Lupup's Den

Amihan || Female (She/Her) || 29 icon by sangled Radiographer by day, storyteller by night.

[xuethms]

◍ hydrogen theme.

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[animelupup]

OC-tober 2022 Day 1: Oldest OC (Prompts are from OCtober 2020) "Rumor has it, if you can weather The Storm, you can thrive as an entertainer." Rei "The Arashi" Arata has come a long way from high school mary sue to talent management. It's wonderful to see how she's grown and I hope I can bring her out more. #OCtober2022 #originalcharacter #artistsoninstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/CjOB7jqJxJJ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[chronicdharma]

[cervinelich]

this is why its depressing to work in a pharmacy.

[iatrogenic]

I was definitely a profit killer when I worked in a pharmacy (which honestly was my favorite job in the entire world, but it was short-lived and nowadays you can’t work at a pharmacy like that, it’s all tied in with corporate retail and no one should ever trust me with a cash register ever). It was not, however, actually a profit killer for the pharmacy, just for the drug companies, so no one cared. These days I do medical billing, which means I actually bill OUT from hospitals so I’m mostly spending my professional time taking money away from insurance companies. 

I will now impart all of my profit killing resources onto you, in case you don’t know them. I think most of you know them, now. But just in case you don’t.

THIS IS US-CENTRIC. I’M SORRY. 

1. GoodRx - this thing has an app now, so you can look up the best places to get your expensive medicines at the lowest possible prices without insurance on the go, and you no longer have to print coupons because you can just hand over your phone or tablet. Times have changed for the better with GoodRx. Definitely use it before trying to fill your scrip, because it will tell you the best place to go. (You can do that on the website, too.)

2. NeedyMeds - Needymeds is basically the clearinghouse of drug payment assistance. They have their own discount cards, but also connections to many patient assistance programs run by drug companies themselves. They are good assistance programs, too.

3. Ask your county - This is not a link. This is a pro tip. Most county social services will have pharmacy discount programs for people with no and/or shitty pharmaceutical coverage. You can often just find them hanging around at social services offices; you can just pick one up and walk off with it. 

4. Ordering online - There are a few safe online pharmacies. I keep a little database in a text file on my computer. Most of them are courtesy of CFS forums, my mother or voidbat, so a lot of that is a hat tip to other people, but if you’re in need of a place to get a drug without a prescription … first I’ll make sure you 100% know what you’re doing for safety reasons and then I’m happy to turn over a link. 

5. Healthfinder - A government resource that helps find patient assistance programs in your area. This might also point out the convenient county card thing. RxHope is something a lot of people get pointed to via Healthfinder that’s a good program.

6. Mental Health America - Keeps a list of their best PAPs for psychiatric medications, which can be some of the most expensive and a lot of pharmacy plans don’t cover them at all. 

[forevrdreamingofbetterthings]

This is so important ppl.

Signal boost the shit out of it!

[dynastylnoire]

Booooooooooooooooooost

[dysfunctionalqueer]

Good Rx Saved my family a hundred dollars a month while I was getting signed up for CHIP seriously it’s a life savor especially for ridiculously expensive drugs like abilify

[motivation-gems]

Useful info, friends! ;)

[quietborderlineinfo]

Since many of our followers are on medications, I feel like this would be an important resource. -Luna

[will-work-for-spoons]

Also! Some drug companies have patient assistance programs where they send you the drug for FREE if you are uninsured, or if your insurance doesn’t cover that drug.

Do a Google search for “patient assistant programs” + (your med), or search the manufacturers website. Sometimes the info is online; other times you have to call.

Even some of the big name pharma companies have this. It’s certainly not all companies, or all meds, but it is worth a shot.

Before Obamacare, I lost insurance and couldn’t pay for my mood stabilizers (kiiiiinda important to have those when you’re bipolar.) I was on generic Lamictal, but I went to the official Lamictal website, filled out a form with a valid prescription, and they mailed my meds to me every month for free.

If you know anything about bipolar disease, you know that that was a literal life saver. Patient assistance programs ftw!

[comtessedebussy]

This is so important given the recent vote to repeal Obamacare. And the cartoon above is so on point They’re literally voting to kill people. Literally.

[thebibliosphere]

Some of my meds are no longer going to be partially covered by my ridiculously expensive private insurance. I just used the GoodRX website to look it up, and I can either spend $40 at Target to pay for one of them out of pocket–per month–, or I can get it at Sams Club for $4. No that is not a typo. The drug I need to take every single day to keep my allergies from spiraling out of control (yay auto-immune bullshit) is literally ten times cheaper at Sams Club. Holy shit.

[fancyladssnacks]

Signal boost for my US buds

[birdiethebibliophile]

the problem with discord d&d

one person, for the fifth time: my parents are dead

everyone else, also for the fifth time: you cut out a little there what was that?

[jelloapocalypse]

PSA for literally everyone, I am SO tired of explaining this extremely simple fix to people

[pyrothorax]

PSA PSA for those who might not be able to read what this tiny ass screenshot says + without the unnecessary passive-aggressiveness:

Go to Voice & Video settings.

Turn off Automatically Determine Audio Sensitivity.

Move the slider over to the left to suit your sensitivity (avoid pushing it all the way to the left to cushion possible background noise).

This should prevent you from cutting out so long as said issues aren’t because of Microphone or Connection issues. Great fix for those with quiet voices or garbage microphones.

Here’s a screenshot of that for our visual learners. It’s a mobile screenshot, but desktop Discord looks exactly the same, just wider.

How hard was it to just explain that nicely?

[viostormcaller]

AHH I’VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS POST FOR MONTHS AND HAVE BEEN WISHING SOMEONE COULD BRING IT BACK THANK YOU SO MUCH

[tortagnamgnam]

This is the lucky clover cat. reblog this in 30 seconds & he will bring u good luck and fortune.

[unclebabie]

THIS ONE!!! THIS IS THE ONE THAT WORKS!!!!!

I reblogged him the day i started treatment and 1. GOT TO MY APPOINTMENT ON TIME 2. FOUND A FREE PARKING TICKET SOMEONE LEFT IN THE METER FOR ME AND 3. GOT FREE STARBUCKS AFTER MY APPOINTMENT!!!!!

[cutedemonbabe]

I’m convinced bc I reblogged this on Friday, got hired at a job I had a million interviews for, went on a first date that went well, and got kissed a billion times so like hell ya to the luck cat

[shrimphat22]

it him

[nebula-of-esteem-deactivated201]

I’ll blog it just because people need to see this cat, but let’s hope I get luck too.

[lokahjarta]

i reblogged this yesterday and today my mom paid for pedicures and dinner for my fiancé and i out of the blue 💁

[animelupup]

.... Holy shit, has it really been like... 3 months since I posted anything?

[cos-mic-gob-lin]

Tumblr users are often so arrogant and it shows. They can draw a full cast of POC characters but when POC say "Hey we want more than just our skin tone" they're suddenly deaf as shit.

Representation on Tumblr has become a way for white people to win brownie points just because they took a Hershey's bar and slapped it onto a person's skin tone.

The most disgusting thing is that they insist on making JUST African-Americans. They insist on making JUST one facial type, one nose type, one lip type, one hair type, one slang type, one skin tone.

And when they make a person Asian, it's Japanese. And when they make a person Hispanic, it's Mexican. And when they make a person indigenous, they never specify on which tribe/nation they came from, but you'll bet they're Native AMERICAN.

But my favorite part is when other POC demand representation and those same fucking white people are like "But but but look at all my black characters!!!!"

POC isn't just confined to America.

POC isn't just black.

POC isn't just Japanese.

POC isn't just Mexican.

POC isn't just Native American.

It's from the Miskitu in Nicaragua, from the highlands of Ethiopia, from the deserts of Saudi Arabia, from the mountains of Indonesia. It's from the arroz con gandules, from the folk music, from the festivals. It's many cultures blending, it's speaking more than just English, it's dealing with racism unique to our countries of origin.

It's more than just one universal experience, and white Tumblr isn't willing to show that.

[seafoam-aliens]

Basically for the people who refuse to fucking read

Can you guys do some actual fucking research on anywhere other than whats at the borders of America before you slap a random ethnicity or race onto a character?

[cos-mic-gob-lin]

Btw: White people PLEASE reblog but do not clown on the post.

[lifelinelover-blog]

REBLOG THIS IF YOU’RE PART OF THE LIFELINE GAME FANDOM!

I WANNA FIND OTHER PEOPLE TO FANGIRL OVER TAYLOR WITH AND SHARE HEADCANONS AND STUFF!

[movemequotes]

Once a little boy went to school. One morning The teacher said: “Today we are going to make a picture.” “Good!” thought the little boy. He liked to make all kinds; Lions and tigers, Chickens and cows, Trains and boats; And he took out his box of crayons And began to draw.

But the teacher said, “Wait!” “It is not time to begin!” And she waited until everyone looked ready. “Now,” said the teacher, “We are going to make flowers.” “Good!” thought the little boy, He liked to make beautiful ones With his pink and orange and blue crayons. But the teacher said “Wait!” “And I will show you how.” And it was red, with a green stem. “There,” said the teacher, “Now you may begin.”

The little boy looked at his teacher’s flower Then he looked at his own flower. He liked his flower better than the teacher’s But he did not say this. He just turned his paper over, And made a flower like the teacher’s. It was red, with a green stem.

On another day The teacher said: “Today we are going to make something with clay.” “Good!” thought the little boy; He liked clay. He could make all kinds of things with clay: Snakes and snowmen, Elephants and mice, Cars and trucks And he began to pull and pinch His ball of clay.

But the teacher said, “Wait!” “It is not time to begin!” And she waited until everyone looked ready. “Now,” said the teacher, “We are going to make a dish.” “Good!” thought the little boy, He liked to make dishes. And he began to make some That were all shapes and sizes.

But the teacher said “Wait!” “And I will show you how.” And she showed everyone how to make One deep dish. “There,” said the teacher, “Now you may begin.”

The little boy looked at the teacher’s dish; Then he looked at his own. He liked his better than the teacher’s But he did not say this. He just rolled his clay into a big ball again And made a dish like the teacher’s. It was a deep dish.

And pretty soon The little boy learned to wait, And to watch And to make things just like the teacher. And pretty soon He didn’t make things of his own anymore.

Then it happened That the little boy and his family Moved to another house, In another city, And the little boy Had to go to another school.

The teacher said: “Today we are going to make a picture.” “Good!” thought the little boy. And he waited for the teacher To tell what to do. But the teacher didn’t say anything. She just walked around the room.

When she came to the little boy She asked, “Don’t you want to make a picture?” “Yes,” said the little boy. “What are we going to make?” “I don’t know until you make it,” said the teacher. “How shall I make it?” asked the little boy. “Why, anyway you like,” said the teacher. “And any color?” asked the little boy. “Any color,” said the teacher. And he began to make a red flower with a green stem.

~Helen Buckley, The Little Boy

[lynati]

…

[bogleech]

I hate that I hesitated to reblog this just because I expect people to think it’s pretentious or melodramatic when it’s seriously real as fuck and I’ve witnessed it

[fartsandprayers]

This is what happened to me. I was young, first grade. 

All the other kids have one teacher, while I had two, though I was in the same class. I took recess by myself. When the other’s took recess, I was constantly quizzed by my second teacher and shown how to color properly because ‘You don’t want your pictures to look like theirs, do you?’ I just wanted to color. 

When I was allowed to participate with the rest of the class, I felt odd. “How fast does the earth move?” The main teacher asked. “100 miles an hour!” “One bajillion miles a hour!” I raised my hand. “Yes?” I swallowed and smiled. “I think it’s closer to 100,000 kilometers per hour.” I didn’t guess, I stated a fact. I was happy. And proud. Because I knew the answer. But somehow, when the teacher said ‘That’s correct’, it was with a large amount of disappointment and odd looks from the other kids. What had I done wrong? I didn’t answer questions anymore.

When I was in the class with my second teacher, we did reading flash cards. “What does this say?” “Government.” She frowned. “And just how do you know that?” I answered as simply as I could. “It doesn’t sound like it’s spelled. It has ‘Govern’ like the governor, and it has ‘ment’ that rhymes vent which is what’s above us! Government!” “That’s not how you learn words, you need to remember how to spell them. Try the next one.” Why did it matter? I remembered and could read it. So I had to learn the ‘correct’ way to spell and read.

So on and so on until 5th grade, when I was falling behind all the other students and was told to try harder and pay attention. ‘Show your work or it counts against you.’ But I didn’t have any work to show… 45 X 3 just is 135. What work was I supposed to show when something was a fact? So I had to relearn math so my teacher didn’t flunk me out.

This has followed me into adulthood. “Think outside the box.” I can’t. There is a small area outside the box I am allowed and no further. That is what I have been taught. When someone wants something from you in this way, they want to know where it came from and for it to match their ideals… not something they can’t understand or want to consider. And there is always a right answer, even if you are just coming up with ideas.

“Do you have any ideas on this matter?” My boss asks. I shrug. “It’s not something for me weigh in on, that’s beyond my area.”

You broke me. You broke thousands of kids who could have been the new Tesla, Curie, or Einstein. And you wonder why new ideas aren’t new? Because you told us, at a very early age, that a new idea must already conform to what you understand and are comfortable with. 

[mrmcweasel]

Let’s think about how much more advanced we would be as a society if our school systems didn’t break kids.

[strongorcbutch-deactivated20220]

Once again a reminder: In the modern US school system, this is a feature, not a bug. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT IT WANTS TO DO TO CHILDREN. IF IT DOESN’T GO THIS WAY SOMETIMES, IT’S BECAUSE OF TEACHERS WHO GO AGAINST ESTABLISHED PROTOCOLS, AND THEY OFTEN SUFFER FOR IT IF THEY DO SO.

[ecologiadigital]

Remember when that cop pepper-sprayed students in 2011? UC Davis paid $175K to scrub it from the internet’s memory https://t.co/5prbgrx1WL

— Xeni (@xeni) April 14, 2016

[daggers-drawn]

Nice try fuckers.

[steeleman]

$175K wasted with every reblog.

Let’s make sure they DON’T get their money’s worth.

[repost-this-image]

Oh hey, my 2020 vision says THE INTERNET NEVER FORGETS, MOTHERFUCKERS.

[cluegrrl]

Hey, so what exactly was that cops name again…?

[elfwreck]

Lt. John Pike. It took more than two years of legal battles to get his name, and the names of other officers involved, released to the public. 

He got fired… but retained his retirement benefits, and got  $38,000 worth of worker’s compensation for the stress he went through after the incident.

The students collectively received $1m, with each pepper-sprayed student receiving $30,000 individually.

[thecaffeinebookwarrior-deactiva]

How to Write a Novel:  Tips For Visual Thinkers.

1.  Plotting is your friend.

This is basically a must for all writers (or at least, it makes our job significantly easier/less time consuming/less likely to make us want to rip our hair out by the roots), but visual thinkers tend to be great at plotting.  There’s something about a visible outline that can be inexplicably pleasing to us, and there are so many great ways to go about it.   Here are a few examples: 

The Three-Act Structure

This one is one of the simplest:  it’s divided into the tried-and-true three acts, or parts, a la William Shakespeare, and includes a basic synopsis of what happens in each.  It’s simple, it’s familiar, it’s easy to add to, and it get’s the job done. 

It starts with Act I – i.e. the set-up, or establishing the status quo – which is usually best if it’s the shortest act, as it tends to bore audiences quickly.  This leads to Act II, typically the longest, which   introduces the disruptor and shows how characters deal with it, and is sandwiched by Act III (the resolution.)  

The Chapter-by-Chapter

This is the one I use the most.  It allows you to elucidate on the goings on of your novel in greater detail than the quintessential three act synopsis generally could, fully mapping out your manuscript one chapter at a time.  The descriptions can be as simple or as elaborate as you need them to be, and can be added to or edited throughout the progression of your novel.

Can easily be added to/combined with the three-act structure.

The Character Arc(s)

This isn’t one that I’ve used a lot, but it can be a lot of fun, particularly for voice-driven/literary works:  instead on focusing on the events of the plot, this one centralizes predominantly around the arc of your main character/characters.  As with its plot-driven predecessors, it can be in point-by-point/chapter-by-chapter format, and is a great way to map out character development.  

The Tent Moments

By “tent moments,” I mean the moments that hold up the foundation (i.e. the plot) of the novel, in the way that poles and wires hold up a tent.  This one builds off of the most prevalent moments of the novel – the one’s you’re righting the story around – and is great for writers that want to cut straight to the action.  Write them out in bullet points, and plan the rest of the novel around them.

The Mind Map

This one’s a lot of fun, and as an artist, I should probably start to use it more.  It allows you to plot out your novel the way you would a family tree, using doodles, illustrations, and symbols to your heart’s content.  Here’s a link to how to create basic mind maps on YouTube.

2.  “Show don’t tell” is probably your strong suit.

If you’re a visual thinker, your scenes are probably at least partially originally construed as movie scenes in your head.  This can be a good thing, so long as you can harness a little of that mental cinematography and make your readers visualize the scenes the way you do.

A lot of published authors have a real big problem with giving laundry lists of character traits rather than allowing me to just see for myself.  Maybe I’m spoiled by the admittedly copious amounts of fanfiction I indulge in, where the writer blissfully assumes that I know the characters already and let’s the personalities and visuals do the talking.  Either way, the pervasive “telling” approach does get tedious.

Here’s a hypothetical example.  Let’s say you wanted to describe a big, tough, scary guy, who your main character is afraid of.  The “tell” approach might go something like this:

Tommy was walking along when he was approached by a big, tough, scary guy who looked sort of angry.

“Hey, kid,” said the guy.  “Where are you going?”

“I’m going to a friend’s house,” Tommy replied.  

I know, right?  This is Boring with a capital ‘B.’  

On the other hand, let’s check out the “show” approach:

The man lumbered towards Tommy, shaved head pink and glistening in the late afternoon sun.  His beady eyes glinted predatorily beneath the thick, angry bushes of his brows.

“Hey, kid,” the man grunted, beefy arms folded over his pot belly.  “Where are you going?” 

“I’m going to a friend’s house,” Tommy replied, hoping the man didn’t know that he was ditching school.

See how much better that is?  We don’t need to be told the man is big, tough, and scary looking because the narrative shows us, and draws the reader a lot more in the process.  

This goes for scene building, too.  For example: 

Exhibit A:

Tyrone stepped out onto his balcony.  It was a beautiful night.

Lame.  

Exhibit B: 

Tyrone stepped out onto his balcony, looking up at the inky abyss of the night sky, dotted with countless stars and illuminated by the buttery white glow of the full moon.

Much better.

3.  But conversely, know when to tell.

A book without any atmosphere or vivid, transformative descriptors tends to be, by and large, a dry and boring hunk of paper.  That said, know when you’re showing the reader a little too much.

Too many descriptors will make your book overflow with purple prose, and likely become a pretentious read that no one wants to bother with.

So when do you “tell” instead of “show?”  Well, for starters, when you’re transitioning from one scene to the next.

For example:

As the second hand of the clock sluggishly ticked along, the sky ever-so-slowly transitioning from cerulean, to lilac, to peachy sunset.  Finally, it became inky black, the moon rising above the horizon and stars appearing by the time Lakisha got home.

These kind of transitions should be generally pretty immemorable, so if yours look like this you may want to revise.

Day turned into evening by the time Lakisha got home. 

See?  It’s that simple.

Another example is redundant descriptions:  if you show the fudge out of a character when he/she/they are first introduced and create an impression that sticks with the reader, you probably don’t have to do it again.  

You can emphasize features that stand out about the character (i.e. Milo’s huge, owline eyes illuminated eerily in the dark) but the reader probably doesn’t need a laundry list of the character’s physical attributes every other sentence.  Just call the character by name, and for God’s sake, stay away from epithets:  the blond man.  The taller woman.  The angel.  Just, no.  If the reader is aware of the character’s name, just say it, or rework the sentence. 

All that said, it is important to instill a good mental image of your characters right off the bat.

Which brings us to my next point…

4.  Master the art of character descriptions.

Visual thinkers tend to have a difficult time with character descriptions, because most of the time, they tend to envision their characters as played their favorite actors, or as looking like characters from their favorite movies or TV shows.

That’s why you’ll occasionally see characters popping up who are described as looking like, say, Chris Evans.  

It’s a personal pet peeve of mine, because A) what if the reader has never seen Chris Evans?  Granted, they’d probably have to be living on Mars, but you get the picture:  you don’t want your readers to have to Google the celebrity you’re thirsting after in order for them to envision your character.  B) It’s just plain lazy, and C) virtually everyone will know that the reason you made this character look like Chris Evans is because you want to bang Chris Evans.  

Not that that’s bad or anything, but is that really what you want to be remembered for?

Now, I’m not saying don’t envision your characters as famous attractive people – hell, that’s one of the paramount joys of being a writer.  But so’s describing people!  Describing characters is a lot of fun, draws in the reader, and really brings your character to life.

So what’s the solution?  If you want your character to look like Chris Evans, describe Chris Evans.

Here’s an example of what I’m talking about:

Exhibit A:

The guy got out of the car to make sure Carlos was alright, and holy cow, he looked just like Dean Winchester!

No bueno.  Besides the fact that I’m channeling the writing style of 50 Shades of Grey a little here, everyone who reads this is going to process that you’re basically writing Supernatural fanfiction.  That, or they’ll have to Google who Dean Winchester is, which, again, is no good.

Exhibit B:  

The guy got out of the car to make sure Carlos was alright, his short, caramel blond hair stirring in the chilly wind and a smattering of freckles across the bridge of his nose.  His eyes were wide with concern, and as he approached, Carlos could see that they were gold-tinged, peridot green in the late afternoon sun.

Also note that I’m keeping the description a little vague here;  I’m doing this for two reasons, the first of which being that, in general, you’re not going to want to describe your characters down to the last detail.  Trust me.  It’s boring, and your readers are much more likely to become enamored with a well-written personality than they are a vacant sex doll.  Next, by keeping the description a little vague, I effectively manage to channel a Dean Winchester-esque character without literally writing about Dean Winchester.

Let’s try another example: 

Exhibit A:

Charlotte’s boyfriend looked just like Idris Elba. 

Exhibit B:  

Charlotte’s boyfriend was a stunning man, eyes pensive pools of dark brown amber and a smile so perfect that it could make you think he was deliciously prejudiced in your favor.  His skin was dark copper, textured black hair gray at the temples, and he filled out a suit like no other.

Okay, that one may have been because I just really wanted to describe Idris Elba, but you get the point:  it’s more engaging for the reader to be able to imagine your character instead of mentally inserting some sexy fictional character or actor, however beloved they may be.

So don’t skimp on the descriptions!

5.  Don’t be afraid to find inspiration in other media!

A lot of older people recommend ditching TV completely in order to improve creativity and become a better writer.  Personally, if you’ll pardon my French, I think this is bombastic horseshit.  

TV and cinema are artistic mediums the same way anything else is.  Moreover, the sheer amount of fanart and fanfiction – some of which is legitimately better than most published content – is proof to me that you can derive inspiration from these mediums as much as anything else.

The trick is to watch media that inspires you.  I’m not going to say “good media” because that, in and of itself, is subjective.  I, for example, think Supernatural is a fucking masterpiece of intertextual postmodernism and amazing characterization, whereas someone else might think it’s a hot mess of campy special effects and rambling plotlines.  Conversely, one of my best friends loves Twilight, both the movies and the books, which, I’m going to confess, I don’t get at all.  But it doesn’t matter that it isn’t good to me so long as it’s good to her.   

So watch what inspires you.  Consume any whatever movies, books, and shows you’re enthusiastic about, figure out what you love most about them, and apply that to your writing.  Chances are, readers will find your enthusiasm infectious.

As a disclaimer, this is not to say you get a free pass from reading:  I’ve never met a good writer who didn’t read voraciously.  If you’re concerned that you can’t fall in love with books the way you used to (which, sadly, is a common phenomenon) fear not:  I grappled with that problem after I started college, and I’ll be posting an article shortly on how to fall back in love reading.

So in the meanwhile, be sure to follow my blog, and stay tuned for future content!

(This one goes out to my friend, beta reader, and fellow writer @megpieeee, who is a tremendous visual thinker and whose books will make amazing movies someday.)

[straightcishetromance-deactivat]

Hey, fellow Iranian here, I have some shit to clear up abt the entire Iran situation.

America has been intervening with Iranian politics since the 20th century, this isn’t the first time they’ve tired to rid an Iranian military/political leader and this entire Soleimani situation is just another stepping stone. Republicans have fucked up the middle east to the point of nothing but conflict or American capitalist puppet governments, and somewhat they think that what they’re doing is for the good of themselves. They don’t realise how much fucking lives they are putting at risk if they DO go to war, and majority of Iranians would probably be unable to leave the country whether it be financial problems migrating or safety reasons. 

The war is not only going to result in a mass influx of Iranian/Iraqi immigrants coming over to western countries, but also, it’s going to give alt right groups and other Islamophobic hate groups an opportunity to target us in more unwelcome political bigotry and hatred, meanwhile many innocent lives of Iranian civilians back home will be lost thanks to Trump’s bullshit patriotic Islamophobic actions, on behalf of the capitalist agenda. My family is at risk, many others are at risk, this isn’t a matter of fact of you joking about getting ‘drafted’ into the war, or ‘hahahahaha we’re in ww3 hahaha im gonna get drafted to Iran’, LITERAL INNOCENT LIVES ARE AT RISK. 

non-Iranians/non-middle easterners can reblog but don’t fucking clown 

[rocktheholygrail]

Jameela Jamil on finding your self-worth

[sprmint-bkgsoda]

Just like I said. Illegal adoption.

https://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/immigrant-mom-loses-effort-regain-son-us-parents/story?id=16803067

[stephanemiroux]

Here are the thieves btw:

[waluwadjet2-deactivated20180727]

im actually physically ill

[dontwantthenextcommanderiwantyou]

Keep this post alive so that when CARLOS is old enough he’ll know these KIDNAPPERS stole him from his MOTHER!

[dopeluminarydreamer-blog]

Guatemalan mom: “Please help me my son was taken from me”

Those two assholes: “Lol finders keepers bitch lmao”

[one-time-i-dreamt]

Carlos was taken from his mom, Encarnacion Bail Romero after she was arrested during a work raid. Her words, “Nobody could help me because I don’t speak English,” are still resonating deeply within me. This child was kidnapped from a loving mother, and she went to hell and backwards trying to get him back, and a judge literally told her she had no rights to her own child.

https://twitter.com/evanchill/status/1010399759088193536

Completely unfit parents can get their children back like it’s nothing and this poor woman who loves her child and just wants him with her again cannot? How is this not human trafficking/kidnapping? 

Also:

The judge said the biological mother had no rights to even see her child, according to the mother’s lawyer.

Asked if the Mosers would allow Bail Romero to see the child, the Mosers’ attorney, Joseph Hensley, said the couple was “not willing to comment on that at this time.” source

[rock-fish-deactivated20201231]

reminder that many children are funneled specifically to Christian families and communities for the same reasons they always have: destroy culture, stack votes, add bodies to communities that otherwise wouldn’t hold majorities. it is literal, actual trafficking.

[trashmouse]

This is a part of genocide.  Removing the children from their parents, who generally desperately love and want to raise them, and placing them with white American families is a way to erase their culture from existence without the ugliness of directly killing children.  But it’s still ugly, and it cares nothing for the actual welfare of the child.

[scottishwobbly]

when are y’all going to fucking tear down the detention centers?

[brunhiddensmusings]

anyone who supports this has no business calling themselves a christian, saying they have any moral authority, or pretending that nothing wrong happened any person with a functioning moral compass should be sickened by this

[lightning-crown]

I hope Carlos and other kids like him see this post and know they were not fucking adopted. they were kidnapped.

[sprmint-bkgsoda]

http://hill.cm/uQlpkcB

AP: Migrant children may be adopted after parents are deported

Holes in immigration laws are allowing state court judges to grant custody of migrant children to American families without notifying their

That happened a few years ago. But this is just from last October.

[fireeater06]

REBLOG EVERY SINGLE TIME. How can these people live with themselves???!

[de-putx-madre]

The fact they changed his name says so much.

[askjaelyn]

One of the things I love about Mandalorian culture is that it basically involves loving who ever you want, raising as many kids as you want, wearing cool body armor and flying around on highly unreliable jetpacks, and trying to shoot a space wizard who can send bullets back at you which is peak herbo/himbo culture. But seriously you don't get in trouble for picking a laser sword that's the wrong color, being forced to never see your parents as a toddler because you could move blocks with your mind, or never allowed to have family or life outside the Jedi order. One of the things that the EU established is both how family oriented Mando culture and one of the reasons they dislike the Jedi is partially because they force a child to separate from their family.

[whiskeydickclaws]

So for those of you who don’t know, there’s an official Mando’a language and dictionary, and one of the most important sayings in Mandalorian culture is: 

Gar taldin ni jaonyc; gar sa buir, ori'wadaas'la.

Meaning-  Nobody cares who your father was, only the father you'll be.

[rederiswrites]

Oh my God?

[siderealsandman]

We stan 1 (one) culture of batshit insane jetpack warriors

[izzyovercoffee]

Just wanted to point out that the language is gender neutral, so even though the mandoa dictionary uses “father” in the translation, the actual translation is parent. 

Nobody cares who your parent was, only the parent you will be. 

[agentlaurafrost]

Another thing about mandalorians and family: ‘found’ family is just as important as bio family. Sure, you can be born into a family, but what matters are the actions you take towards and for your family.

That’s one of the reasons why I love that they made the mandalorian in the show a foundling. Because it hilights that aspect of mandalorian culture. It doesn’t matter where u got the children, (well, as long as you didn’t steal them from a good home). As long as you’re raising them as mandalorians, taking care of them, and not being an abusive shit, who cares if you share dna? If you can point at someone and say that’s my kid, and then back it up, then gratz, that’s ur kid now. Treat them right or get the fuck out.

Mandalorians are the best

[fiovske]

y'know the more i think on it… how Astrid said Caleb would “occasionally get better” and then relapse but while I understand that it is entirely possible for Caleb to not remember anything from this part of his past it makes me suspect that during his confinement in Vergessen Sanatorium, Caleb wasn’t given in to blackout madness, but had Feeblemind cast on him (which is highly likely) since Feeblemind 5e reads:

because it makes sense to subdue Caleb after his guilt-ridden breakdown, to keep him hidden away from the rest of the world because he wasn’t going to willingly comply to The Cerberus Assembly’s Vollstrucker programme anymore. And letting him go, especially with his Keen Mind feature, would mean risking the chance of him exposing the truth of the programme to the general public. And while the high-ranking government officials in the Empire are aware of this, low-ranking folks mostly are not. To them the Vollstruckers are basically a myth. To know what the Empire does behind the curtains to young kids cannot be anything but unsettling to the people who send their kids to these academies in the hopes that they will learn and prosper; and these kids are turned into killing machines instead, having to inturn kill their own loved ones to prove that their allegiance lies first and foremost to the Academy, that they are willing to do whatever it takes, whatever is necessary.

The point i’m trying to make is: Caleb spent a good chunk of his life there and he remembers none of it. Dissociative amnesia be like that and I don’t blame him. But when he asks Astrid about when happened to him at the Sanatorium, Astrid claims that they tried to heal him and that he would get better sometimes but relapse more often. You’re telling me that in the eleven years he spent in that catatonic state, no one thought to cast Greater Restoration on him? Since the mystery cleric casting Greater Restoration is what brought him back, you’re telling me no one of the brightest-of-the-brightest minds in the Empire, The Cerberus Academy itself thought that maybe casting a better spell could work on this hapless teenager before this mystery cleric did it? (sounds fake but okay)

I’m led to believe therefore, that Caleb was never supposed to heal, he was never supposed to leave. He was never supposed to get better. They didn’t want him to. He was supposed to stay catatonic and live out the rest of his life in that very state. They didn’t try to make him better, they just tried to hide him away so he couldn’t expose the crimes of the Cerberus Academy. And I know Astrid knows that. She must. She’s a pretty high-ranking official herself now, there is no way she isn’t aware of what was done to Caleb in the Sanatorium.

And knowing all of that still, she tells him that “we always hoped that you’d improve, and at times you did…“ she knows he wouldn’t improve, not really. He would never be better, not for good. He might have moments of wakefulness when either the spell wears off or he makes the save and forget it too bc of many other human mental issues (dissociative amnesia) that have nothing to do with magic. But he was never supposed to escape. Astrid knows this in retrospect and still chooses to show condescending sympathy for Caleb, to believe that what happened to him there was the right consequence for his breaking and he was to be pitied for not being able to endure the weight and the guilt of his sins.She expertly skirts around telling Caleb anything at all about what happened to him in the period of his life that he doesn’t remember. Astrid must know, at least now that Trent had plans to keep Caleb confined forever and she still doesn’t think that was unethical. Astrid knows what happens in the Vergessen Sanatorium. And Astrid has probably sent failing kids there herself, never to be heard of again. Astrid knows all of this. She holds a prestigious position in the Cerberus Academy and looks to succeed Trent one day, there is no way in hell she isn’t aware of the memory manipulation, the deceit, the experimentation and the various horrific acts that go on in The Sanatorium. Astrid is a Vollstrucker, the best of the best. She has a high charisma and has mastered the art of daintily dancing around the truth, much like her teacher.

The way she answers Caleb is full of half-truths and she deflects constantly when talking to him, touching him and sympathizing with his suffering without truly revealing anything that he didn’t already know…. even though she’s very careful about what she reveals and how she reveals it, when Astrid said, "sometimes you’d get better… we always hoped you’d improve…” to Caleb and smiled sadly with concern, maybe she didn’t outright lie… but she wasn’t really telling the truth either. 

[mountlandme]

Harry Potter and the actually good news for once

If you have been on twitter today you have probably seen everyone talking about this tweet by JK Rowling:

JK Rowling has posted TERFy things before but this is the most explicit. She is referring to an employment tribunal that was brought forward by a woman, Maya Forstater, who had not had her contract renewed due to being repeatedly transphobic (including repeatedly and purposefully mispronouning a person who uses they/them pronouns).

Rowling’s tweet is spreading misinformation about the employment tribunal:  The case wasn’t about whether you can or cannot say sex is real. Maya Forstater’s case was about whether discriminating against trans people is a legally protected right (not about her own employment) as she admits here:

The money for the case (around £80k) was raised through transphobic platforms such as Mums net.

Here is where the good news bit comes in: Forstater’s case was not successful. This means transphobes just paid £80k of their own money to give trans people more rights!  LMFAO! This case law/new precedent has strengthened legal protections for trans people in England!

The judge in the case ruled that TERF/’Gender critical’ views are “incompatible with human dignity and fundamental rights of others” and that TERFs do not have the right to ignore a trans persons gender

That refusing to respect someone’s gender and use their pronouns is an “approach not worthy of respect in a democratic society”

and concludes that being transphobic is not a political belief protected by equality laws

This is fantastic news and something really positive for trans people in England and Wales! I know calling our Rowling for being a Terf is important but losing this positive context is harmful. As trans people we are inundated with bad news and hateful views - today is a good day, something good has happened at last, lets share and celebrate that as the relentless bad news is killing us.