: Balanced Meals and Hydration Make conscious choices about what you eat and drink throughout the day. Consume a variety of nutrient-rich foods, including lean proteins, colorful vegetables, and healthy fats. Stay hydrated by drinking water regularly. Limit processed foods, sugary snacks, and excessive caffeine.

6. Mental Recharge: Short Breaks and Hobbies Intersperse your day with short breaks to relax your mind. Engage in hobbies you're passionate about, whether it's reading, playing a musical instrument, or practicing a craft. These moments of mental recharge enhance creativity and reduce stress.

7. Connect and Communicate: Social Interaction Human beings thrive on social connections. Dedicate time to interact with friends, family, or colleagues. Engaging in meaningful conversations or spending quality time with loved ones can uplift your spirits and provide emotional support.

8. Evening Wind-Down: Unplug and Relaxation As your day winds down, shift into relaxation mode. Limit screen time before bed to avoid the disruption of sleep-inducing hormones. Instead, read a book, take a warm bath, or practice gentle stretching. A calm evening routine sets the stage for a restful night's sleep.

9. Prioritize Sleep: Restorative Rest Sleep plays a pivotal role in overall health. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night. Create a sleep-conducive environment by keeping your bedroom dark, quiet, and at a comfortable temperature. Establish a consistent sleep schedule to regulate your body's internal clock.

10. Reflection and Gratitude: Nighttime Journaling End your day by reflecting on your accomplishments and expressing gratitude. Write down a few things you're thankful for and acknowledge the progress you've made, no matter how small. This positive practice sets the tone for the next day.

Incorporating these elements into your daily routine takes time and commitment, but the benefits are worth the effort. A healthy daily routine can improve your physical health, enhance your mental well-being, and contribute to a more balanced and fulfilling life. Remember, it's not about perfection, but rather about progress and consistency on your journey to wellness.

#Healthy Lifestyle #Daily Routine #Wellness #Self-Care #Mindfulness #Balanced Living #Fitness #Nutrition #Productivity #Exercise #Mental Health #Positive Habits

[eternal-echoes]

I wonder if a lot of Christian witches in this website started playing around with demonic magic because the Christianity they were taught was rote and mundane, so they try to look to foreign religions for a sense of mysticism. They probably weren’t taught about Eucharistic adoration and just went along with Christian traditions in a robotic routine so they didn’t think to go to Christianity to quench their thirst for spirituality by reverently worshipping in the Mass and admiring the beauty of the Biblical imagery in churches built in medieval period. They weren’t adequately taught about the mysticism of prayer so to answer that tug that says materialism is wrongheaded, they went to occultism, tarot card readings, and black arts.

Kinda like how there are communist Catholics and white nationalists Catholics. They were probably only taught that the only political stance that the Catholic Church stands for is anti-abortion and anti-gay marriage not the political writings of Pope Leo XIII and St. Thomas Aquinas on the role of the government so they think it’s okay to be a communist Catholic and white nationalist Catholic. They didn’t think that the Catholic Church having the fullness of Truth would also have teachings on the proper earthly ruling in a way that is conducive to man's salvation so instead they thought political ideology and religious truth as separate rather than having the teachings of the Catholic Church shape their entire worldview.

It’s sometimes unavoidable to be cafeteria Catholics when we’ve only been fed little bits of Catholicism in small packages rather than the whole buffet. Granted, spiritual growth doesn’t take a day and sometimes the Holy Spirit can only spoon feed to us the truth so we can eventually learn more the full picture of the Catholic Social teaching and priests can only fit so much in a homily every Sunday but we can at least start by saying that the Catholic Church has the fullness of truth, she transcends all political ideology that every man has ever thought of and whatever doubts you have about the Faith she has the answer in the treasury of her wisdom so that can at least lead to the search for truth. Not everyone is into politics but anyone who is inclined to law has a duty to be an advocate for Catholic philosophy in that regard. Likewise, Christian witches would be better taught about the mysticism in contemplative practices within some religious orders for the sake of their salvation since their natural inclination for deeper spirituality has been disorderly led to pagan religions.

But even then, we can’t always look for that feeling of mysticism to feel God. Because in His silence is when He is the most active in our lives. Despite feeling of hopelessness we always have to remind ourselves that God is there because He is omniscient.

#Catholic #Christianity #Christian witches #paganism #text #witchcraft

[sleepynegress]

Arsema Thomas and A Good Reviewer Social Media Friend Mentioned This...

...and my counter was that white people in relationships with Black people aren't "any better" or more likely to speak up than those who aren't. Especially given how many white racists use the "I have a Black loved one" defense to "prove" they aren't racist and the laden history of America. That said...

She's right. I'm giving the benefit of the doubt right now, for work and possibly planning the most conducive move... However... I remember when character actor James Frain, who is also partnered with a Black woman spoke up, w/o prompting on the subject of racism.

So, I'm watching Mr. Holland closely.

#it would be nice to see baseline allyship #but my expectations are in the gutter given where we are rn #tom holland #? #francesca amewudah rivers #arsema thomas #romeo and juliet #keeping up with this mess #zendaya #racism #misogynoir #the hate she is getting is vicious #this is just who one should be regardless #but when you are partnered w/ a black person it should be an even bigger priority #ewan mcgregor spoke up for moses ingram

[sapphire-weapon]

I've been thinking about this for the past few days, and one of the things that really bothers me about the whole "age gap" discourse re: EagleOne is that, by buying into it, you automatically erase a huge part of Leon's character.

Leon might have been on the planet for 27 years, but he still has the maturity of a 21 year old.

After Raccoon City, Leon basically falls out of time and space. He's all but completely removed from society and has his growth as an adult completely stunted by the CIA.

It isn't as though he's spent the last six years gaining practical wisdom and real-world life experience that puts him at some sort of advantage over Ashley and makes any relationship between them cunningly manipulative on Leon's part.

Leon wasn't out dating and socializing and learning the ways of the world and growing alongside heartbreaks and disappointments and setbacks and victories and achievements. Leon has spent the last six years locked in a room with Jack fucking Krauser and getting the shit beat out of him -- that is, when he wasn't being sent off to active war zones.

Like -- do people even realize the actual depths of what Leon's training entailed? Krauser wasn't just a sparring partner teaching him about edged blade combat. Leon was actually literally tortured in the most literal dictionary definition of the word. He had to be, in case he was ever caught and tortured by the enemy -- he had to be trained on how to take it and not crack.

Leon not actually being in STRATCOM is actually really important to his character. He wasn't sitting in a war room digging through intel and pursuing active leads in an investigation against Umbrella. Prior to the formation of the DSO, he was a military combat unit -- the most elite one that the US government has ever produced. He is a weapon in every sense of the word. He's probably had to go through boot camp with both Navy SEALs and Army Green Berets and then some.

Basically, Leon was an experiment conducted by the US government to see if it was possible to create a soldier capable of wiping out entire military units on his own (which is, incidentally, probably the how and why behind his involvement in Remake's version of Operation Javier. He was chosen to be sent in after Krauser's unit was wiped out for a reason.). He probably wasn't the only one to have been put through this gauntlet during this experiment, but he was the only one who made it through to the other side. He's an anomaly; he's the exception that proves the rule.

None of that is conducive to fostering his growth as an adult or as a human being -- and that was exactly the point. The idea was probably to try to strip him of as much of his humanity as possible in order to create a weapon who would mindlessly follow orders and never question the hows or whys. This is also probably why his "softness" was a huge point of contention for Krauser, who knew exactly what the intentions for Leon actually were. After all, he knew Leon's potential better than anyone.

That's why Leon is so stoic and serious and almost joyless at the start of RE4make. He hasn't lived as a human being living among other human beings in six years; he's been forged into a weapon instead. The last time that he felt like and acted like and lived like a person was when he was 21. He hasn't grown past that point.

That's why his reaction to and treatment of Ada is so goddamn immature.

And it's also why it's such a big deal when Ashley gets that first smile out of him. When Ashley brings out the sides of Leon that we haven't seen since early-to-mid RE2make, she's returning pieces of his humanity to him.

The government had Leon convinced that he wasn't the same person anymore -- that the kind-hearted guy who went into law enforcement out of a genuine desire to help and protect people was dead -- because he's been in an echo chamber and having that idea reinforced to him over and over and over again. Ada saw right through it and knew that the old Leon was still alive in there. And Ashley brought him to the surface and gave him a second chance at life.

On paper, Leon and Ashley have a seven year age gap. In practice and reality, there's only one year separating them. Ashley is 20, and Leon is still only 21.

Anyone who crows about an age gap between Leon and Ashley is outing themselves as someone who doesn't understand Leon's character at all and can be safely and thoroughly ignored.

#resident evil 4 #leon kennedy #eagleone #meta analysis

[dragoneyes618]

"[W]hat I found most heartbreaking was witnessing how these Jewish name-changers participated in the very humiliation that they were seeking to escape. They did so not merely by changing their names, but by censoring their own self-expression during the very act of changing those names - because in their court filings, as Fermaglich reports, virtually no petitioners identified antisemitism as their motivation.

Instead, the Jewish petitioners almost uniformly referred to how their names were "foreign-sounding" or "difficult to spell and pronounce" - even, Fermaglich notes, "when the name was spelled phonetically." "The name Greenberg is a foreign-sounding name and is not conducive to securing good employment," one very typical petition reads. Rose Lefkowitz declared her last name "difficult to pronounce." (Is there more than one way to pronounce "Lefkowitz"?) Louis Goldstein declared his name "un-American, uneuphonius, and an economic handicap" - a petition that was rejected by the judge, whose name was also Louis Goldstein.  (Those who beat the odds in an unfair system, of course, are the ones most invested in claiming the system is fair; if they didn't need a workaround, there must not be anything to work around.) Max Hymowitz described hos his son Emmanuel found their shared surname "cumbersome" and "an annoyance"; his father felt that changing their name would "substantiate and promote his son's comfort and interests, socially, educationally, economically, and patriotically." One couple, pleading on behalf of their family, testified that "The name of Tomshinsky is difficult to remember and properly spell, and because of this, petitioners and their children have been subject to embarrassment and your petitioners believe that it would be to the best interests of their children as they mature, to have the family name changed to the proposed name of Thomas." In fact, the only petitioners Fermaglich cites whose filings actually mention antisemitism are non-Jews seeking to change their Jewish-sounding names, so as not to be mistaken for Jews." 

- Dara Horn, People Love Dead Jews: Reports from a Haunted Present

#dara horn #people love dead jews #antisemitism #jumblr

[prue84]

National Treasure instagram: Knitting

Fandom: BBC’s Merlin (post-canon, modern magic) AU AU: National Treasure Series: National Treasure instagram

Even the Once and Future Kings can be talked into knitting.

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With winter looming on England, the Pendragonling needs warm clothes to survive the cold, or so dragonlord Merlin decrees. Through his social, then, he searches for some knitter to travel to New Camelot and knit little Aithusa some wool coats. The challenge is picked up and the willing hero also manages to convince Arthur to give knitting a try. Aithusa is definitely excited to see her dragon papa personally work to make her something.

More about the AU under the cut. (More fanworks from this AU at the links above)

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About the AU It's the 21th century and the existence of magic has been widely known since Guinevere, the last queen of Camelot, lifted the ban and had made Merlin her own advisor. With the centuries the myth of the Once and Future King has grown unchecked: Arthur Pendragon belongs to the category of the great people of history who the most have influenced the world, with the only difference that he will one day return. Magic, for a number of circumstances never verified (possibly a mix of abuse and industrialization), seems like having been drained, leaving only the passive one: charms applied to old houses or objects still works, but new charms cannot be cast and are ineffective. Immortality is a rare gift unavailable to most, but few people belonging to the world Before The Drain still live, the oldest of them born in the Late Renaissance age. Merlin, former wizard and oldest man of the world as the only one alive since the Middle Ages, is considered the world's grumpy uncle, that one parent who is a font of knowledge and tells funny stories about an otherwise serious topic like History but isn't willing to sit down and socialize with the youngsters (which means basically anyone, to him). Told to be always traveling, he imparts his knowledge almost exclusively through his blog, "Merlin's Cave". Unknown to all, though, Merlin has also a second identity under which he lives an almost ordinary life: Gaius de Bois, young professor of Medieval History at the University of Avalon, down-to-heart person, a professor much loved by his students, and, especially "nephew" of the Great Merlin. Arthur Pendragon emerges from the secluded Lake of Avalon and his return is made official by Merlin with a post on his Instagram, a photo about the two halves of a broken coin (with Merlin's and Arthur's profile) reunited. Arthur leads a quiet life, residing in Merlin's cottage on the shores of the lake, with his grumpy (not-so) former servant to protect him from meddlers and fanatics. To preserve and allocate the necessary resources to restore a conducive environment for him and his needs of Middle Ages man, he is given the title of National Treasure that grants him a monthly revenue, total coverage of expenditures and funds to restore the castle of Camelot – castle that Merlin has preserved by magically miniaturizing it and placing it in a snow-less globe. Merlin, through his social media and website, shares with the world the chronicles of how his king is adjusting to the modern times. Arthur is initially followed by paps and generally by the curiosity of the people: it's just Merlin's angry presence (and an endless stream of ordinances) that shelters Arthur from the frenzy although soon it becomes an ordinary sight to see the king going around wearing his armor and sunglasses. When Camelot is restored, it gets the status of Principality within the United Kingdom, a kind of enclave named New Camelot on which Arthur is granted absolute power: initially a city-state enclosed within the strong walls of the citadel, it grows when further lands and pastures are assigned to the principality to assure Camelot's self-sufficiency. Life in New Camelot, per Arthur's choice, doesn't reflect the innovations happened after the king's death, and the citadel will become a haven for people who wish to live a simpler life or simply unplug a bit from the modern times. With time Arthur will fully embrace the perks of modernity, thanks to Merlin (and his money) who spoils him, and he'll even get a driving license (against Merlin's will). But that's another story for another time.

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Notes This manip was prompted by the picture released by Synnov Karlsen on her Instagram Story when they were in Italy to shoot I Medici back in 2018. A couple of days later, the manip was done. There was some text on the fake Instagram post that wasn't completed but the reason I was stuck was because I couldn't decide which version I liked the best between two backgrounds and few different effects/filters applied.

Released as per my goal to clear out my "held back" shit. I wanted to hold this back further but figured I should post it while it's still winter, given the winter subject.

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Tec stuffs (aka Behind The Manip) I recall not being completely satisfied with Aithusa but 1) there's literally two Aithusa pics, so a Merlin manipper must do with what little they've been given and 2) I still haven't learned to apply shadows.

Credits Bradley James in italy from Synnov Karlsen's Instagram Story, 30 October 2018. Il Vittoriale degli Italiani, Stanza del Mappamondo. Picture available at different sites.

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Crossposted Livejournal: prue84.livejournal.com/95609.html Dreamwidth: prue84.dreamwidth.org/87048.html Deviantart: deviantart.com/prue84/art/Knitting-instagram-949286264 (instagram post), deviantart.com/prue84/art/Knitting-photo-949286302 (photo)

#Merlin BBC #Merlin #Arthur Pendragon #Aithusa #Merthur #AUs (Merlin) #AU: National Treasure #Series: National Treasure instagram #Manips #Graphics #|| #bbc merlin #emrys #merlin-art #merlin fanart