Kelly reilly pride and prejudice images

/r/Carey Mulligan

2012.02.29 20:10 spongeBond /r/Carey Mulligan

Carey Mulligan subreddit! Updates include pictures and miscellaneous information. But mainly pictures, let's keep it real, we are here for the eye-candy and that amazing smile.
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2023.06.06 16:09 _Anonymous_one Your favourite Past Corrie Character or Pet (2000s and 2010s)- Top 10 Semi finalists!

Welcome to the final leaderboard of the game!
1st- Blanche Hunt- at least 68 points in Semi final 2 (1st in heat)- UP 8
2nd- Hayley Cropper- 60 points in Semi final 1 (1st in heat)- UP 10
3rd- Becky GrangeMcDonald- at least 49 points in Semi final 2 (2nd in heat)- UP 3
4th- Lloyd Mullaney- at least 47 points in Semi final 2 (3rd in heat)- UP 12
5th- Eva Price- at least 44 points in Semi final 2 (4th in heat)- DOWN 2
6th- Deirdre Barlow- 43 points in Semi final 1 (2nd in heat)- DOWN 6
7th- Jack Duckworth- 42 points in Semi final 1 (3rd in heat)- NEW ENTRY
8th- Mike Baldwin- 39 points in Semi final 1 (4th in heat)- DOWN 7
9th- Jason Grimshaw- at least 34 points in Semi final 2 (5th in heat)- UP 2
10th- Cerberus the Greyhound- 31 points in Semi final 1 (5th in heat)- RE ENTRY
Sadly Tina and Kelly both failed to make the top 10, each finishing 6th in their Semis, but can either crack the final top 10 when it comes to the crunch?
Congratulations to Blanche, who after her massive fall in Round 3, has regained the biggest score in the Semi finals so sits on top of the new leaderboard for the second time, replacing daughter Deirdre just one round later! Can she go all the way again in the Final?
How are the current top 10 looking after the Semi finals?
First of all, 8 of these names have all stayed on the leaderboard since Round 3, as they all go into the Final. They are: Blanche, Hayley, Becky, Lloyd, Eva, Deirdre, Mike, and Jason!
All of these names above except Mike, have been on every leaderboard there’s been
We’ve got a re entry as well, with Cerberus returning in 10th after a break in Round 3!
And at this late stage in the game, we even have a new entry, as Jack Duckworth has entered the leaderboard for the first time at number 7. Jack has really upped his game since the Semis, and as we head to the Final, can he continue to climb by the end of the game?
Exits from leaderboard since Round 3
Gone from the leaderboard since Round 3 are Liz McDonald, Rosie Webster, Karen Phillips/McDonald, Fred Elliott, Schmeichel the Great Dane, Martin Platt, and Kylie TurnePlatt, who were all eliminated in the Semis! Liz’s perfect game cruelly ended in the Semis, as she never really got started at all, while Tina spends her second leaderboard out of it, despite making the final
Now let’s see for the final time whose performance or score has improved or worsened the most in the Semis!
Biggest climber- Lloyd Mullaney- up 12
Biggest faller- Mike Baldwin- down 7
The biggest rise of the Semi finals comes from Lloyd, who has scored his biggest jump of the game and with the Final up right now, it couldn’t have come at a better time for him! Even though he finished 3rd in his Semi, his worst ranking yet, Lloyd was stronger in the Semis than most of the other contenders who have made the Final
Blanche and Hayley are back in business, after both falling down the leaderboard in Round 3, they have redeemed themselves in the Semi finals, again just in time for the most important vote of the game! Blanche is back on top for the second time, while Hayley sits just below her, a mirror image of Round 2!
Also on the rise at the end of the Semi finals are Becky and Jason, who move up the leaderboard 3 and 2 places respectively. Becky returns to her peak position of 3, which she first got in Round 2, making the current top 3 exactly the same as Round 2! As for Jason, he is the only candidate in the whole game who has never dropped down the ranks since the game started, continuing to rise since Round 1, he’s spending his second Round in the top 10, and peaking now at number 9
On the fallers front, previous leaderboard runner up Mike gets the biggest drop, he’s down 7 since the Semi finals after re entering the leaderboard in Round 3. He has had worse rankings than this though!
Mike’s ex Deirdre might have won the last leaderboard with flying colours, but she’s in big trouble this time round, falling 6 places from her peak position of 1, just one round later, and for the first time ever she has also lost a heat, putting a abrupt end to her perfect game. Her performance in the Semis was her weakest one yet, despite making the Final. Deirdre was all over the place for most of her Semi, only just finishing runner up to Hayley in the end
The Semi finals were brutal on Eva too, they marked the end of Eva’s own perfect game, she finished 4th in her second Semi, but like Deirdre, she gave her worst performance to date, and that’s not the only bad thing for Leanne’s little sister, as for the first time ever, due to a much weaker performance than usual, Eva has dropped down the leaderboard. She’s down 2 after peaking at number 4 just last Round
This is not good for either Deirdre or Eva. Both ladies have been among the strongest in the game, can either of them recover in the Final?
Perfect Gamers
Blanche Hunt
The pressure is on big style for Blanche, the only character in the game to win every heat she’s had so far. Will she get the icing on the cake by continuing this reign in the Final? Or will she crack under pressure of the other Finalists?
Find out the final results next week, when the full results of the game will start from round 1 right up to the Final, along with extras!
Hope you enjoyed reading the final leaderboard and seeing how much things have changed in the Semi finals. If there’s anything at all you want to say, feel free to comment! We love hearing from you!
That’s us out now til next week, but you can vote on the Final til Friday!
submitted by _Anonymous_one to coronationstreet [link] [comments]


2023.06.06 14:42 Johnny_Boy398 Africa Rework Proposal: Bêafrîka, Katanga, and the Mercenary Kingdoms of Africa

Africa Rework Proposal: Bêafrîka, Katanga, and the Mercenary Kingdoms of Africa
(This is part of a continuing series, links to which will be provided in the comments below)
Bêafrîka State: Bob Denard, Jean-Bédel Bokassa and the mercenary state.
The term “warlord” has been abused by many as a catch all term for any armed african group. It brings to mind images of a barbaric, violent oaf seeking to enrich themselves with trinkets and money off the back of their military extortion: an example of the primitive and bloodthirsty nature of the african. This is certainly the purpose of the term for the Germans, who seek to paint all native armed resistance in this light in order to justify their own return to the continent. But despite this abuse of the term, and its unjust application, it is not made up out of whole cloth: bandits, criminal gangs and short sighted thugs do exist among the africans as they do in all people, and the chaos of the German collapse has given these characters the opportunity of a lifetime. In the former RK Zentralafrika this is seen most clearly in the “mercenary state” of Bêafrîka.
Borders of a successful Bêafrîka. Many post-colonial African nations are accused of being artificial: random lines drawn on a map for the convenience of foreigners, and thus doomed to be either failures or exploitive facades. The truth of this statement is debatable: what makes a nation “organic”, is it truly critical that one be so? Are the struggles of new African nations so easily encapsulated? The argument goes on but all will agree on this: Bêafrîka is an utterly artificial and extractive state which can only begrudgingly be called a nation at all.
The north-west of Zentralafrika has always been something of a hodgepodge. The initial conquest of the area from the Free French meant the roll back of any “nation building” expenditures in favor of reverting back to the old company rule. Corvee slavery, plantations and almost non-existent infrastructure was the rule even under the French, and as such the transition to German ownership was almost seamless. If the average native african noticed a difference at all it was in the flags and helmets of the whites who terrorized them: their managers and guards stayed essentially the same. As such the region was seen by independence agitators as ripe for their own movements to grow in. Though such resistance was kept on a tight leash by the Germans it finally burst forth in the northern incursion of 1954. Supported by Nigeria and with the German forces drawn thin by the ongoing Wester Russian War, socialist militants made a lightning strike southward in the hopes of toppling Zentralafrika. For a moment it seemed as if they would do it: the road to Leopoldville was only lightly guarded and the rebel numbers were, in theory, vast. But it was not to be: poor command structures and infighting slowed the rebel advance for long enough that Kommissar Krogmann and Seigfreid Muller were able to reorganize and counterattack with the aid of a new breed of soldier: the Mercenary.
Though having been present in the role of corporate security for years this war was the instance when the Congo Mercenaries truly became a force to be reckoned with. Restrictions on who could hold a gun were dropped and the ranks of mercs swollen with Europeans, Asians and Africans. Though typically small groups and far more independent than Krogmann would have liked, they were all well acquainted with their trade and often brought along their own equipment. They could move fast, hit hard, and there was no reason to suspect their siding with the revolutionaries. With the aid of mercenaries and the cash of selling off vast tracts of land to private holders the revolutionaries were pushed back, and the long guerilla war began. Some areas of Zentralafrika were essentially passive, or had other security solutions. But in the north it was the mercenaries and the garrison which enforced the German order. Names of these men would soon become minor celebrities to the military minded, and their benefactor Seigfreid Muller got a promotion. But for our story only three names matter: the French “mercenary king” Bob Denard, “black Napoleon” Jean-Bédel Bokassa, and “the tiger” Alexandre Banza.
Though it is the armed men who hold real power in their hands, the counter-revolutionary forces are not all German and French soldiers of fortune. The APL’s anti-clerical excesses and radical nativism also alienated the thin class of native collaborators and most of all the catholic church. Barthelemy Boganda was one such native conservative, being a native priest who has tried to act through the church to both reform and aid his flock. After the death of his mentor Marcel Grandin Boganda has become a leading figure of pro-native reform without resorting to violence or leftist radicalism.
With the alliance of French and German landowners paying for their protection the mercenaries, though still technically led by Europeans, became the foremost armed presence in the north. Battling against resistance internal and external by 1962 they have become a hated and envied force, and one which Krogmann is eager to bring into line. But the South Africa War will get in the way of any reforms, with mercenaries once again being called on to shoulder the burden of warfare and internal suppression. By the end of the conflict, no matter how it ends, the mercenaries will have become an even more entrenched force in Zentralafrika. Of course when Huttig takes over this will no longer be tolerated. Having already been humiliated by Muller before, Huttig will take great pleasure in dismissing and rounding up the mercenaries, forcing them to join his forces as regular conscripts without any special privileges. Or rather he would, if he had been fast enough to catch them. When news came of Krogmann’s death and Huttig’s assumption of control the mercenaries did not wait for the order to come: they fled if they were able, and if not they seamlessly transitioned from paid agents of the state to new warlords out for their own survival and enrichment. And more than anyone they congregated around the new king of the mercenaries: Bob Denard.
For the year Huttig’s reign lasts the gangs of former mercenaries will be yet another thorn in his side: raiding, bribing and leading his forces on goose chases. And thanks to Huttig’s destruction of any boats or airplanes he could not gain control over these same former mercenaries had nothing else they could do, unless they cared to gamble trekking all the way to Free France. But Huttig’s flailing attempts to bring them to heel was only one of many threats: in this same area socialist militants and petty warlords also sprung up, and sought to destroy the hated mercenaries themselves. When Huttig dies and the German forces retreat to Leopoldville all pretense will be dropped: the Pan-africans, Fang Gabonese and Cameroonian revolutionaries will all attempt to proclaim new states and to expel the gangsters of German capitalism for good. But with their attention divided and the mercenaries still possessing skill, fire power, and all the money the old landowners could scrap together the attempt will only be half successful. Right between the three of them the new Bêafrîka State will be proclaimed.
Born in 1929 Bob Denard first got the taste for battle during the French State’s failed expeditions against De Gaulle in the late 40s. Deciding that there was better pay and better leadership to be had in Zentralafrika he was one of the first mercenaries brought in through the “King of the Mercs” Siegfried Müller. Though he has little patience for the Reich’s racial code he is a brave commander and an ardent anti-communist. After Müller’s disappearance upon Hüttig’s ascension the stranded mercenaries looked to those bold and skilled enough to lead them, and found it in Denard.
Under the nominal presidency of Boganda, who was practically kidnaped to take the role, the new state is in perhaps the most precarious position of all post-independence states.Their domestic support rests on a incredibly thin strata of white landlords, a handful of native conservatives and a mercenary army which is already looking for a way out the back door. And opposing them is a very dedicated coalition of native nationalists and revolutionaries. It would be the most natural thing in the world for this ramshackle “state” to disintegrate. But there is one thing which can unite them, and can make them all take the risk of fighting it out: Money. Specifically diamonds, gold, and other precious metals which can be sold high on the global market. The mercenaries, native or foreign, have struck for fame in Bêafrîka with the process of becoming more than the lap dogs of the wealthy, but instead to be the wealthy themselves. Baganda hates this of course, but no one asked: the guns call the shots here. And besides, the APL has already branded him a traitor to the people: in the mercenaries' eyes he should be thankful that he still has his head. And so it is decided, the mercenaries would make their own little heaven, and all they had to do to keep it was win the war for it.
Against them stands the APL, their long-time adversary. When the war begins these Pan-africanists, supported by Cameroon and Nigeria, will take the fight to Bêafrîka. This would probably be a death sentence if it were not for the fact the APL is fighting a two front war with the Nationalists to their east. If the mercenary state should still fail it will be dismantled, with the surrounding states taking over its former territory. But if it should win this first war the gamble will have, for now, paid off. Bob, Bokassa and the rest will be able to begin bringing in the money as they use outright criminal methods to both extract and then sell the bounty of the land. The people, of course, hate this as does the nominal “president”. And within the mercenary ranks new fissures will soon begin to show. When faced with a united enemy these men were willing to work together, but now that the threat of death no longer hands quite so close the question of dividing the spoils has quickly turned into a feeding frenzy: it seems to be every mercenary clique for itself trying to carve out its own privileged fiefdom. And it is here that the reformists, such as they are, spy an opportunity.
Alexandre Banza, born 1932 to the Gbaya people, is one of the very few high ranking officers who have a ethnic connection to the land they now rule. His story is much the same as the rest of the black mercenaries: born to a poor family he saw mercenary service as a path to excitement, respect and advancement he would never get on his own. Intelligent, ambitious, and unscrupulous he would rise to become a commander of his own group before the Huttig takeover, and should he take power will rename his state the Bêafrîka Republic, embarking on a cynical campaign of “reform”.
The continued presence of white mercenaries is especially resented by the people, and none more so than commander of the presidential guard and de facto leader of the Bêafrîka State Bob Denard. As such soon after the emergency of war has passed Denard will be dismissed from his position and the two most prominent native warlords Alexandre Banza and Jean-Bédel Bokassa will be invited in to take command. Denard of course has no interest in leaving, and will arrest the president in his own residence, but not before word of the new decree leaked to the streets and the other mercenaries. So it is that the fate of Bêafrîka will be decided the only way a state built on mercenaries could be: with a shootout for control of the president. On one side is Denard: he has already made overtures to Free France and the OFN, as well as criminal contacts in Europe. By leveraging these contacts, and with the aid of the remaining white mercenaries who see his removal as the precursor to their own, he may be able to fight his way out and rise to power over the bodies of his rival warlords.
If Bob Denard and his presidential guard emerges victorious president Boganda’s days will be numbered. Unceremoniously removing and replacing him with a more compliant puppet who I will not even bother you with the name of, any promised elections will be delayed, and then delayed indefinitely. In the end even the facade of democracy will be left behind as the government instead relies on various emergency decrees and under the table deals, as well as outright coercion to cement its power. This is the true mercenary state, in which the armed and powerful take what they want from the weak and destitute: the state will see its revenues come from precious minerals and eventually oil, but just as much from the underground world of smuggling, arms trading, mercenary contracts on behalf of any who will pay, and even (if rumors are to be believed) human trafficking. Denard himself is not so unsophisticated as many of his henchmen: he portrays himself and his state as anti-communist crusaders who are willing to go to the ends of the earth to protect the people from the bolshevik menace. But it makes no difference to the people and to his neighborhood: unless those friendly to him such as the Free French and the Belgian regionalists are victorious both Denard and his state will find themselves facing external invasion sooner or later. When that happens, surrounded by disciplined enemies and facing ever increasing internal revolts, Denard will do what mercenaries do best: he will gather what valuables and guns he can before fleeing. But if this should not happen: if the Congo should remain shattered, and Nigerian ambitions fail, who knows how long the dream may last?
Living as they do in a half criminal status all mercenaries are well acquainted with the underworld. Under Bob however the state itself will come to resemble a crime syndicate, with Bob acting as the Mafia boss. More than any other single resource diamonds are the breadwinner for the “White King of Bêafrîka”, but taking a page out of Manchuria’s playbook drug production and trafficking are increasingly filling the ledger as well. The diplomatic denouncements are nothing: there are always back doors which money can open.
But all this is only if Bob and his people should win the battle for President Boganda. For the first time having the full backing of the streets and with a larger manpower pool to draw from it is likely that the native warlords Alexandre Banza and Jean-Bédel Bokassa will become the victors, chasing out the (competition) colonizers in favor of their own rule. They shall of course be rewarded by the eternally thankful president for their good deeds: Bokassa will take over as the new head of the presidential guard, while Banza will become minister of finance and foreign minister. But just as inevitably there is no throne on earth big enough for two people and so the former allies will soon look for a way to oust the other. The hope of the civilians lay in the victory of the Alexandre Banza clique. If he should succeed in arresting and disappearing his rivals Banza will seek to somewhat moderate the state. Rather than rely on naked coercion he will enforce the most basic of social contracts: in return for the country's obedience he will provide protection. Though the basic facts of the Bêafrîka State shall remain: a thriving underground, an economy based on raw export, and a army of criminals, the worst aspects of this rule will be softened and the “civilianization” of government give cosmetic reform to the regime, and finally permit the nominal president a level of dignity, even being allowed to push some of his catholic inspired social reforms. Though not much more than swapping a military uniform for a business suit this will go some way to providing a sense of normalcy, and allow the state to take a non-aligned stance rather than become the plaything of some foreign power.
On the other hand is the favorite of the soldiers Jean-Bédel Bokassa. You know him as the “mad” emperor of the C.A.R. otl, but there was always a method to his madness: one cannot remain in power for over a decade by being stupid. Where Banza seeks to normalize his regime and to be seen as a developmental junta rather than a warlord, Bokassa will lean into his reputation as a warlord, adding esoteric elements to bolster his rule over strangers. Under Bokassa the new system will be entirely personal: he will take the already weak state apparatus and effectively dismantle it, instead relying on personalized dependents to govern the capital city, and leaving the remainder of the country to its own devices so long as it bent the knee when ordered. No longer able to convincingly portray himself as a benign figure to a people who are mostly foreigners to him, he will instead tap into local superstitions to appear as the master of the occult, ruling as a man to be feared even beyond the grave and allegedly indulging in cannibalism. Perhaps even more importantly however he will make a hard switch from western backing to eastern, seeking the protection and the money of Japan. In this at least he will be fairly competent: negotiating the relationship with Japan through a mixture of bribery, utility, and threatened confiscations to wring out as much foreign aid and diplomatic backing as he can. Beyond this his rule will be one of chaos and decline with the people seeing their standard of living decrease yet further to a near subsistence level. But it will be a chaos which Bokassa alone is the ruler of.
Jean-Bédel Bokassa has been fighting longer than most: volunteering for the Free French during WW2, he was captured and ultimately released during the German conquest of Gabon. From there he drifted as a menial laborer until the northern insurrection forced the Reichskommissar to bend, and Bokassa was called up by an old french commander. From there he rose to be the de-facto head of his own suit by 1962, and now the undisputed leader of his own fiefdom. The extreme personalism and close relation with Japan will eventually result in his coronation as the sovereign of the Central African Empire.
Whether it be cynical pragmatism or esoteric terror the Bêafrîka State will remain a pariah among their fellow african nations. Cameroon and Gabon will consistently attempt to undermine and take over their territory for themselves, while even the Germans will see any government as traitors and rebels. Though its military may find a backer and its people may become cowed, the incredibly fragile state will come to an end sooner than later, unless they get very lucky. Any Nigerian victory will be a disaster, but a successful unifyer to the south and east would be a great threat as well. They were already founded in the war against one of those potential unifiers and all contenders for power recognize that a united Congo is a dangerous Congo. So, either through direct aid in the case of Denard or cheering from the sidelines Bêafrîka must hope for the victory of the regionalists and Jean Schramme.
Katanga, the Regional Alliance, and “The Belgian”.
For the Pan-Africans, the Republicans, the Nationalists and even the Germans survival is not enough: they wish to reunite the old Belgian colony under their vision of the future, and perhaps even seek expansion beyond that. But not all “congolese” feel this way: in particular the province of Katanga sees no reason why it should not be free to plot its own course. Wealthy in its own right with economic ties to the south the elite of the mining provence see no reason why they should be chained to a central government, and are at least partially supported in this by the people. Just what future this “independence” takes is is still up for grabs, but in the chaotic aftermath of Huttings death Moïse Tshombe, Albert Kalonji and Jean Schramme will form a triumvirate to lead the Regional Alliance.
Élisabethville slum. Katanga is the richest province in the Congo, as well as the one with the highest concentration of Belgians, and as such has seen the beginning of a modern city develop in its capital. It has also been the prime region for victims of the Congo Dam to migrate into, on account of its relative stability and high labor demand. This has all combined to put a great deal of pressure on those populating the land south of the lake and the development of modern slums alongside the growing city.
Katanga is, in 1962, the last remnant of Belgian colonial rule left after the German takeover. Not formally of course, that had been swept away along with Belgum itself in the 50s. But just beneath the German surface the old colonial trinity of church, company and stick still held true, and mostly under Belgian control. In the aftermath of WW2 and the establishment of Burgundy many Belgians had chosen to migrate into their old colonial territory, either for political or economic reasons. Their numbers would soon fill out the officer ranks of the Force Publique, the managerial posts of various new mines and plantations, and the pews of the catholic church. But it would not be the end of their difficulties: the old trinity clashed with Krogmann’s designs for the colony and after formally absorbing it in 1955 the contest began. Where the catholic church once held near total control over healthcare and education, not to mention religious life, Krogmann favored secularism for the european and promoted dechristianization for the native. His hopes for dissolving the FP and for removing french and dutch from the lexicon would be similarly resisted. By 1962 this contest of wills has continued to grind on, with the steady advance of germanization being constantly interrupted by economic and political expediency. The Belgian Katangaians find themselves stuck uncomfortably between German pressure from above and Native pressure from below.
This native pressure is on one hand from the educated evoles, always looking to improve the lot of themselves and sometime of their kin. But it also increasingly comes from the restless masses who have come under pressure from the fallout of the Congo Dam. As the Belgian congo moderately prospered the cities began to grow as well, with the colonial authorities making tentative attempts to accommodate the influx. But after the Congo dam and the German takeover both of these trends changed. Millions of refugees fled the great flood into the wealthiest regions they could go: Leopoldville and Katanga. The population of the cities exploded, and the subsistence agriculture still practiced by most Congolese came under incredible pressure as migrants and squatters proliferated. The Belgian authorities meanwhile were left without the resources needed to truly accommodate this change, and were left with only the Force Publique to try and keep the “indigenes” separate from the new “foreigners”. It was in this context that regionalist associations with the goal of protecting specific people, such as the Lula or Lunda, came to dominate the native political scene, such as it was. Both of these movements discovered that they had similar enemies: both resented German power and feared the “national” native resistance. But this did not yet mean they became allies.
Moïse Tshombe, the nominal head of Katanga. Born to a noble lineage and always wealthy, his desire to be liked and his lack of spin have made him into an ideal puppet for other interests. His current sponsor is the remnants of the old Belgian Union Minière, which comprise much of Katanga’s economy. Though not hated by any “his” government is in reality more beholden to his lieutenants such as Godefroid Munongo.
Katanga had lived in an atmosphere of tension even before the rise of Huttig and the advent of the “Afrikareich” did nothing to alleviate this tension. As part of Huttig’s program to fully disarm the natives and bring all armed forces under SS command he attempted to disarm the Force Publique and Belgian mercenaries, rolling them into its own armed forces. Prominent civilian Belgians were arrested and replaced with SS men, leaving both the Belgians and the natives angered. Under this new pressure some decided to give it up: the new regime could not be bargained with as the prior one was, and any resistance clearly meant death. But enterprising elements were not willing to take death laying down: most prominently this included Godefroid Munongo and Jean Schramme. Using their own wealthy connections and estates as payment they would form small resistance groups, and would be the first formal alliance between the Belgians and the regionalists. To cut a long story short when Huttig dies and the Germans retreat to Leopoldville, those SS governors who do not flee will find their lifespans much shorter than expected, and those brave or desperate enough to resist Huttig will return to power. In the face of nationalist calls to reunite the congo however, the regionalists will move first. With the lavish bribery of local mining conglomerates and the justification of “popular will”, the Belgian community led by Schramme and localist leaders will form the first concret result of their ad-hoc alliance: The State of Katanga.
In its first years Katanga is a divided and unsettled place, forced into unity by the common fear of external subjugation but beholden to competing political camps. The state itself is at least nominally led by Moïse Tshombe, descendant of the kings of the Lunda people and scion to one of the last wealthy native families. He is the figurehead of a poorly organized class of native elites and collaborators, most often independently wealthy and committed just as much to their own economic privileges as they are to the cause of regionalism itself. But despite this Tshombe heads the closest thing to a “popular movement” in the new state: the "Confédération des associations tribales du Katanga" (CONAKAT). Formed in the interest of protecting the livelihoods of the Lunda against the encroaching migrants it is through this party that the people are mobilized for war. Relying on traditional authority and elite connections in the name of a tribalism has been effective in at least countering the partisans of the republicans and nationalists which contest the provence. Just as in the other contenders the war is as much a mater of internal division as it is defeating external challenges. But in order to meet those external enemies the party has been obliged to do so with the aid of their “ally”, the Belgians.
Jean Schramme, despite his official profession, is less of a mercenary and more of a Belgian “contractor” who has a reputation for getting things done and resisting German encroachment. Coming to Africa soon after the end of WW2 he is part of a new breed of Belgians who consider Zentralafrika, or more accurately Katanga, as their true home and embrace the ideal of a paternal ruler of their “primitive” neighbors. Being a successful entrepreneur as well as part time leader of the “Leopard Battalion” Jean has become a prominent part of the Belgian expat community. But though he no longer wishes to return to Europe do not think he has forgotten what the Nazi’s did: the old motherland is dead by German hands, and he has not forgiven them.
Just as on the native side the Belgians are divided internally: German policy was frustrating and insulting, but it was also relatively stable and offered a protection against the natives surrounding them. To forgo this protection and risk battle with the world's superpowers in the name of an uncertain independence requires a boldness uncommon in men. But since when did the meek make history? Returning from his armed exile Schremme will find the FP and Belgian police in disarray, and take it upon himself to topple the last of the SS governors. In his mind there is no question: in order for the Belgians to be free and prosperous they must take the risk of rebellion against Germany and carve out their own state in the chaos. But despite his personal exploits he is unable to do this on his own, and so despite his personal distaste for allying with the native regionalists his own backers in the belgian mining and administrative class have forced him to make common cause with “their” evolese. Regardless Schremme has become the critical belgian commander in this rebelion, bringing the remainder of the belgian community with him whether they like it or not. He leads in a mercenary style, never far from the front lines and with a greater emphasis on personal bravery than more mundane things like logistics.
Though Katanga is the heart of the Regionalist Alliance it is still only one part of that alliance: to the eastern flank is Sud-Kasaï, led by Albert Kalonji as the vanguard state of the Luba secessionist movement. Both Kalonji and Tshombe claim to be protecting their people (Luba and Lunda respectively) from becoming minorities within their own land and from becoming the playthings of another foreign power, whether that be Germania, Washington or any other place. They are also both from prominent and wealthy local families, who have cooperated with the belgian colonizers for generations and have every personal incentive to resist foreign acquisition. As such their support is not primarily from the people, but from the oligarchs and the army. These are two significant advantages however: While other factions are scrambling to put together a military, a state, and to pay for it all, Katanga and her allies are able to fall back on the old colonial power structures, expanding the FP and leveraging oligarchical ties to slap together an army faster than their rivals. With the mix of audacious leadership, money and the Schramme loyalist mercenaries/formed FP officers the alliance may be able to snatch its independence despite the lack of international backing.
Map of regionalist victory, Azandeland acts as a placeholder for local authority (or lack thereof), Sud-Kasai is the Luba Empire. The immediate issue facing the regionalists will be export access: the states survival depends on the revenue from its extensive mining operations, and if that material cannot be exported it is worthless. For this Katanga must either negotiate a trade deal with the German remnants, or seek a detente with the self proclaimed frontline of liberation Zambia. Neither is eager to do this, but the world calls for what Katanga can provide, most of all Uranium. Eventually the market will win out, and one side will decide it is better to compromise principle than give the other an opportunity to gain access to the Katanga bounty.
IF VICTORIOUS the Regionalist Alliance will comprise an expanded State of Katanga, the Luba Empire, and a number of minor eastern powers propped up by Katanga. For the Luba and the Eastern chiefs the question of post war politics is an easy one: tribal traditionalism shall prevail as Albert Kalonji names himself king and the local chiefs are either bribed or threatened into compliance with the new order. While some may make efforts to modernize and advance their domains it will only be done under the watchful and occasionally helpful eye of Katanga. The only question remaining is who will be in control of Katanga itself. Jean Schramme is not a reasonable man, or at least not a moderate one: if he feels that he and the Belgians are not granted their proper place he may well try to overthrow Moïse Tshombe and install himself as the leader of the new state. The natives are less than satisfied as well: though free of foreign control it is clear to them that the old order is no longer acceptable: the people who fought and won the war for independence demand that their sacrifice be rewarded in some meaningful way. And most of all the question of race can no longer be papered over: The Belgians and Europeans remain on top, the migrants have been savaged, and the land and jobs available are not enough to satisfy them all.
To reconcile these internal difficulties a conference shall be held between the Belgian leadership of the army and company's one on hand, and the native oligarchs and officers on the other to see if a viable solution can be worked out. On the Belgian side the question is that of security and property: they wish to maintain the full roster of legal rights granted to them by belgian law, to keep their property and company concessions, and for a Belgian “veto” in the national government to ensure that Belgian rights are not trampled by some future populist government. On the CONAKAT side is a desire to renegotiate the terms of the “social contract”: to ensure a majority native voice in government which cannot be overruled by Belgian privilege, greater native ownership of property and the full abolition of any legal barriers to their advancement. However both sides are united in seeking stability and in their distrust of the congolese “masses”. Those masses are not without a voice themselves: through labor unions, dissident political parties and new officer associations the experience of warfare has made the people politically aware. If the result of the conference does not give some bones to the people it may find that its support is far too narrow to be stable.
Union Minière, once the undisputed master of the Katanga economy, has declined somewhat under German overlordship. With a majority of its shares owned by the Belgian state and its former leadership fleeing to America after the end of the war its foundations were shaky. When Krogmann began the great sell off and rescinded the Belgian Congo’s autonomy the company found itself in yet more hot water. Transitioning to a locally owned company within Zentralafrika itself the Union has been forced to cut back on its paternalistic spending to make ends meet. Beyond the typical demands for labor rights and wage increases the Kantaga people also wish for a return to the housing, education and social protection once afforded by the leviathan. With its place in Katanga once again secure this may just be possible.
A successful conference will be one of compromise. For the people a number of social protections and laws will be promised: greater state funding to education, hospitals, and housing will be promised, along with a hike in wages. In order to afford this the belgians will need to accept their privileged economic position comes with a responsibility to fund the state which protects it: though direct taxes may be a bridge too far a system of expected “gifts” and an expansion of the old paternalism into state guided policy may work out. In return for their material contributions the Belgians will receive legal autonomy, organizing their own political parties and keeping their land. The native oligarchs meanwhile would take the national stage, being granted privileged places within the Katanga economy as well as using CONAKAT as their vehicle for political dominance. Concessions and compromises such as these require that all parties trust the other to keep up their end of the bargain, and not simply alter the deal when they feel they are able. And in the aftermath of a brutal civil war and a political culture of corruption such trust is very hard to come by. But if these difficulties are overcome, and Jean Schramme is kept mollified, the new State of Katanga will be ruled as a collaborative oligarchy, keeping real representation out of the hands of the people and wealth in the hands of a few, but also a relatively stable and moderate government which is willing to compromise when need be. Unless it is a question of distrusted ethnic groups attempting to secede from the state or restart Congolese unification, in which case the Katanga Gendarmerie will be the only answer given.
But what if this conference does not succeed? What if the protests outside become too large, or the sides are too inflexible, or if Jean Schramme believes the rights of Belgians are being sold too cheaply? Then the Rule of Fire will come back and those with the force to crush their opposition will prevail. And in Katanga that can only mean one thing: Schramme and his allies will stage a coup, placing themselves in charge once again as an emergency government. Those unwilling to ally with him will be dismissed, replaced with those who are. The new mission of the state is the protection of “Belgian civilization” in Katanga, with Schramme attempting to revive the old trinity of Church, State and Company under his guiding hand. He never truly wanted to be in this position: he would much rather simply go back to his plantation and be master of his own little world. But he belives that his new homeland calls out for leadership and guts it seems only he can provide, and so he will seek to lead it into the future he envisions. One where the Congo natives are grateful and subservient to their betters, where all the structures of the trinity are led by Europeans to the benefit of all. Of course most of the natives have very different ideas about what the future should look like, and so Schremma’s Katanga will immediately be thrown into a bush war as the old civil war factions reform as guerrilla movements seeking to topple his dictatorship. The profits of Katanga are vast, especially if one is willing to sell uranium to anyone willing to buy, but how long will money and determination be able to hold against the will of the people?
At a stretch the white population of Katanga is 100,000, while the total african population is somewhere north of 1.5 million. This is before one considers the increasing populations of the Luba Empire and the eternal frontier of the Eastern Congo. And then there is the highly likely presence of hostile regimes on the borders: all the money in the world cannot win Schramme this Bush War, and he will either need to swallow his pride and accept democratization for the natives or accept the return of the Reich as suzerain. And even that may not be enough to avoid the rage of a people betrayed.
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2023.06.06 14:09 Jalynt13 Kelly Reilly and her husband celebrated 11 years of marriage yesterday. Happy Anniversary!

Kelly Reilly and her husband celebrated 11 years of marriage yesterday. Happy Anniversary!
shared on her IG yesterday. I didn’t include all the pics she shared. She takes beautiful photos. What a beautiful poem!
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2023.06.06 14:00 Oddreaction3943 Tuesday, June 6,2023 Non Real-Time Meeting of OA

Welcome to this non-real time meeting of Overeaters Anonymous! I’m oddreaction3943 I’m a compulsive eater and your leader for this meeting. Will those who wish, please join me in the Serenity Prayer: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.
Overeaters Anonymous is a Fellowship of individuals who, through shared experience, strength, and hope, are recovering from compulsive overeating. We welcome everyone who wants to stop eating compulsively. There are no dues or fees for members; we are self-supporting through our own contributions, neither soliciting nor accepting outside donations. OA is not affiliated with any public or private organization, political movement, ideology, or religious doctrine; we take no position on outside issues. Our primary purpose is to abstain from compulsive eating and compulsive food behaviors and to carry the message of recovery through the Twelve Steps of OA to those who still suffer.
Our Invitation to You
The Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous
Abstinence in Overeaters Anonymous is the action of refraining from compulsive eating and compulsive food behaviors while working towards or maintaining a healthy body weight. Spiritual, emotional, and physical recovery is the result of living the Overeaters Anonymous Twelve Step program.
The OA tools of recovery help us work the Steps and refrain from compulsive overeating. The nine tools are: a plan of eating, sponsorship, meetings, telephone, writing, literature, an action plan, anonymity, and service. For more information, read The Tools of Recovery OA page.
Sponsorship is one of our keys to success. Sponsors are OA members committed to abstinence and to living the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions to the best of their ability. Sponsors share their program up to the level of their experience and strengthen their recovery through this service to others. To find a sponsor, look for someone who has what you want and ask how he or she is achieving it. Will all abstinent sponsors please identify themselves in their post?
According to our Seventh Tradition, we are self-supporting through our own contributions. Our group number is 99038. Please use the group number when making your contribution. As our virtual group currently has no expenses please consider donating directly through this link to the OA World Service Office, who provides resources for OA groups all around the world to carry the message to other compulsive overeaters.
Suggested guidelines for sharing: As you share your experience and strength in OA, please also share your hope. Please confine your sharing to your experience with the disease of compulsive eating, the solution offered by OA, and your own recovery from the disease, rather than just the events of the day or week. When responding to other member’s posts, please focus on your personal experience rather than advice giving. If you are having difficulties, share how you use the program to deal with them. If you need to talk more about your difficulties and seek solutions, we suggest you speak to your sponsor and other members after the meeting.
Page 12
Thus was I convinced that He is concerned with us humans when we want Him enough. At long last I saw. I felt. I believed. Scales of pride and prejudice fell from my eyes. A new world came into view.
Closing By following the Twelve Steps, attending meetings regularly, and using the OA Tools, we are changing our lives. You will find hope and encouragement in Overeaters Anonymous. To the newcomer, we suggest attending at least six different meetings to learn the many ways OA can help you. The opinions expressed here today are those of individual OA members and do not represent OA as a whole. Let us all reach out by private message to newcomers, returning members, and each other. Together we get better.
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2023.06.06 13:47 camelliaunderthemoon Would it be disrespectful to wave an Attack on Titan flag at Beyonce's concert like a Brazilian flag?

I know it's silly and a little weird and I'll admit that I have a wild sense of humor too, but I always see Brazilian people waving theur flag in clips of famous people's concerts and they wave it so proudly. I never been to a real concert before and Beyoncé will be my first. I'm curious if it would be disrespectful to Beyoncé and to Brazilians (especially) to wave a flag with the Survey Corp logo on it from Attack on Titan I know that this anime has nothing to do with Beyoncé and the logo is from a fictional story, but AOT is one of my favorite animes of all time. It's something that I love and it's a representation of me in a sense. While I'm not Japanese, I am in fact physically handicap who is mentally strong and the Survey Corp on AOT and it's symbol represents pride, strength, and bravery and I feel like that it represents me very well as well as it represents Beyonce's strength with her working for over two decades and keeping it together for this long. She's worked so hard for so long, keeping her sanity and such and I admire her for that, and I want to share this beautiful symbol of the Survey Corp with her if she sees me in the audience.
So would it be disrespectful?
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2023.06.06 13:38 theconsignmentcafe Discover the Finest Luxury Consignment Finds at The Consignment Cafe

Discover the Finest Luxury Consignment Finds at The Consignment Cafe
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2023.06.06 13:05 Square_Invite_3356 The Kind Older Sister is No More: Novel Spoilers

The Kind Older Sister is No More: Novel Spoilers

Introduction

In the world of literature characters play a vital role in capturing readers' hearts and emotions. Among these characters the older sister often holds a special place. She is portrayed as a caring supportive and compassionate figure providing guidance and protection to her younger siblings. However in recent times a new phenomenon has emerged that threatens the innocence of this beloved character: novel spoilers. In this article we will explore the impact of spoilers on the kind older sister trope and how readers can cope with this evolving challenge.

The Importance of Older Sisters

Before delving into the effect of spoilers it is essential to acknowledge the significance of older sisters in literature. In many novels the older sister serves as a source of inspiration and a role model. She embodies qualities such as strength wisdom and unconditional love which resonate with readers. Through her actions and words she offers valuable life lessons and navigates the complexities of familial relationships.

The Kind Older Sister: A Beloved Character

The portrayal of the kind older sister has been a staple in literature for decades. Readers have grown to appreciate and adore characters like Jane Bennet from Jane Austen "Pride and Prejudice" and Meg March from Louisa May Alcott "Little Women." These characters possess a genuine warmth and selflessness that endear them to readers making them feel like a part of their own lives.

The Evolution of Older Sister Characters in Novels

While the kind older sister has been cherished throughout literary history the representation of this character has evolved over time. Contemporary novels have introduced complex and multidimensional older sister characters. They are no longer bound by traditional stereotypes but are given their own ambitions flaws and struggles. This evolution reflects the changing dynamics of sibling relationships and offers a more realistic portrayal of the challenges faced by older sisters.

Impact on Reader Emotional Connection

When readers encounter a kind older sister character they often develop a deep emotional connection. They invest their emotions in the character journey feeling joy in their triumphs and sorrow in their setbacks. This emotional connection allows readers to relate to the character experiences and draws them further into the narrative. It is this connection that makes spoilers particularly devastating.

The Unexpected Twist: Novel Spoilers

Novel spoilers refer to information that reveals crucial plot points or twists before readers have a chance to experience them organically. They can come in various forms such as online discussions social media posts or even wellmeaning friends who unintentionally give away pivotal details. When it comes to the kind older sister character spoilers have the power to shatter readers' expectations and alter their emotional journey.

Understanding the Impact of Spoilers

Spoilers have a profound effect on the reading experience. When readers encounter a spoiler about the kind older sister character they lose the opportunity to witness her growth her triumphs and her impact on the story. The element of surprise is stripped away robbing readers of the emotional rollercoaster that accompanies unexpected plot developments. This can lead to disappointment frustration and a diminished sense of engagement with the narrative.

Emotional Rollercoaster: From Shock to Acceptance

When confronted with a spoiler involving the kind older sister character readers often experience a range of emotions. Initially there is a sense of shock and disbelief as the spoiler contradicts their expectations. This can be followed by anger or frustration towards the source of the spoiler. However over time readers may find acceptance and strive to appreciate the story beyond the spoiled elements. It is a journey of reconciling the loss of surprise with the remaining aspects of the narrative.

Coping with Spoilers: Tips for Readers

While spoilers are an unfortunate reality readers can employ strategies to mitigate their impact. Firstly exercising caution on social media platforms and bookrelated discussions can help avoid accidental exposure to spoilers. Engaging in spoilerfree communities and using spoilerblocking browser extensions can provide additional protection. Furthermore openly communicating preferences with friends and acquaintances can help foster an environment of respect for spoilerfree experiences.

The Role of Social Media in Spoiler Culture

Social media platforms have become breeding grounds for spoilers often unintentionally shared by enthusiastic readers. The instantaneous nature of social media amplifies the risk of exposure to spoilers making it crucial for readers to be vigilant. However social media also provides a space for readers to connect and share their love for literature. By striking a balance between engagement and caution readers can navigate spoiler culture while still participating in meaningful discussions.

Empathy and Consideration: Spoiler Etiquette

To minimize the impact of spoilers it is important for individuals to practice spoiler etiquette. Recognizing that not everyone has read the same books or reached the same plot points is essential. By using spoiler warnings concealing spoilers behind collapsible tags or discussing sensitive information in dedicated spoiler forums readers can foster a community that values empathy and consideration.

Conclusion

The kind older sister character has long been cherished in literature for her unwavering support and love. However the rise of novel spoilers poses a new challenge to readers' emotional connection with this beloved character. By understanding the impact of spoilers employing coping strategies and promoting spoiler etiquette readers can navigate this everevolving landscape while preserving the magic of storytelling.

FAQ

FAQ 1: Can spoilers ruin the reading experience?

Spoilers have the potential to significantly impact the reading experience. They can rob readers of the element of surprise and diminish the emotional engagement with the story. However individuals may respond differently to spoilers and some may still find enjoyment in the narrative despite knowing key plot points.

FAQ 2: How can I avoid spoilers when discussing books?

To avoid spoilers when discussing books it is advisable to clearly communicate your preference for spoilerfree conversations. Engage in discussions with individuals who have read the book or reached a similar point in the story. Additionally participating in spoilerfree communities or using spoilerblocking browser extensions can provide an added layer of protection.

FAQ 3: Are all spoilers equally harmful?

The impact of spoilers varies from person to person. While major plot twists or character revelations are typically considered more impactful even minor spoilers can dampen the reading experience for some individuals. It is important to be mindful of others' preferences and exercise caution when discussing sensitive plot points.

FAQ 4: Should authors incorporate spoilers in novels?

In general authors should refrain from incorporating explicit spoilers in their novels. The element of surprise and suspense is an integral part of storytelling and spoilers can diminish the emotional impact intended by the author. However authors may choose to foreshadow or hint at future events to build anticipation and intrigue without outright revealing pivotal plot twists.

FAQ 5: How do spoilers affect book sales?

Spoilers can potentially influence book sales as readers may be less inclined to purchase a book if crucial plot details are revealed prematurely. The allure of discovering the story firsthand and experiencing the twists and turns organically can be a significant factor in driving book sales. Therefore authors and publishers often employ strategies to protect against spoilers and preserve the excitement surrounding a book release.
Get Access Now:
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2023.06.06 13:03 AutoModerator EME Volunteers Abby & Zodiac Violently Arrested at West Hollywood Pride by L.A. Sheriffs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_taD23_ZPs
EQUAL MEANS EQUAL volunteers Abby Nicole Thomas and Zodiac Rose were violently arrested by L.A. Sheriffs without warning on June 3rd at approximately 11:40am. The thumbnail on the video shows them peacefully painting signs at our booth just ten minutes before they were arrested. The officers had walked by the EQUAL MEANS EQUAL booth and mocked our signs, which focused on the LibERAtion that the Equal Rights Amendment provides to all people, regardless of sex/gender. Seeing them point and laugh, Zodiac responded, "That's why we don't want cops at Pride. Stop making fun of our sh*t."
The Sheriffs walked away and then three minutes later returned, violently tackling them both to the ground from behind, without asking their names or informing them of any reason why they were being arrested. They later claimed that there was a warrant for Zodiac's arrest [related to an anti-trans protest action over a month prior] but they made no mention of this at the time of the arrest. Additionally, EME discovered that the Proud Boys had been circulating a "WANTED" image with Zodiac's face and name on it, because of his activism as a trans person fighting for their rights at a Drag Queen Story Hour protest.
Abby said while at the station she saw the Sheriffs high-fiving each other and saying "We got him!" with glee. At the time of this video, Jesus (EME member who rode with Abby to the station) and I were told that Abby would be immediately released with a citation for "obstruction" [she did not obstruct anything, she merely asked a question] but she was not.
In fact they kept her for eight hours without charging her. The whole experience was absolutely unnerving and, given that another EME activist, Elizabeth Croyden, was also recently arrested in DC and is facing an 18 month sentence for simply speaking out in the Senate for the ERA, we are extremely concerned that equality activists are increasingly being targeted by the State.
We ask for support from the public to help stop these intimidation tactics by joining our movement at equalmeansequal.org and putting pressure on your representatives to compel the administration [Biden] to publish the Equal Rights Amendment, as required by law [Article V of the U.S. Constitution]. It is clear that the U.S. Government does NOT want women and LGBTQ people to be equal under law and provide them with equal rights and protections, however, the People have fulfilled the necessary requirements to make it so.
Our civil rights are presently being ILLEGALLY withheld by the State and we must stand up NOW before our voices are completely silenced and our rights, which are being revoked and rolled back on a daily basis, are gone. Thanks to EME Producer Joel Marshall for shooting this, to EME Comms Director Alice Crenshaw for bearing witness and to EME Volunteer Jesus Hernandez Rangel for accompanying Abby and Zodiac to the station. Thanks also to all the other EME volunteers, supporters and people of good will who stood up and spoke truth to power under frightening circumstances.
--Kamala Lopez - EME President
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2023.06.06 12:51 vpyr [Rise of the elven sage] - Chapter 32

Chapter 1 Previous Chapter
Disgust swelled within Raphael as the full magnitude of their predicament became clear. The world they inhabited was plagued by an insidious darkness, where prejudice and exploitation ran rampant.
"And believe it or not it's the official stance of our dear government," George exclaimed, his voice tinged with a mix of disbelief and anger. The news hit like a punch to the gut, especially after their isolation in New Trampton. The depths of human desperation were unfathomable. "Can ya imagine? People were so damn scared that they didn't think twice about selling their own flesh and blood to those power-hungry maniacs. Just like Sanya's parents," George spat out the words, the disgust and dread dripping from each syllable.
“The government's got a target on our backs. We're going head-on against them and others without morals and scruples to rescue Vivian. But here's the thing, once we pull that off, we can't just stroll into a happy reunion. Oh no, my friend, we'll have to vanish into the shadows, disappear like smoke in the wind." The Orc's words hung in the air, a stark reminder of the dangerous path ahead. “And you really want to do that for me?”, Raphael asked unsure. “Yes, we would.”, came from behind of Raphael.
Raphael spun around, his eyes landing on Sanya as she emerged from the embrace of the blanket. A gentle shuffle of footsteps brought her closer, her movements slow and deliberate, as if tiptoeing through a dream. The remnants of sleep clung to her, evident in the way she rubbed her eyes and let out a weary yawn. But what caught Raphael's attention the most was the way her tail, like a secret treasure, coiled protectively around her form, as if seeking shelter from prying eyes. Taking her place beside Raphael, Sanya cast her gaze upon the Orc with a glimmer of hope dancing in her eyes. A subtle shift in her posture brought her closer, her head gently finding its rest upon Raphael's shoulder. The unexpected weight of her trust settled upon him, catching him off-guard. In that moment, as her presence nestled against him, he couldn't help but feel a surge of emotions stirring within, a mix of gratitude and responsibility intertwining in his heart.
“Whaaaaat is for breakfast?”, she said more yawning than speaking. “Scrambled eggs, Sausages and Beacon. I have some Orange juice as well. Will be ready soon.”, the Orc said as he turned around onto finishing the breakfast. “Thanks for saving me.”, Sanya whispered so low that Raphael thought it to be his imagination. “I will not forget that. I am so glad you are alright.”
Sanya's tiny hands clutched Raphael's chest, seeking comfort within its protective embrace. She buried her face against him, her sobs escaping in hushed whispers, their echo tugging at his heart. Feeling the dampness seep through his clothes, he realized her tears stained his chest, mingling with his own sense of helplessness. Gently, he cupped her head, guiding it tenderly against his chest, his touch offering reassurance and comfort. With a rhythmic motion, he soothingly patted her head, hoping to ease her distress and provide a brief respite from the turbulent world that surrounded them.
“I am alright. You will be alright. We will be there for you. We won’t leave you alone. I promise.”, the Elf said reassuring. “See I told ya, he is a good guy.”, the Orc chimed in. “Oh shut up you stupid Orc!”, Raphael answered.
A fleeting moment of silence hung in the air, interrupted by the gentle melody of Sanya's laughter. Her eyes, now adorned with a delicate smile, lifted to meet Raphael's gaze. In that precious instant, the tears that once cascaded from her eyes had ceased their descent, offering her a glimmer of solace. Raphael's heart swelled with gratitude, knowing that amidst the chaos and uncertainty, the young girl had found a semblance of trust in their companionship.
“Seems like we became Dad’s”, Raphael joked. “Seems like it. But I will be the cool Dad, ya can be the strict one.”, replied the Orc as he put the food on the table. “Dig in everybody.”
“What did you have in mind? Looks like you already have a plan”, Raphael asked inbetween bites. “Oh your eggs are tasty!” “Yes, let’s begin with telling ya how it all comes along in the first place”, the Orc began to explain.
As they savored their meal, George delved into the intricacies of his role in the underground auction. His words flowed like a captivating narrative, holding Raphael's rapt attention. It felt as though he had stumbled upon a tale straight from the cherished pages of his beloved books. The very concept of this clandestine event seemed surreal, something that could easily be dismissed as a wild conspiracy theory or the concoction of a deranged mind. Yet, here he was, listening to George, a person he had grown to trust even in this short time. From the masks to capes, every detail had been meticulously planned to shroud the identities of those involved. It didn't sit right with Raphael. The thought of what would be sold off, the illicit transactions that would unfold, weighed heavily on his conscience. A part of him longed to dismantle it all, to expose this dark underbelly to the world. But then again, there was the one thing that compelled him to play along—to seize the opportunity to retrieve Vivian, to bring her back into his arms. Yet, as if reading his thoughts, George reminded him of the dangerous truth. This operation had government backing, and any attempt to expose it would brand him as a lunatic or, worse yet, silence him permanently. The stakes were high, and Raphael knew he had to tread carefully, balancing his desire for justice with the need to navigate the treacherous terrain of this perilous world. In spite of the this, the trio that ate some breakfast, planned to sabotage the event. With George's invaluable insider knowledge as the organizer, they saw a glimmer of hope—a chance to liberate Vivian and secure their own escape before the participants would notice what went wrong. Yet, their victory would only mark the beginning of a new set of challenges. Where could they find refuge in this perilous world, where danger lurked around every corner? As transformed beings, their very existence painted a target on their backs—a fact reaffirmed by the haunting image of McKennsy.
After George unveiled the intricate workings of the underground auction, a heavy silence settled upon them. Raphael sensed a multitude of unanswered questions lingering in the air. How would they free Vivian? How would they navigate their escape? And where would their journey lead them? The road ahead was treacherous, fraught with uncertainty, and their small band consisted of unlikely comrades—an Elf with just a little unstable magic, an Orc with unconventional skills in art and illegal organization, and a young girl, blissfully consuming her bacon. It was far from an ideal situation, yet amidst the challenges, a few truths remained crystal clear.
They knew the risks involved, understood that their lives would once again hang in the balance. But they had made a pact—a steadfast commitment to stick together, to protect and support one another, forged through the shared experience of having been captured and the knowledge of being hunted.
“Can I get some juice?”, Sanya asked, surprising Raphael and George alike. The girl seemed to have an uncanny feeling to know when to lighten up a mood. “Sure.”, the orc said as he poured a glass of orange juice for her. “Let me try something.”, Raphael said reaching for the glass.
Next Chapter
Thanks for reading!
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2023.06.06 12:49 aartstroke Seal Label Manufacturer In India: Meeting Your Packaging Needs

Seal Label Manufacturer In India: Meeting Your Packaging Needs
Aart Stroke is a professional and experienced company specializing in the production of high-quality seal labels for various industries. With a strong commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction, they have established themselves as a reliable partner for businesses looking for reliable and visually appealing seal labels. In this article, we will explore the services, expertise, and advantages of Seal Label Manufacturer In India, and understand why they are the go-to choice for businesses in need of top-notch packaging solutions.

https://preview.redd.it/4qo253bpnd4b1.jpg?width=1280&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e817205b29ba0c1d465bbc8c5b9d7a1a36c6f014
1. The Importance of Seal Labels
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2023.06.06 12:05 justafabgaysian My next Austen read...

Hi,
I've not posted in a while but after reading Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion in 2022, I have settled on my next Austen read. I originally began reading a completely different book at the start of the year but struggled to really get into so I decided that after a 5 month trial, I've decided my official first book of 2023 will be Northanger Abbey! I also thought I'd start with this as this and Sandition are the only Austen works that I've neither read or seen an adaptation of. I've seen adaptations of the rest but I do want and need to read Emma, Mansfield Park and Sense and Sensibility.
Will send my thoughts once I finish the book but am going to be watching the 1971 Persuasion this weekend ideally (I've put it off for a long time, life got in the way)
Hope all you are having a tolerable week xoxo
submitted by justafabgaysian to janeausten [link] [comments]


2023.06.06 10:49 lazymentors Social Media & Marketing News of last Week

Top 5 Updates of the Week:

Google:

Tiktok:

Instagram

Meta :

Twitter:

YouTube:

Agency News:

LinkedIn:

Snapchat:

Reddit:

Advertising:

Microsoft

AI:

Pinterest:

Marketing:

You can read the links version on the website & subscribe here to receive these updates every week.
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2023.06.06 10:32 lazymentors What changed in marketing & social media last week?

Top 5 Updates of the Week:

Google:

Tiktok:

Instagram

Meta :

Twitter:

YouTube:

Agency News:

LinkedIn:

Snapchat:

Reddit:

Advertising:

Microsoft

AI:

Pinterest:

Marketing:

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2023.06.06 09:08 Unboxindustry Di-Soric - Unbox Industry

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Visit Our Website : www.unboxindustry.com
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2023.06.06 08:39 strawberryclefairy Wizard's Robes (and Other Fashion): What are they and where did they come from?

So because I apparently hate myself, I thought earlier today: "Hey, wouldn't it be neat to use the popular Lordships trope to make an entire Regency Era alternate universe fanfiction?" And while yes, maybe that would be quite fun (especially the necessary Jane Austen reads, lol), I ran into an obvious problem almost immediately.
Where (and when) in the world does the standard of wizarding dress - robes - originate?
Wizarding World (formerly known as Pottermore) states:
By and large, wizard clothing has remained outside of fashion, although small alterations have been made to such garments as dress robes. Standard wizard clothing comprises plain robes, worn with or without the traditional pointed hat, and will always be worn on such formal occasions as christenings, weddings and funerals. Women’s dresses tend to be long. Wizard clothing might be said to be frozen in time, harking back to the seventeenth century, when they went into hiding. Their nostalgic adherence to this old-fashioned form of dress may be seen as a clinging to old ways and old times; a matter of cultural pride.
However, looking at English fashion of the late 1600s (17th century = 1600s ftr), it doesn't even begin to resemble wizard's robes, nor does it look anything like clothing described in the books or shown in the movies. Mind, it would be quite interesting if it were true, but it seems to be a pretty nonsensical assertion by WW.
(For fun for a moment, imagine the HP movies but purebloods and rich folk wearing things like these I'm frankly ascending over here lmao: 1654, 1659, 1670, 1671, 1688, c. 1690)
So the question remains: wizards are wearing robes, but from when and where? I'm a bit stumped, to be honest. The closest thing I've found is this kind of fashion from about 1250 (1250 also). That's more than four hundred years before the statute, though. Did the British wizarding community shut themselves off so early? Or perhaps robes are simply completely separate from muggle clothing, inspired by nothing at all?
I don't think there's a right or wrong answer here, or even a real answer. What do you guys think, though? What has made sense to you as wizarding fashion? How do you picture what the characters in the books are wearing?
Thanks for reading my rambling!
submitted by strawberryclefairy to harrypotter [link] [comments]


2023.06.06 08:18 Lordofthe305 CPWA Octane 6-5-24

CPWA Octane 6-5-24

https://preview.redd.it/kdtn60bpeb4b1.jpg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=acbc4e9ad468e7c29e7d23243587959fce93df37
We open with a recap of last week's main event featuring The Jordans (Shelton and Deron "Ron") taking on the Soldiers of Misfortune (General Wade and Guerrilla God). The match was a complete brawl as both teams fought ringside. The match ended with Guerrilla God hitting Guerrilla in the Mist on Shelton, leading to General Wade pinning Shelton. After the match, the Soldiers of Misfortune, along with Ivan Markov assaulted Shelton some more, followed by putting him triple power bombed him through a table as "The Number One Pick" LeJuan Jones and Brother Julius look on in approval.
The recap ends and we open with a 30-second intro highlighting all of the stars of CPWA as The Roots' "BOOM" plays in the background. The intro ends with Shelton Jordan holding the CPWA Heavyweight Championship belt over his head. Pyro goes off in the arena for a few seconds, followed by cheering from the crowd.
Brian Kinsley: We welcome to CPWA Octane! We are coming to you live from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada! Brian Kinsley, Anthony Harris, and Sir Samuel Stewart, and we have a great show for you tonight! We have the semifinals of the Super Junior Carnival, plus The Mortician will defend the CPWA Television Championship, and our main event, Keith Yang teams up with Elijah Jordan against "The Number One Pick" LeJuan Jones, and a mystery tag team partner! Let's get to the action!
We cut to the ring.
Announcer: The following contest is scheduled for...
Crowd: ONE FALL!
GACKT's "Redemption" plays in the arena
Announcer: Introducing first, from Osaka, Japan, she is Shiori Yoshimura.
Brian Kinsley: Last week, Shiori Yoshimura decimated Priscilla Pierce in a non-title match, and it was brutal to watch.
Sir Samuel Stewart: Priscilla Pierce was crying and complaining about the loss, so much so, we have this tag team match.
Kyary Pamyu Pamyu's "PONPONPON" plays in the arena as the crowd claps along to the beat and chants her name.
Announcer: Her tag team partner, from Yokohama, Japan, she is "The Orange Idol Princess" Aiko Yoshida.
Brian Kinsley: Aiko Yoshida went on tour in Japan after High$takes, not as a wrestler, but as a pop idol.
Anthony Harris: Did not know she was a singer, but I'm glad to see her back in action where she belongs.
Johann Sebastian Bach's Air on G String plays in the arena.
Announcer: And their opponents, introducing first, from the posh hills of the Hamptons, she is Priscilla Pierce.
Brian Kinsley: Priscilla Pierce got roughed up last week on Octane and she was none too pleased.
Sir Samuel Stewart: I heard she had to pay a pretty penny to get her whole body realigned.
DaniLeigh Ft. Fivio Foreign "Dominican Mami" plays in the arena.
Announcer: And her tag team partner, from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, she is "The Dominican She-Devil" Ivy Fernandez
Brian Kinsley: "The Dominican She-Devil" Ivy Fernandez also took part on a tour of Puerto Rico with Priscilla Pierce, where they won the Women's Tag Team Championships there.
Anthony Harris: Great news for them, but can they replicate that same success here tonight?
Match 1: Shiori Yoshimura and "The Orange Idol Princess" Aiko Yoshida vs. Priscilla Pierce and "The Dominican She-Devil" Ivy Fernandez
This was not a good opener and it really didn't help that Priscilla Pierce and Ivy Fernandez got the win, considering that Shiori and Aiko were the ones carrying them through the match. Shiori and Aiko had control of the match, but Priscilla and Ivy were off their game, most likely Priscilla, who was still feeling the effects of the Spinning Bison Bomb from last week. Regardless, this was still a bad match with a rushed finish as Priscilla hit Aiko with Beauty and Grace to seal the victory.
1 out of 5 stars.
We go backstage and we see Kevin Meyers interviewing Rory Irvine. Rory says that he is one step closer to winning the Super Junior Carnival and knows that he has what it takes to one day win the CPWA Cruiserweight Championship. CPWA Cruiserweight Champion Kelly Lawton appears and tells Rory to keep dreaming and that he won't come as close as to winning the belt itself. Rory boasts that he has beaten Kelly and he will be the one to dethrone him for the CPWA Cruiserweight Championship.
In the green room, we see "The Number One Pick" LeJuan Jones talking with Brother Julius about their strategy for tonight's main event and how it will involve LeJuan's mystery tag team partner. LeJuan says that if everything goes to plan, then he will convince the GM to give him a chance at the CPWA World Heavyweight Championship.
We cut back to the arena.
Announcer: The following contest is scheduled for one fall with a 20-minute time limit.
Leo Arnaud's "Olympic Theme and Bugler's Dream" plays in the arena
Announcer: And his opponent, representing the Olympians, from Miami, Florida, he is Miguel Sandoval Jr.
Brian Kinsley: The last time we saw Miguel Sandoval Jr. was five months ago when he defeated Kenshiro Ishii. Since then, he took time off to train while being around his family.
Anthony Harris: His wife gave birth to their fourth child, so he has two boys and two girls. Hopefully, that will be the inspiration for him to improve tonight.
Franz Ferdinand's "Take Me Out" plays in the arena.
Announcer: Introducing first, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he is Jake Odenkirk.
Brian Kinsley: Big Jake Odenkirk has been chomping at the bit to try his hand at some singles competition and here he is looking to get a W for his family.
Sir Samuel Stewart: Big Jake looks like a million pounds tonight. That's pounds as in the currency of the United Kingdom.
Match 2: Miguel Sandoval Jr. vs. Jake Odenkirk A very excellent hoss match as both Miguel Sandoval Jr. and Jake Odenkirk tested their strengths against each other. Miguel looked much improved from the last time we saw him, taking time off to not only train, but to also bring another child into his family. That was all the motivation he needed in his match. The end of the match saw Miguel hit Jake with a Military Press Slam, followed by a spear, and a Fall from Grace (South of Heaven), which is named after his newborn daughter, to get the win.
4 out of 5 stars.
We open on a graphic image hyping up The Hart Sisters (Crystal and Tracy) taking on The Corazon Sisters (Rosa and Regina). We then see a graphic hyping up the CPWA Television Championship Match as the Mortician defends the championship in a six-man elimination match. We then see a graphic hyping up the first semifinal match for the Super Junior Carnival as Rory Irvine takes on Money Mark.
***Commercial Break***
We come back from commercial break and we see Elijah Jordan talking to his brothers about last week's assault from the Soldiers of Misfortune. Cedric says that they should get payback on the Soldiers of Misfortune. Deron "Ron" agrees to this. Shelton Jordan says that he needs to speak to GM Ronny Sharpe about who will face him for the CPWA World Heavyweight Championship in the future. Shelton leaves as Elijah, Cedric, and Ron look on.
We cut back to the ring.
Announcer: The following contest is scheduled for one fall and it is a quarterfinal match for the CPWA Super Junior Carnival Tournament.
The O'Reillys and Paddyhats' "Barrels of Whiskey" plays in the arena.
Announcer: Introducing first, from Dublin, Ireland, he is Rory Irvine.
Brian Kinsley: Rory Irvine is one step closer to winning the Super Junior Carnival. He's been on quite a roll and doesn't plan on slowing down.
Sir Samuel Stewart: The Commonwealth plans to put a halt to this Cinderella story Rory's got going on, so he needs to watch out for that.
Almighty 3's "To The Other MC's" plays in the arena.
Announcer: And his opponent, from Opa-Locka, Florida, he is Money Mark!
Brian Kinsley: Money Mark has also been on a big run of his own throughout this tournament as well. Last week, he pulled off another upset, this time beating Owen Benoit-Jericho.
Anthony Harris: Don't sleep on The Money Man! He is a former CPWA Cruiserweight Champion after all.
Match 3: CPWA Super Junior Carnival Tournament: Semifinal: Rory Irvine vs. Money Mark
This match wasn't bad, but it certainly wasn't good either. Both Rory and Money Mark looked like they were just happy to be in the ring. Money Mark had control of the match in the early going, but Rory soon took over the match with dropkicks, arm drags, wristlocks, and chinlocks. During the match, Owen Benoit-Jericho of The Commonwealth made his presence felt as he tried to interfere in the match. Thankfully, Money Mark prevented any problems to occur. Unfortunately, this led to Rory seizing the opportunity with a Celtic Cruificix Drop to get the win. Rory Irvine advances to the Super Junior Carnival Finals, where he will take on "The Korean Idol" Han Sang-Hoon or Devon Gatlin-Tyson.
2 out of 5 stars.
We get a one-minute hype package highlighting the Hart Sisters (Crystal and Tracy). The hype package ends as we go back to the arena.
Announcer: The following contest is scheduled for one fall with a 25-minute time limit.
Funba Rumba plays in the arena.
Announcer: Introducing first, from Monterrey, Mexico, they are Rosa and Regina, Las Corazones
Brian Kinsley: Las Corazones look to climb up the ranks of the women's tag team division in CPWA. We haven't seen them in a while, and that's because they won the women's tag team championships in Mexico.
Anthony Harris: A big congrats to them, but they're in Vancouver tonight, so that means they have a tall yet familiar task waiting for them.
"Hitman" plays in the arena
Announcer: And their opponents, from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, they are Crystal and Tracy, the Hart Sisters.
Brian Kinsley: Listen to this ovation for these two young ladies. Crystal and Tracy Hart may not have the CPWA Women's Tag Team Championships, but best believe they will have the belts once again.
Sir Samuel Stewart: I think the roof just came off the building and my hearing is shot after hearing that ovation for the Harts.
Match 4: The Hart Sisters (Crystal and Tracy) vs. Las Corazones (Rosa and Regina)
The Harts and the Corazones are no strangers to each other in the ring, but on this night, it looks like they were strangers meeting each other for the first time. Aside from the huge pop for the Harts, this match did not get out of first gear. It was a back-and-forth match with some botches, leading to a scrambling finish. Regina Corazon went for a super kick that got countered into a sharpshooter from Crystal Hart. Regina submitted as the Harts won the match.
1 out of 5 stars.
We open on a graphic image hyping up the CPWA Television Championship Match as the Mortician defends the championship in a six-man elimination match. We then see a graphic hyping up tonight's main event between Keith Yang and Elijah Jordan taking on "The Number One Pick" LeJuan Jones and a mystery partner. We then see a graphic hyping up the second semifinal match for the Super Junior Carnival as "The Korean Idol" Han Sang-Hoon takes on Devon Gatlin-Tyson.
***Commercial Break***
We come back from commercial break and we see Keith Yang talking to Elijah Jordan. Keith said that he was sorry about what happened to his brothers and that he couldn't make it to last week's event due to a family emergency. Elijah nodded and understood and tells Keith to be "on one" tonight against LeJuan and his special mystery partner. Keith agrees and gets ready for the upcoming match.
We cut back to the arena.
Announcer: The following contest is scheduled is a six-man elimination match and it is for the CPWA Television Championship.
Nu Breed's "Florida" plays in the arena
Announcer: Introducing first, accompanied by his alligator Sunshine, from the Sunshine State, he is the CPWA Television Champion, "Florida Man" Gary Strange
Aka-Manto Chase Theme plays in the arena as red lights engulf the arena.
Announcer: Next, from the bowels of Jigoku, he is Aka-Manto.
Blood Brothers' "Replica" plays in the arena
Announcer: Next, representing The Commonwealth, from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, he is Owen Benoit-Jericho.
Hp Boyz - Engineers. plays in the arena.
Announcer: Next, from Maui, Hawaii, he is Kahuna Maiavia.
Salute The Heroes plays in the arena.
Announcer: Next, from Detroit, Michigan, he is "Marvelous" Marshall Anderson
An organ cover to Runaway Casket plays in the arena.
Announcer: Finally, from Resting Peace Funeral Home, he is the CPWA Television Champion The Mortician!
Match 5: Six-Man Elimination Match for the CPWA Television Championship: "Florida Man" Gary Strange vs. Aka-Manto vs. Owen Benoit-Jericho vs. Kahuna Maiavia vs. "Marvelous" Marshall Anderson vs. The Mortician (c)
This one was a knockdown, drag-out brawl all throughout the ring and there were some quick and shocking eliminations: Owen-Benoit Jericho was the first elimination, followed by The Mortician (thanks to interference from Pretty Boy), and later "Marvelous" Marshall Anderson. Ten minutes later, Kahuna Maiavia was eliminated, leaving only Aka-Manto and "Florida Man" Gary Strange. Ultimately, "Florida Man" won the CPWA Television Championship in Canada of all places with a WTF (Welcome To Florida) to reclaim the CPWA Television Championship.
4 out of 5 stars.
We get a hype package for Devon Gatlin-Tyson. The hype package ends as we go back to the arena.
Announcer: The following contest is scheduled for one fall and it is a quarterfinal match for the CPWA Super Junior Carnival Tournament.
Rain's "It's Raining" begins to play in the arena
Announcer: Introducing first, from Seoul, South Korea, he is one half of the CPWA Cruiserweight Tag Team Champions, "The Korean Idol" Han Sang-Hoon!
Brian Kinsley: "The Korean Idol" Han Sang-Hoon looks to avenge his tag team partner, "The Hi-Fli Kid" Jerome Evans tonight as he takes on Devon Gatlin-Tyson.
Sir Samuel Stewart: "The Korean Idol" may be a pretty boy, but don't let that fool you. He can go in the ring.
Leo Arnaud's "Olympic Theme and Bugler's Dream" plays in the arena
Announcer: And his opponent, representing the Olympians, from Jacksonville, Florida, he is Devon Gatlin-Tyson.
Brian Kinsley: Devon Gatlin-Tyson has had an unprecedented run in the Super Junior Carnival so far, but let's see if his confidence can lead him to the Finals.
Anthony Harris: Of course, he will, DGT's all about confidence and calling his shots.
Match 6: CPWA Super Junior Carnival Tournament: Semifinal: "The Korean Idol" Han Sang-Hoon vs. Devon Gatlin-Tyson
Another solid match to close out the semifinal portion of the Super Junior Carnival Tournament. DGT had control early on in the match, but "The Korean Idol" would make his presence felt with dropkicks, hurricanranas, and even a tornado DDT. As the match progressed, fellow Olympians Chip Day and Miles Orozco rushed down to the ring to help DGT, but "The Hi-Fli Kid" Jerome Evans, along with StarrVice (Mark Starr and Ricky Vice) evened the odds. The distraction caused DGT to get flustered, allowing "The Korean Idol" to pull off a superkick, followed by a K-Pop Drop to get the win. "The Korean Idol" Han Sang-Hoon advances to the Finals of the Super Junior Carnival, where he will face the scrappy, plucky, and resilient Rory Irvine.
3 out of 5 stars.
We open on a graphic hyping up tonight's main event between Keith Yang and Elijah Jordan taking on "The Number One Pick" LeJuan Jones and a mystery partner, which is next.
***Commercial Break***
Brian Kinsley: This Saturday, we will be coming to you live from Calgary, Alberta, Canada for CPWA Deception. The CPWA World Heavyweight Championship will be on the line, plus the finals of the CPWA Super Junior Carnival take place. Next Wednesday, CPWA Octane comes to you live from Boise, Idaho, which will see the Mortician in action, plus The Commonwealth, The Olympians, and the return of King Shaka.
Announcer: Our main event is scheduled for...
Crowd: ONE FALL!!!
Bambu's "Chairman Mao" plays in the arena.
Announcer: Introducing first, from Shanghai, China, he is Keith Yang.
Brian Kinsley: IT'S YANG TIME!!!
Busy Signal's "Real Bad Boys" plays in the arena.
Announcer: His tag team partner, from Miami, Florida, he is Elijah Jordan.
Buckshot, Skyzoo, Promise, and Sean Price's "I'm Better Than You" plays in the arena.
Announcer: And their opponents, introducing first, accompanied to the ring by Brother Julius, from Columbus, Ohio, "The Number One Pick," LeJuan Jones.
LeJuan Jones: Two weeks ago, I surprised everyone with the reveal of the Soldiers of Misfortune helping me get a big dub. So, why don't I repeat that success and since we're in Vancouver, who hasn't had a championship in god knows how long. I figured why don't I reveal who my mystery partner will be tonight?
Silence fills the arena. Suddenly, Monroe Storm emerges from the curtain onto the entrance ramp.
Motley Crue's "Shout At The Devil" plays in the arena.
Announcer: His tag team partner, accompanied to the ring by Monroe Storm, from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, he is Logan Lemming.
Main Event: Keith Yang and Elijah Jordan vs. "The Number One Pick" LeJuan Jones and Logan Lemming
An excellent main event that brought the hype after the big reveal of Logan Lemming's return. Keith and Elijah started off the match hot, each one taking turns roughing up "The Number One Pick." When Logan got the tag, he was a house of fire as the crowd cheered uncontrollably. It became a battle of attrition for both teams as they continued trying to outdo each other. Logan hit Keith Yang with Logan's Run, only for Elijah Jordan to plop on him with a Big Ending, pinning him and LeJuan for the win and payback.
4 out of 5 stars.
Keith and Elijah celebrate as Shelton joins them, but it is short-lived as GM Ronny Sharpe announced that at Deception, Shelton Jordan will defend the CPWA World Heavyweight Championship against Keith Yang, "The Number One Pick" LeJuan Jones, and Logan Lemming. The reveal leaves everyone shocked as Octane fades to black.
The results from FedSimulator.com
https://preview.redd.it/imq1r5lqbc4b1.png?width=3332&format=png&auto=webp&s=24cdd768f81e15ad6e5951b169e4017b27248ce7
submitted by Lordofthe305 to FantasyBookers [link] [comments]


2023.06.06 08:03 KyletheAngryAncap Dumb article is dumb.

https://archive.ph/WoQu1
Ukraine has worked for years through legislation and military restructuring to contain a fringe far-right movement whose members proudly wear symbols steeped in Nazi history and espouse views hostile to leftists, LGBTQ movements and ethnic minorities. But some members of these groups have been fighting Russia since the Kremlin illegally annexed part of the Crimea region of Ukraine in 2014 and are now part of the broader military structure. Some are regarded as national heroes, even as the far-right remains marginalized politically.
So basically you're point is that it's a fringe group, and that people celebrating soldiers in a time of war is supposed to change that somehow?
In the short term, that threatens to reinforce Putin’s propaganda and giving fuel to his false claims that Ukraine must be “de-Nazified” — a position that ignores the fact that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is Jewish. More broadly, Ukraine’s ambivalence about these symbols, and sometimes even its acceptance of them, risks giving new, mainstream life to icons that the West has spent more than a half-century trying to eliminate.
Look, the confederacy was unilaterally in support of slavery, however, many southerners do sincerely believe the confederacy stood for freedom because the education system taught them that. Most liberals acknowledge this and then immediately proceed to call every flag waver a racist because they don't understand how anyone can have a framework that contradicts their's even when they give a good explanation of how they could.
And this rule applies here. Ukraine is stupid to use Nazi symbols, but symbols are ultimately mere symbols, they don't objectively mean anything, and as such, the meaning can shift if there is enough mass change, given that mass meaning is how they become meaningful in the first place.
“What worries me, in the Ukrainian context, is that people in Ukraine who are in leadership positions, either they don’t or they’re not willing to acknowledge and understand how these symbols are viewed outside of Ukraine,” said Michael Colborne, a researcher at the investigative group Bellingcat who studies the international far right. “I think Ukrainians need to increasingly realize that these images undermine support for the country.”
Oh so it's their fault the rest of the world is a bunch of idiots.
So far, the imagery has not eroded international support for the war. It has, however, left diplomats, Western journalists and advocacy groups in a difficult position: Calling attention to the iconography risks playing into Russian propaganda. Saying nothing allows it to spread.
You acknowledge that the Far Right is small, and the only reason you hate the iconography ultimately boils down to Western interpretations instead of Ukrainian intentions.
Even Jewish groups and anti-hate organizations that have traditionally called out hateful symbols have stayed largely silent. Privately, some leaders have worried about being seen as embracing Russian propaganda talking points.
Did this section of leaders call this their sole concern, or did they also mention context?
Questions over how to interpret such symbols are as divisive as they are persistent, and not just in Ukraine. In the American South, some have insisted that today, the Confederate flag symbolizes pride, not its history of racism and secession. The swastika was an important Hindu symbol before it was co-opted by the Nazis.
As I said earlier, you can dive into both the actual history of a symbol and how the distortion of it can still create sincerely held falsehoods. And don't throw in the Hindu use of the Swastika, it looks different from the Nazi one in multiple ways, the temples with it bear no resemblance to European artwork, and the only people who knowingly conflate the two are Librandus who would hate Hinduism anyway do to real or perceived faults in it and its followers.
The patch in the photograph sets the Totenkopf atop a Ukrainian flag with a small No. 6 below. That patch is the official merchandise of Death in June, a British neo-folk band that the Southern Poverty Law Center has said produces “hate speech” that “exploits themes and images of fascism and Nazism.” The Anti-Defamation League considers the Totenkopf “a common hate symbol.” But Jake Hyman, a spokesperson for the group, said it was impossible to “make an inference about the wearer or the Ukrainian army” based on the patch. “The image, while offensive, is that of a musical band,” Hyman said.
Yes, that's an inconsistency on behalf of the ADL. If you actually want to make a statement, you can't deflect on the faults of others, you have to look at the truth. And the truth is, it's entirely in the realm of possibility that the guy wearing became a fan of the band because a Nazi blared it, or someone else heard a Nazi blare it and blared it themselves because they liked the music, and a hypothetical chain. Complex, perhaps veering on convuluted? Perhaps, but still within the realm of possibility just as, if not more than widespread Nazism.
The band now uses the photograph posted by the Ukrainian military to market the Totenkopf patch.
Hurray! Collective guilt predicated on tangentiality.
The soldier in the photograph was part of a volunteer unit called the Da Vinci Wolves, which started as part of the paramilitary wing of Ukraine’s “right sector,” a coalition of right-wing organizations and political parties that militarized after Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea. At least five other photographs on the Wolves’ Instagram and Facebook pages feature their soldiers wearing Nazi-style patches, including the Totenkopf.
Hold on, you established it as a right-wing paramilitary coalition, you can't call everyone there a Nazi. Perhaps the nationalists might as well be Nazis, but they didn't all take the plunge. Besides, right-wingers are predominantly stupid and reactive, they will adopt Nazi slogans if left-wingers call them nazi slogans. That's how the OK sign went from a 4chan troll to a legitimate symbol among the right.
NATO militaries, an alliance that Ukraine hopes to join, do not tolerate such patches. When such symbols have appeared, groups such as the Anti-Defamation League have spoken out, and military leaders have reacted swiftly.
Yes, because the context was different (or perhaps it wasn't and NATO made a debatably bad call).
Russian soldiers in Ukraine have also been seen wearing Nazi-style patches, underscoring how complicated interpreting these symbols can be in a region steeped in Soviet and German history.
No, that's different because the Soviets were in firm control of Russia before WWII, meanwhile Ukraine and others were under Soviet invasion, allowing the lines to have a grey zone in those areas. If those Russians were wearing symbols of the Red army, that would be equivalent.
Some Ukrainians joined Nazi military units such as the Waffen-SS Galizien. The emblem of the group, which was led by German officers, was a sky-blue patch showing a lion and three crowns. The unit took part in a massacre of hundreds of Polish civilians in 1944. In December, after a yearslong legal battle, Ukraine’s highest court ruled that a government-funded research institute could continue to list the unit’s insignia as excluded from the Nazi symbols banned under a 2015 law.
So Ukraine is actually trying to do something? What big event could interrupt such measures from occurring?
Also, the Unit was one unit, that likely got tangled into it by law of favor instead of anti-Polish sentiment.
That makes it difficult to easily separate, on the basis of icons alone, the Ukrainians enraged by the Russian invasion from those who support the country’s far-right groups.
And there it is, admission that this is just one big puff of smoke that you made to feel more important than you are.
“I think some of these far-right units mix a fair bit of their own mythmaking into the public discourse on them,” Colborne said. “But I think the least that can and should be done everywhere, not just Ukraine, is not allowing the far right’s symbols, rhetoric and ideas to seep into public discourse.”
Yes, the nuance of a sledgehammer because of fear and ideology.
submitted by KyletheAngryAncap to AntiWesternCircleJerk [link] [comments]


2023.06.06 07:53 PinkPengin [Thank You] Very, very behind

These are not in any particular order - some may have come a few weeks ago, some today.
But I do have good news: I did NOT work on cards at all this weekend, because I spent Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday all doing amazing fun things with my wife as we kicked off our celebration of Pride month. For those who don't know, we currently have two houses, in two different states, one where she mostly lives (in the U.S. Pacific Northwest) and one where I mostly live (in the U.S. Southwest, known as the Cactus Cathouse). We are gearing up to sell our northern outpost house and live together in the Cactus Cathouse, and this was sort of our "last hurrah" weekend before showings and whatnot really get started.
But now, I'm trying to get cardthings caught up so that I'm not trying to deal with them during the eventual relocation, starting with these thanks and hopefully progressing on to a request and an offer tomorrow as time permits.
Also, someone in this (long) list sent me a lovely, large rainbow snail vinyl sticker, but I couldn't tell whose mail it came from. (Maybe u/amyt13?) Anyway, whoever you are, I appreciate you immensely and I'm sorry for not organizing myself better.
Thanks to:
(First of all, thanks to the flair team, because yikes this is the worst and I'm very sorry!)
u/amabisca - This handmade purple card (my favorite color!) is amazing and was such an uplifting surprise. Thank you so, so much!
u/amyt13 (x2) - Thank you for the beautiful handmade collage card, the Oscar Wilde card, and all the extras! I hope you are able to find a good place to call home too - the one you were describing sounds like my kind of town, and I hope it works out. I'll cross my fingers for you!
u/AppleCritter723 - This cute botanical card/letter I an opening from you is dated in April. APRIL, friend. I am sorry. It is full of good news and cute stickers and I swear I will write actual mail and not just send weird envelopes of things to you and your "bigger little" soon. I hope your Memorial Day weekend travels weren't too bad, and that Gandalf the adventurer is letting you occasionally stay inside. You created a meow-monster!
u/awachob - Goose!! I can't believe I got to be the goose! Thank you so much for a fun offer. (And for the neat stickers!)
u/blue-wanderer-quartz - I am very late saying thanks for the Five of Pentacles cat tarot sticker reading, but it was incredibly appropriate to read about pooling resources as my wife and I re-combine households in part due to love but in large part due to, well, wanting to actually have disposable income! I think it's interesting that we both chose pentacles for each other! (And the cat postcard your reading is on is very cute, I don't want to forget that!)
u/bluedecemberart (x2) - I love the vintage VA hospital postcard from Maine... and we already chatted about the "not noticing the chores" thing but rereading the card as I went to post this made me sure again that we are somehow the same person. WEIRD, but COOL. And your New York skyline postcard is lovely, and now I want to watch A Crown of Candy!
u/championvilla - I adore this MarioKart card! My wife and I used to play a lot (right now, we have the game systems packed for house-showing). I hope that your husband is continuing to feel better (and that the cat finally decided to get off of him, lol!)
u/chiquita61 - The sloth mermaid dolphin thank-you card with penguin stickers is absolutely wonderful... and I am so happy you liked my "reject" sticker card in all its glory!
u/comingtogetyoubabs (x6) - This crystal ball card with Petit's ABSOLUTE WISDOM is just amazing, friend. (Also, did I get a little teary at "writer of hugs in card form" MAYBE). And the amazing goodies you included - the cat-yang patch, your beautiful handmade notepaper... there is no way I deserve the awesomeness that is you "buzzing" into my life. And then the second cat card and all the goodies, including the adorable bookmark...! And THEN I realized you had hand-drawn me three tarot cards that you wrote about, AND then I found your origami letter... I am in awe, friend. You are wonderful!
u/cswl (x10) - This is what I get for not keeping up with my thanks, I feel silly with how behind I am for you, my dear friend! (Both in thanking AND in writing back.) Thank you for the cute plant notecard (I do not do Informed Delivery because it will just make me sad, I think); the red fox postcard (did you go to Fogo, which is one of my favorite places ever??); the "sources of acid" postcard (I always feel better when I have time for myself too, and also always delay it too long); the absolutely delicious LouPaper charcuterie board postcard (I have both too many cards and somehow never the ones I really feel like I wish I had to send people); the postcard from The Lion King (yay garage sale days!); the Strange Planet vibrating cat postcard (so outnumbered, I have given up, they are in charge now); the two different New Yorker cartoon cards (you are 100% right - hard times are harder on the one holding down the fort in SO many ways, been there/done that, and also guilt trips suck and I'm sorry the person tried to send you on one); the cute bird saying hi card (the one-house thing was her idea first, and it will definitely be for the best, though I need to make sure I keep focusing on me too!); and especially thanks for "Content Lives Everywhere" collage you made - that is just wonderful. You are so great. I am sorry I'm such a bad postal pal but I'm trying to do better!
u/dazeyferry (x2) - My dear friend, this penguin with flowers card is AMAZING and I am so, so grateful that you thought of me when you saw it. And the little floral thank-you card addition was perfect as well. I love you and I am so glad we are friends! As far as bingeworthy shows - have you seen Ted Lasso? Schmigadoon? (Both on AppleTV.) Those are amazing. We also started watching Hello, Tomorrow, which is a bit sad sometimes but really good! I'll try to think of some more, too.
u/draconic_healing - I love this little tiny Polaroid-style postcard - it's adorable! Please pet the kitty for me - I couldn't tell if you wrote "Bear" or "Bean" but both are great names!
u/dwrfstr - This gold penguin card is amazing and adorable and I cannot believe your luck to find it thrifted! I picked up a set of hundreds of vintage postcards from an art reuse store that's near where we met up, and I ended up with, like, 16 of the same weird chapel at a church camp in South Dakota, so you definitely win...
u/fancayschmanzayyy - Your cat thank-you card was wonderful (as were the cool stickers!) And most of all, I very much appreciate you telling me about your act of kindness and I especially appreciate your caregiving nature. I cared for my mom for many years before she passed away and stories like the one you told will always be especially important to me. You make a difference and I am so grateful you exist!
u/Fancykiddens (x2) - I feel terribly, terribly guilty for how late I am thanking you for this amazing CARD-CEPTION package!! First, from the pengin section: the pengin family you drew me, how awesome are they?! You are so talented! I almost never keep envelopes but this one got immediately saved with my "penguin stash." Then there was your beautiful handmade Frida Kahlo card - exactly my vibe, I love it! The penguin goodie bag with the penguins and their fish snackles inside was adorable too. And then, moving to the "monsteroo" or cute monster section, I adored your Monsters Inc. letter and goodies as well! I especially liked hearing that, at the time you wrote it, you were feeling particularly well and accomplished, and I adored hearing how much carding has helped your outlook. SAME, FRIEND. So much so!!
u/feellikebeingajerk (x2) - Holly Hobbie card (the first, maybe?) has arrived! And yes, it brought back awesome memories. I didn't get a lot of "trendy" things growing up, as my parents and I didn't have a lot of money, but there was a discount department store near us, sort of an early version of a T.J. Maxx or Ross that was called Hills, and it would sometimes get slight misprints or seconds of things like bedding, which is, I am -positive-, how I came to be able to have Holly Hobbie. And I don't remember anything "wrong" with it, so, way to go, Mom of PinkPengin, for that find! LOL. Also, thanks for the cool Papyrus thank-you card from your random offer, and for the stickers!
u/fieldofcabins - This adorable bee thank-you postcard is so great (and the penguin as the stamp image, ahhh!) I am glad your dad is healing and please let him know I'm still thinking of him. (And of course I'm always thinking of you, too!)
u/GizmoDOS - Thanks for the solar system postcard, friend! I loved hearing from you. Life really has been hectic lately. I hope yours is moving in the direction of settling down. Mine is going to be rough briefly but then hopefully a lot smoother!
u/hermitcreature - I love this Studio Ghibli-themed card and all the great stickers and dragon facts from your book (and the amazing Zimbabwean owl stamp)! I hope you will like your card from me in exchange when it arrives - I just sent it this week, I am very sorry!
u/HexagonalRainbow - I loved your anime postcard but even more, I loved hearing about your concert!
u/isar-love (x2) - These cartoon owls with their hats and shoes on your card from March are AMAZING! (And the accompanying postcard with more behatted owls also made my day!) I agree with you very much that owl facial expressions are the thing that especially warms my heart to them. They seem so intelligent and curious and often kind (especially in illustrations) with their big eyes looking right at me! I have several little stuffed-animal friend owls, including two very special ones named Swoops (who is tan) and Fwoops (who is pink, though his name reference is from fuschia - he is a "Fuschia Swoops" - way better than a Pink Swoops, who I fear would have to be "Poops," LOL!) Thank you so much for your wonderful kindness and friendship and fun mail!
u/jaimekj - Thank you for the floral card, great stickers and most importantly your note and your friendship! I do like New Mexico (more than my part of the Southwest, honestly, but we had family reasons we picked where we did)! I'm crossing my fingers about an interest-rate drop. If I had my choice, I'd either like to find someone bigger in Washington, or move back to Pennsylvania, I think. There are ups and downs to both. And I will VERY much hate going back to snow, that's one thing I do love about where I am in the desert!
u/jvanct88 - I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to have a letter from you with an update (and updated address), dear friend! In one way, I am VERY sorry for all the things you have been finding out, but in another way I am happy that you finally know the truth and I believe that knowing it will be very helpful in having closure and a good feeling as you move to a new chapter in your life. And I am VERY hopeful that your tattoo came out amazing! I am a big, big fan of tattoos and piercings. A funny story is that I got 2 new tattoos and several piercings when my wife and I were separated, including a nosering, which she always said she hated. (She didn't mind other tattoos and piercings generally.) When we got back together, she apologized for ever saying that, and said how good it looks on me. That was nice, but I very plainly also told her, "I wouldn't care even if you hate it, because I love it and I'm keeping it forever." LOL! Anyway, I love this dinosaur princess cactus card and I am very happy to hear from you and will write to you again soon!
u/KatDuq (x3) - My dear friend!! This butterfly card you made to thank me for MY card in honor of your new letter opener is beautiful (as are the included penguin stickers, which are beautiful, of course!) I also loved your separate letter talking about the things you make. I do journal, sometimes, but I suffer from the problem of all notebook and journal-havers... I hate to USE the beautiful books I have lest I "mess them up!" What really helped me get out of that mindset somewhat was actually the Happy Planner notebooks, because I felt like I could always remove pages and rearrange! And now I am getting into bookbinding and I feel like that helps too because I can more easily make things "modular" and not have the fear of ruining a whole gigantic book right off the bat. I know that's perfectionism talking and I am working on getting rid of that mindset altogether, but for now, baby steps. And HUGE congrats on what you've sold, you definitely have a customer in me if you get an online store set up! Finally, thank you for the lovely oracle reading, which (unsurprisingly) was just what I needed to hear now, tonight, as I write this! I specifically didn't look closely at it until now because I figured I'd see it when the time was right and... yup. I did. You are amazing and I appreciate you sharing your beautiful new deck with me. (And that logo stamp you got! SO worth it, it looks amazing!)
u/littlemermaidxx - Your Pride Is Everyday postcard is beautiful - thank you so much! I have Pride happy mail coming your way too.
u/maiiiu (x3) - WOW, you are way too kind to me!! What an adorable thank-you postcard, first of all. And I adored your wonderful handmade penguin collage thank-you card too, and loved hearing the good news about your summer trip plans. I hope it is a truly special time for you and your dear best friend! And then this custom penguin stationery... WOW. You are just amazing and I am very grateful! (Also, the way you attached your sticker gifts in your collage card was great, I might steal that method.)
u/melhen16 - Where did you find this amazing desert-post-office-style card? Did you make it? It's amazing! (And thank you for the beautiful stickers, too!)
u/mumbagoespainting (x3) - Your handmade hometown card is so beautiful, my friend! I loved hearing how you learned to say it. (I admit - I get that one wrong on the first try and have to correct myself every time, despite being from not terribly far south, where we heard it more than occasionally!) And your watercolor dragon is absolutely fabulous!! I loved hearing that we have very similar color tastes - purples, grays, teal! Seeing the dragon pick up those colors was perfect. Finally, your black-and-white abstract card with the glitter made me smile, though I was sad to read about why you had to miss the trip... I hope you are feeling better! And, of course, thank you again for all your stickers and other extras and most importantly for your kindness and friendship. I am beyond grateful for you!!
u/ninajyang - I like the crafty postcard from Pipsticks! And yeah... Hairspray... love the music, definitely not sure about some other things... sigh.
u/nirelleth - I absolutely adore this great penguin and fox postcard for our "wish" exchange! I hope you like yours when it arrives, too. (I just sent it last week, I am so sorry for the wait!) I think my favorite fact about penguins is that they are not all polar; in fact, some of my favorites are temperate ones. (I say, in fact, that I myself am a "temperate pengin!")
u/non_avian (x3) - I am VERY sorry this has taken me so long to write (and even to open and fully enjoy). Your handmade Scoffby postcard with my past-present-future reading was absolutely amazing and is going on my "display shelf" of some of my most treasured cards! I need to know how you made his crystal ball, which is gorgeous! Also, please tell Scoffby that I am very much food-motivated (in fact, I just bribed myself tonight with hibachi). So, his signature chant is VERY well-placed when directed at me. I also adored your letter and the cute paper it was written on, and I am thrilled about the Furby washi card and all the goodies, too! I had no idea that Furby washi even existed, though I guess I shouldn't be surprised... and the capy noodles sticker and adorable penguins and everything else... I am so grateful. I have some mail coming your way very soon; all the "parts" are ready, I just need to put them together and actually get it sent!
u/Peonynote (x2) - Your cat thank-you card was adorable and most importantly, I am so excited for all your travels (and I LOVED seeing your penguin friends together!) And the lovely rainbow card with penguin stickers and super-cute penguin sticky note, in honor of Pride Month, made my day! I hope your walking is going well, still, now that it's getting warmer and stickier.
u/ResidentComposer1939 - I loved your sweet bird notecard and your penguin drawing (it's WAY better than my drawings, let me tell you!)
u/SherlockLady (x3) - Your beautiful butterfly card was lovely as it was, and then I saw the cute mini-card with the reminder about being the happiest/healthiest version of myself, AND the special penguin painting from your young carding apprentice... and wow, I just felt so special! What an awesome gift.
u/soft_distortion - This Gender Is Such a Drag postcard is perfecttttttttt. I loved hearing about the drag brunches too!
u/thecalendonianrose - This square penguin card is amazing and I am so grateful that you thought of sending it to me! (And all the stickers are lovely, thank you!) My wife and allllll the kitties say hello back.
u/TigerLady13 - This is definitely a late thanks, I apologize! But I appreciated the vintage Continental Divide postcard and the "Peng-Win" pun... made me giggle!
u/TyeDyeAmish - I love this pufferfish card, and I have really enjoyed getting to chat with you recently! Most importantly, how was the book sale?! I'm fairly certain it's one I've been to in the past, based on the date you said you were going, and I miss it and a few others in the area so much!
u/umeshufan - Why, yes, this Cat Island postcard DOES look like my house, and yes, there are really 19 inside, and even funnier, YES, I am allergic to cats. The thing is, you do build up a tolerance to ones you are around regularly, but when I travel and then come back, it is truly a nightmare. Thankfully I almost never let any in my bedroom and never to sleep, so I can at least breathe overnight!
u/wabisabi_sf (x2) - My friend, I am in awe of these amazing pink-and-penguin-themed pieces of happy mail!! I had never seen these before and I am DEFINITELY going to be getting more. You are so wonderful to me!
u/welshfancy (x5) - Thanks for the Laughlin postcard (very belatedly)! Your trip to Long Beach sounds almost as multi-stop as my recent cards' journeys to you, though thankfully you didn't need your passport, at least?! And thank you also for the amazing handmade "blooms" collage card (which, as far as I'm concerned, is appropriate for spring OR summer, so it seems perfectly timed to me); the great cat mini-card that you wrote while either eating breakfast or getting your tires changed on your travels; the penguin-with-J-based-life-preserver doodle (which I thought was GREAT, so don't even say it's worse than your others, which I also liked!); and your lovely letter on penguin paper, plus of course the bonus stationery! You spoil me!! I'm thinking of you as you try to decide "what's next" locationally, too.
u/yetanotherblankface - I think your beautiful handmade card for the "Hometown" meta challenge is giving exactly the right vibes! It certainly made me feel cozy and relaxed, which is the feeling I'd most like to associate with home.
u/yviantics - Your hand-drawn Pink Party Penguin postcard with its lovely hat, and the great penguin sticker, absolutely made my day!! I do not draw well at all and I am always amazed when people who can will share their talent with me. Thank you so, so much! (And, by the way, I tried the bananas-and-barbecue-chips combo and was really surprised at how good it was, so thanks for that, too!)
u/56thorns and u/UseYourRuler - Thank you for the wonderful postcard from the "Falls!" My wife and I were there to ring in the New Year for 2019 and I've been a couple other times too. Such a lovely place for a getaway, and it sounds like you had fun!
u/todayisfab, u/sebisrude and u/KeenEvergreen - In my stack of not-thanked-yet mail I found my very own postcard from our meetup, and it made me smile all over again. Thank you all so much, again, for a fun day. And to whichever of you put penguin stickers on this along with the cacti - I am super impressed that you pulled that off without me noticing, they are WAY too cute.
submitted by PinkPengin to RandomActsofCards [link] [comments]


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submitted by sandcolour_blog to u/sandcolour_blog [link] [comments]


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2023.06.06 06:46 MysteriousWon My Ultimate Custom Designed Gwent 2.0 Game Board and Deck Box!

My Ultimate Custom Designed Gwent 2.0 Game Board and Deck Box!
I'm so excited that it's finally done that I wanted to share it with people who can appreciate it since I only have a few friends I can actually play with. I hope no one minds a junk pile of images haha.
So first things first, I want to clarify that I did NOT build this myself. I commissioned this, and I couldn't be happier with the work of the artisans who made it. They were extremely communicative and built it to my exact specifications and even made a few fantastic suggestions of their own. I'm blown away by the construction, design and quality so let me share some photos!

Gameboard: Front/Top
The board is made from real oak so it feels very solid and looks fantastic.

Full Board: Top View
I had this designed with Gwent 2.0 from Novigrad Tavern in mind. The bottom left spaces are: far left - Leader Card, to the right - I call this the transformation space. In standard Gwent, only Bovine Defense force, and Werebears need this as a part of their mechanic (cards that remain out of play/deck until they are summoned through card effects). However, in 2.0, the Toussaint faction also has the Monsters of Toussaint mechanic which functions the same way so I figured I should have a space built in for it (that's what the three symbols are for). For decks without this mechanic its a nice square to set your Faction abilities card.

Geralt Pyrography Art

Yen Pyrography Art
The Geralt and Yen portraits were my idea of a sort of player one/player two indicator. I asked if the art could be used since it was extremely detailed and stylized and they did it. I'm happy with the results. The photo here makes Yen in particular look a little odd but it looks really good in person. The portraits are underneath where the points trackers sit.

Tiered Board Levels

Deck Box: What wonders await inside?

Two door opening with space for the 10 factions

Art for each of the 10 factions in their respective deck space with labeled names from the top and bottom fold out flaps.

Right Side Flap: Geralt's Silver Sword and points tracker

Left Side Flap: Geralt's Steel Sword and 2nd points tracker.

When you remove the points trackers, swords and other lids... Voila!
Removing the locks and lids seen in the previous images reveals the storage spaces for the game tokens. 2 gems for each player, Faction flag/figurines with labeled stands for use on the gameboard (images coming up), weather token indicators (for help remembering on both sides of the board when drinking), and smaller faction tokens to be used to keep score on the points trackers.

Five Original Factions Side

Five Expansion Factions Side

Decks Sold Separately

Game Time!

Points trackers in the portraits slots with faction figurines

Action Shot

Carrying Straps for the Deck Box: notice the signs on the handle!

Carrying Straps for the Gameboard

Complimentary Two Drink Coaster: They must have known how card players roll. I didn't even ask for this :)
An additional thing of note, I always sleeve my cards in any specialty game I play so I asked if they could design everything with the extra length and with of my card sleeves in mind and they did it no problem. This is my pride and joy (my daughter too, of course) and I can't wait to play. I'm lined up to hang out with my best friend this week who's equally psyched. This was NOT cheap. I literally saved specifically for this but man does it feel worth it. Time to start accosting people in public for a round of Gwent.
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2023.06.06 06:28 Sgabonna "You shall have no other gods before me" does not mean there aren't other gods, the fallen angels or the gods of Ancient myths are simply no longer with us.

In Exodus 20:3 it says,
"You shall have no other gods before me. "
This doesn't affirm that there are no other gods, but that no other gods should be worshiped before Him.
The context given as to why they shouldn't have any God before them is Exodus 20:2
" I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. "
The reason the God of the Jews gave as to why they should only worship Him in Exodus 20:4-6 was:
" You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing loving devotion to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments. "
The God that sits above all, that is both the creator and created, the eternal God, would have no need to be Jealous, for He knows what will come, He is present in all of us, which makes me wonder why Jesus said this to the Jews who disputed His claim in John 8:44:
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies
He claimed that they could not be doing the work of the one true God, as they desired to 'kill him' in John 8:39-41:
“Abraham is our father,” they answered.
“If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would[c] do what Abraham did. As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the works of your own father.”
“We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.”
Jesus went on to explain in John 8:42 that:
“If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me.
The Jews tried to accuse Jesus of being a Samaritan and Demon-possessed in John 8:48-53, however they misunderstood what Jesus was saying, that the soul cannot die, only the flesh can die.
The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?”
“I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.”
Jesus explains that God, the highest glorifies Him, that he has come from the divine realm and knows Him, and that Abraham is also up there and is 'glad', in John 8:54-56:
Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”
Then just before he was attacked for his claim he said in John 8:58-59:
“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”
What he was saying is that the Divine Realm, Heaven, exists outside of time and space, that the eternal realm is different than this finite and death filled realm. The soul is different than the body.
He further explained at the beginning of John 2:16-20 that the body is simply the Temple for the soul after interacting with the money changers in the man made temple of God.
To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!”His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”[c]
The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”
Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”
They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” But the temple he had spoken of was his body.
From these interctions it makes sense that Jesus came to save our souls, not our bodies. The bodies are the temples, they are important in that they're the houses for the souls. But the Jews did not understand this and believe that as the body dies, so to does the soul, as they mentioned with Abraham. Though what it also raises is why would a God who created all life on Earth, who would love us all equally, who understands that the Souls are the things created in the image of God as in Genesis 26, for God is eternal, yet the Temple is impermanent.
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
Why would a God who sits beyond time and space, who is eternal, who is both creator and created, who created man in His image be a Jealous God?
We know that there are Angels, and that some of the Angels 'fell' from God's Grace. The word Angel comes from the Greek word Messenger. So the Angels, as I understand it are simply messengers of the highest God, they were also created, imbued with knowledge. The fallen Angels who lived on this Earth before the flood of Noah, sound very much like the Pagan gods, that of Ancient Egypt, of Ancient Rome, of Ancient Greece, of Ancient India, of Ancient Mesopotamia.
These little 'g' gods, or Angels, who ruled over the inhabitants of Earth do seem likely to have existed. And from what it seems, although all these religions have the understanding of a One True Creator. In Hinduism they call Him Brahman, the Buddha (who understood Vedic scripture) called him 'House Builder', the one who build the temple, the Jews call Him YHWH, The Christian's call Him God, the Muslim's call Him Allah, etc. All of these religions have the conception of a one true God, but it doesn't mean that there aren't lesser gods that were created by the one true god who are 'competing' with each other'.
Now if we go back to the original point of the God of the Jews,
The Jews were rescued out of slavery and chosen by a single 'god', the Creator God would have no favourites on Earth as we are all a part of His infinity.
So the fact that the God of the Jews rescued only them out of Egypt, and not any of the other Egyptian slaves (they all got left behind):
" I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. "
Then this god proclaimed not that there weren't other gods, but that the Jews should have no other god before him.
And the reason for doing this is that, "I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God..." just doesn't make sense if considering an immortal being. We know that humans have been tricked by dieties in the past, eve was tricked into eaten from the Tree of Knowledge, gaining self awareness, or awareness of her nakedness in the process, and subsequently disconnecting herself from God.
And we know that Satan tried to test Jesus when he wandered in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights.
So couldn't the burning bush be just as likely to have been lesser god, just like the snake who deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden?
There are most definitely lesser gods, all the ancient myths and religions refer to these lesser gods living among humans, yet for the last 6,000 years we've been separated from them and given the opportunity to develop on our own.
If these lesser gods, or fallen angels as in Genesis 6:4 had slept with the Daughters of Man, the Mortal 'Temples'.
The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.
Then the myths being described in the Ancient Greek Epics such as Homers Odessy, The Battle of Troy, as well as the lesser gods of Hindu and other traditions may in fact be created beings, like us, but whom were meant to guide us, or perhaps just to watch over us.
If we can accept that our soul is the goal, that the image of God is our eternal soul, and the aim of God is for us to develop into the likeness of God, to learn, to be kind, to be loving to others. Then the temples he created for us, our bodies, are vessels in which we can develop.
Those Fallen Angels, or gods, simply disobeyed God for what ever selfish reason, and decided to interfere with the 'plan', this is the issue with 'Free Will', or 'Self-awareness'. It is from an awareness of self, and the choice between selfish of selfless behaviors that we assess whether a behaviour is 'Good', or 'Evil'. At the most basic level, to be 'Good' is to be selfless, to focus on ourselves insofar as it will at a later stage help others, to be 'Evil' is to be selfish, to do everything to satisfy our own desires.
Lucifer whom is considered the most 'Evil' based on his falling away from God committed the Sin of Pride, selfishly thinking that he had more foresight on how humans should behave than 'God' the infinite and eternal creator.
It is this selfishness that makes me wonder whether the 'Jealous' God, is a god that is still selfishly trying to prove themselves to the Eternal Creator God, and asks of the group of people that he saved from slavery to worship him before all other gods. In the hope that at the end of days, when Prophecy is fulfilled and the Messiah comes again, that it will either be a Messiah that will let the Jews rule the world, or will show the world that we are all one, and that God loves us all and has purposefully separated us by language, and given us different cultures, gods, and religions. Knowing that all paths lead to God, and showing that the diversity of understandings from all the races of the world, help paint a more full picture of an unknowable eternal God.
The best way to give a description of why God will do this can be expressed by the Parable of the blind men and an elephant.
We do not have the ability to 'See', God, so have to use our other faculties, such as intellect, understanding, love, and service to others, to develop our understanding of an Eternal and All-Loving being.
The Parable goes:
A group of blind men heard that a strange animal, called an elephant, had been brought to the town, but none of them were aware of its shape and form. Out of curiosity, they said: "We must inspect and know it by touch, of which we are capable". So, they sought it out, and when they found it they groped about it. The first person, whose hand landed on the trunk, said, "This being is like a thick snake". For another one whose hand reached its ear, it seemed like a kind of fan. As for another person, whose hand was upon its leg, said, the elephant is a pillar like a tree-trunk. The blind man who placed his hand upon its side said the elephant, "is a wall". Another who felt its tail, described it as a rope. The last felt its tusk, stating the elephant is that which is hard, smooth and like a spear.
By the time revelations has been fulfilled, humanity should have a better understanding of who God is, and if the prophecy is true, God will live among us, not just in human form. Distinguished by the 'Throne of God', and the 'Lamb of God' in Revelations 22:1-5:
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
submitted by Sgabonna to Christianity [link] [comments]