UK has made no significant progress in addressing its ‘grave and systematic violations’ of disabled people, UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) has found
Responding to publication of new report, coalition of Deaf and Disabled Peoples' Organisations says it is a 'much-needed counter to government rhetoric claiming they are protecting the most vulnerable'.
In a report published in 2017, the UNCPRD found that cuts to benefits and care funding had led to ‘systematic violations' of the rights of persons with disabilities, and it made a series of recommendations including that the UK government carry out a meaningful, rights-based, cumulative impact assessment of welfare reform measures adopted since 2010, while also ensuring that sufficient budget allocations are made available to cover extra costs associated with living with a disability.
However, in its new follow up report - based on meetings with a wide range of government officials as well as briefings with Deaf and Disabled Peoples' Organisations (DDPOs) - the Committee has concluded that 'no significant progress' has been made and that the UK Government has -

'... failed to take all appropriate measures to address grave and systematic violations of the human rights of persons with disabilities and has failed to eliminate the root causes of inequality and discrimination... This failure exists particularly with respect to the State party’s obligation to guarantee the right of persons with disabilities to live independently and be included in the community, to work and employment, and to an adequate standard of living and social protection...'

Specifically, the Committee makes findings in relation to -

• the work capability assessment (WCA) -

'... [the] process is complex and onerous, the application itself has increased in size, which means that many applicants opt out of completing the application. Applicants are not always allowed assistance or support in assessment meetings, and assessors are inexperienced and/or unqualified in working with and understanding the lived experience of disabled people, in particular to people with intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities.'

• the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill and, in particular, automated decision-making -

'There is a tangible concern that artificial intelligence tools and algorithms may harbour inherent biases, potentially leading to punitive measures that, fundamentally, could impart a sense of criminalization and psychological distress among individuals.'

• benefit deaths -

'The evidence received revealed a disturbingly consistent theme: disabled people resorting to suicide following the denial of an adequate standard of living and social protection, starkly contradicting the foundational principles enshrined in the Convention.'

• refugees and asylum seekers -

'The Committee is deeply concerned by reports that disabled refugees, asylum seekers and those in refugee-like situations do not receive adequate benefits and support to live in the community, and are experiencing challenges in obtaining personal assistants, assistive devices, accessible housing and essential disability supports.'

Accordingly, the Committee makes a series of recommendations including that the UK government should urgently -

• take all legislative and administrative measures necessary to ensure a nationally consistent framework to implement and monitor obligations under the Convention across the UK, and establish a comprehensive consultative process to closely consult with and actively involve persons with disabilities through their representative organisations in the National Disability Strategy;
• take all legislative, policy and administrative measures to prevent, review and respond to occurrences of ‘unexpected deaths’ and ‘benefit deaths,’ including appropriate redress and reparation measures for victims’ families;
• undertake an inquiry to examine the impact of the WCA and its replacement, to ensure that any assessment process recognises the dynamic relationship of individual circumstances with the environment is trauma-informed, based on the human rights model of disability, and enables individuals to seek redress for adverse impacts resulting from the process; and
• ensure that the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill establishes safeguards and review mechanisms to prevent the risk of encoded biases in artificial intelligence tools and algorithms, ensuring that such technologies are deployed in a manner that respects human rights, prevents discrimination, and upholds the principles of transparency, accountability, and fairness.

UK DDPO Coalition Co-ordinator Ellen Clifford said today -

'The government’s attitude towards the UN special inquiry is evidence that their treatment of Deaf and Disabled people is wilful and calculated. This is reflected in the damning findings of the report. The limitations of the inquiry process are that there are just too many deliberate rights violations to include in one report. However, the report validates the experiences of Deaf and Disabled people across the UK and is a much-needed counter to government rhetoric claiming they are 'protecting the most vulnerable' when they are doing the exact opposite.'

For more information, see UN Committee slams government failure to address disability rights violations from dpac.uk.net
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Dan Poulter: Conservative MP and ex-health minister defects to Labour
In an exclusive TV interview today, the MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that he could no longer look his NHS colleagues and patients in the eye and stay on as a Conservative.
The consultant psychiatrist, who served as a health minister under the coalition from 2012 to 2015, told the BBC:

"I found it increasingly difficult to look my NHS colleagues in the eye, my patients in the eye, and my constituents in the eye with good conscience."

He suggested the party had stopped valuing public services, saying:

"The difficulty for the Conservative Party is that the party I was elected into valued public services... it had a compassionate view about supporting the more disadvantaged in society... I think the Conservative Party today is in a very different place."

Watch the interview on BBC iPlayer or read the article on bbc.co.uk
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Government confirms that it will legislate to remove benefits from those who’ve been claiming for more than 12 months if they don’t comply with conditions set by their work coach
New legislation will change rules to remove benefits entirely from the long-term unemployed who ‘don’t accept available work'.
The update came in a speech by the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak last week to the Centre for Social Justice, in which he outlined -

'... a package of sweeping reforms to put work at the heart of welfare and deliver on his 'moral mission' to give everyone who is able to work, the best possible chance of staying in, or returning to work.'

Mr Sunak said that in the next parliament the government will change the rules to remove benefits entirely from the long-term unemployed who 'don’t accept a job' -

'There is no excuse for fit and able claimants on unemployment benefits who can work, not to engage with the support available to them or adhere to conditions set by their Work Coach. If someone is assessed as able to work and continues to receive taxpayer-funded benefits, it is right and fair that we expect them to engage fully with this process. There are more than 450,000 people who have been unemployed for 6 months and well over a quarter of a million who have been unemployed for 12 months. These are people who will have had to access intensive employment support and training programmes. There is no reason those people should not be in work, especially when we have over 900,000 vacancies.'

As a result, Mr Sunak said that -

'We will legislate in the next parliament to change the rules so that anyone who has been on benefits for 12 months and doesn’t comply with conditions set by their Work Coach - including accepting available work - will have their unemployment claim closed and their benefits removed entirely. Because unemployment support should be a safety net - never a lifestyle choice.'

The announcement follows the launch of November 2023's Back to Work Plan that introduced proposals including the closure of claims of those who 'refuse to engage' with the jobcentre that the Work and Pensions Secretary said would mean no claimant should reach 18 months of unemployment in receipt of their full benefits if they have not taken 'every reasonable step to comply with Jobcentre support'.
NB - new DWP statistics released on the same day as the Prime Minister's speech, Long-term out of work and 'Searching for Work claimants on Universal Credit, show that in January 2024 there were 1.231 million claimants in the 'searching for work' conditionality group and, of these, 474,000 had been searching for work, or more work, for six months or more, 320,000 had been searching for work for 12 months or more and 223,000 had been in the group for 18 months or more.
For more information, see Prime Minister’s speech on welfare: 19 April 2024 from gov.uk
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New AET regulations introduced despite SSAC warning against increasing thresholds while gaps remain in the evidence base for their effectiveness
Rejecting Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) advice for a slower or phased implementation of the increases to the Administrative Earnings Threshold (AET), DWP says it is 'committed to providing more intensive support to in-work customers'.
Following previous rises in the AET in both September 2022 and January 2023, the Chancellor announced in his March 2023 budget that there would be a further increase and, to that end, regulations were laid last week that increase the thresholds to £892 for individual claimants and £1,437 for couples with effect from 13 May 2024 (equivalent to 18 and 29 hours per week respectively at the national living wage).
NB - claimants earning below the AET are placed in the Intensive Work Search (IWS) group and are required to take active steps to move into work or increase their earnings.
However, in a letter to the Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride dated 8 March 2024 (but published by the DWP 22 April 2024), SSAC Chair Dr Stephen Brien advises that the (then) draft regulations were being taken on formal reference by the Committee due to a number of concerns, including that -

• the evidence presented by the DWP did not sufficiently consider or reflect the learning from previous changes to the threshold, contrary to a written commitment that had been given by the government to the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee in January 2023;
• the regulations were at risk of being implemented in a way that -
  • could fail to deliver adequately the government’s stated policy intent of getting more claimants into higher-paid work;
  • would lead to adverse unintended consequences; and
  • could create a risk of significant hardships, for example financial penalties and additional undue burdens for some claimants in vulnerable situations; and
• the draft Equality Impact Analysis did not demonstrate that the Department had paid ‘due regard’ to its equality obligations or considered the impact of the AET on those with protected characteristics.

Accordingly, the Committee sets out a series of recommendations, including that the Department should -

• develop the evidence base around the circumstances where IWS would be the most effective approach, and for those cases where alternatives should be considered; and
• adopt a slower or phased implementation until it has sufficient numbers of appropriately trained work coaches in place before the influx of around 140,000 additional claimants requiring more intensive in-work support, and all other balancing factors have been considered.

Dr Brien concludes -

'In the absence of a persuasive rationale for the current timetable for full implementation, we are of the strong view that the Department should review its current plan for these regulations to come into force... and take the time necessary to continue to build its evidence base, ensuring it understands more fully the impacts, risks, and what potential mitigations may be required.'

However, while the DWP's formal response to the SSAC - published alongside Dr Brien's letter - acknowledges the need for further evaluation it rejects the recommendation to delay or slow down implementation -

'The Department is committed to delivering the increase to the AET and provide more intensive support to in-work customers... Jobcentre managers continually prioritise operational activity and the activities our work coaches undertake. Operational decisions are always made to ensure customers have the best outcomes possible. As with previous changes to the AET, operational managers will ensure that the pace of rollout of this change is aligned with both their available work coach resource and the need to deliver other priority activities.'

For more information, see The Universal Credit (Administrative Earnings Threshold) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 from gov.uk
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Chair of the Work and Pensions Select Committee says the DWP has done nothing to stop carers building up huge overpayments of benefit despite knowing what people are earning
Highlighting the Department's access to real-time information from HMRC, Work and Pensions Committee Chair says that 'carrying on in that way is not right'.
In a debate in Westminster Hall on 24 April 2024 - following recent media reports of claimants who have earned above the carer's allowance earnings limit resulting in large overpayments and, in some cases, prosecution for fraud - Committee Chair Stephen Timms said -

'How has the Department allowed overpayments which, in some cases, clearly cover quite a few years, to accumulate? From real-time information from His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, the Department knows what people are earning, and it can stop payment of carer’s allowance to those who are no longer eligible. Indeed, the Government’s response to the [Select Committee's 2019 report] confirmed that there is an automatic notification when weekly net pay exceeds the carer’s allowance earnings limit, yet the Department does nothing, instead allowing people to build up these huge overpayments, and then prosecuting them. Carrying on in that way is not right.'

The Westminster Hall debate on carer's allowance is available from Hansard. Also see next news item...
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DWP says that large overpayments of carer’s allowance have arisen where claims were made before HMRC income alerts were introduced
During the Work and Pensions evidence session, Mr Latto confirmed that the Department receives regular monthly alerts from HMRC via the Verify Earnings and Pensions (VEP) system that was introduced for carer's allowance in 2018, and that it has an algorithm to identify which of those alerts are most likely to indicate an overpayment, either due to undeclared income or earnings having risen over the weekly carer's allowance limit (currently £151).
Responding to a question as to how claimants have built up overpayments of up to £20,000 despite these alerts, Mr Latto went on to say -

'... the issue will be if they have been on carer's allowance for a long time, particularly if they were there before VEPs existed... they may have built up overpayments over quite a long period, and by the time that we've uncovered them, it's something we're seeing in the press reporting at the moment.'

However, when asked to comment on a recent carer's allowance overpayment prosecution in which the judge said that he was 'truly unimpressed' with the Department's handling of the case, DWP Director for Fraud, Error and Debt Strategy Vikki Knight said -

'All that I would say, you wouldn't expect me to discuss individual cases and I want to be absolutely clear that the DWP does not prosecute. We will investigate where we've had those cases. We will refer that evidence from our investigators to our Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and then they will base it on the public interest test and then they will take that to the courts and the courts will decide on that.'

Pressed for a clearer response, DWP Minister Mims Davies added that -

'We are a learning organisation, but I would hasten to add that in all cases there's always more that obviously the judge has looked at, the CPS has looked at. Therefore what we see in the paper isn't always the whole picture.'

The Work and Pensions Committee evidence session on carer's allowance is available from parliament.tv
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DWP has issued almost 100,000 civil penalties in respect of overpaid carer’s allowance since 2020, amounting to almost £5 million
Work and Pensions Minister also confirmed that, over the same period, 225 administrative penalties have been accepted with a total value of more than £410,000.
Responding to a written question in the House of Commons about the number of people who have received fines for overpayments of carer's allowance, DWP Minister Paul Maynard advised that a total of 96,100 civil penalties have been issued since 2020 -
Financial years - Volume of civil penalties - Value (£m)

• 2020/2021 - 14,900 - £0.747
• 2021/2022 - 26,300 - £1,309
• 2022/2023 - 24,800 - £1.241
• 2023/2024 - 30,100 - £1.506

Mr Maynard reported that, over the same period, a total of 225 administrative penalties (offered as an alternative to prosecution) have been accepted with a total value of £416,700.
Note: in a separate written answer, Mr Maynard also advised that, since February 2022, there have been 119 cases accepted for prosecution for benefit fraud by the Crown Prosecution Service where carer’s allowance was the primary overpayment.
Mr Maynard's written answer is available from parliament.uk
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DWP confirms it is allocating £2.5 million to local authorities to support the administration of the Verify Earnings and Pensions (VEP) service
In Housing Benefit Subsidy Circular S6/2024, the DWP advises housing benefit staff that this year's funding allocations will be up to £2.5 million (compared to the £9.7 million allocated for 2023/2024) which will continue to help provide local authorities with the capacity to process VEP tasks during the financial year ending March 2025.
NB - the Circular advises that local authorities are required to -

• fully engage in the VEP administration process;
• effectively utilise funds to process all of the tasks sent; and
• accurately complete management information to record VEP task outcomes within the VEP service.

The DWP also confirmed that each local authority will receive a single upfront payment, as set out in Annex A of the circular, in the week commencing 22 April 2024.
S6/2024: Funding for the Verify Earnings and Pensions service for the financial year ending March 2025 is available from gov.uk
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Government commits to issuing a code of practice in relation to DWP’s new powers to access claimants’ bank account data
The government has confirmed that a code of practice is being drafted to regulate the DWP's use of future powers to access data from claimants' bank accounts. The draft code will be available in summer 2024 before Department carries out a 'test and learn' exercise in early 2025.
With the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill (DPDIB) set to provide new powers for the DWP to compel financial institutions to monitor accounts and relay data about possible benefit fraud and error, concerns were raised in the House of Lords committee debate on the Bill (24 April) about the proportionality of the measures, and in particular, the lack of a code of practice to limit their scope.
However, Work and Pensions Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Viscount Younger assured members that -

'... the code of practice is already in development; we are working positively with around eight leading financial institutions through an established working group that meets regularly to shape the code.'

While Viscount Younger said that the draft code will not be available to Parliament before the Bill progresses to Report stage, he nevertheless provided some detail on what it will contain -

'... it will provide guidance on issues such as the nature of the power and to whom it will apply. It will also provide information on safeguards, cover data security responsibilities and provide information on the appeals processes should a third party wish to dispute a request.'

Note: despite the update from the Minister, Labour's Baroness Sherlock said that she remains concerned, stating -

'These powers could do anything from something that might sound very proportionate to something that might sound entirely disproportionate, and we simply have not heard anything that enables us to make a judgment... I therefore ask the Government to think again before Report about ways in which they might provide assurance about a more contained and proportionate approach to these measures.'

For more information, see the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill House of Lords Committee Debate from parliament.uk
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Public Accounts Committee (PAC) warns that a significant number of vulnerable claimants may lose their benefits by failing to migrate to universal credit
The Public Accounts Committee calls on the DWP to ensure that legacy benefit claimants are not 'cast into financial hardship due to a bureaucratic change'.
In a new report, Progress in implementing Universal Credit, the Committee highlights that the DWP is in the process of moving 900,000 legacy benefit claimants to universal credit. However, the Committee notes that -

'Around one in five households on tax credits who received a migration notice have not moved to universal credit and so have had their benefit stopped. The median value of tax credits received by people who did not claim universal credit was £3,200 a year. The Department has a limited understanding of why some people do not switch to universal credit, but says it is reassured by having received only 20 complaints about the migration process from April to December 2023. But this does not provide sufficient assurance that people are not falling into hardship.'

Highlighting that the Department is now planning a survey of people who have not claimed universal credit, having before not been routinely in contact with people to ask why they are not claiming, the Committee adds that -

'Organisations who work with benefit claimants are also concerned about the proportion of legacy benefit claimants not transferring to universal credit and the financial impact it may have on them. The Department expects the non-claim rate for households claiming its legacy benefits, who are being migrated from April 2024, will be much lower at around 4 per cent. However, even a small proportion of people not transferring to universal credit could translate into a substantial number of people facing financial hardship.'

As a result, the Committee recommends that -

'The Department should publish by the end of August 2024 the universal credit non-claim rates by type of legacy benefit, and set out the action it is taking in the event that the non-claim rates are higher than expected. Before the end of the year, the Department should also publish the results of the survey of those tax credit claimants who did not apply for universal credit alongside a statement of what lessons it would learn.'

The Committee also recommends that the Department should -

• set out what it will do to monitor the adequacy and effectiveness of the in-house support it provides to claimants moving to universal credit, particularly whether it has sufficient capacity to meet the need for face-to-face support; and
• explain how it will keep the operation of the Citizens Advice Help to Claim service under review in light of the fact that it no longer offers face to face support, and the actions it will take should the service be unable to meet demand, particularly for vulnerable claimants.

Turning to transitional protection for those migrating to universal credit, the Committee notes that organisations who work with benefit claimants are concerned about how the Department calculates amounts that are due, how accurate its calculations are, and the risk that people are receiving incorrect payments which they cannot check themselves. As a result, the Committee recommends that -

'The Department should explain better in its guidance and the migration notices it sends to claimants how transitional protection is calculated, using simple language and examples based on real cases.'

In addition, the Committee says that it is not convinced that universal credit is achieving the scale of expected economic benefits -

'The government predicts that universal credit will generate £10.4 billion of benefits a year once fully rolled-out, with £6.1 billion coming from increased employment. However, analysis of DWP’s evidence base that universal credit is benefiting the labour market found that the DWP cherry-picked positive facts and also made other assumptions not supported by empirical evidence.'

The Committee also highlighted that the proportion of universal credit overpaid in 2022/2023 was 12.8 per cent (£5.5 billion) which is down from 14.7 per cent (£5.9 billion) in 2021/2022 but still significantly above pre-pandemic levels.
The Committee adds that, when questioned as to whether universal credit is fulfilling its intended objective of reducing fraud and error compared to the legacy system, the DWP fell back on its explanation of a societal increase in the propensity to commit fraud rather than providing assurance about the actions it is taking. As a result, the report encourages future Committees to keep a close eye on the issue and to continue to hold the DWP to account for its progress.
Committee Chair Meg Hillier said on 26 April -

'Our Committee has scrutinised universal credit since its inception. We must not forget how massive a change it is to how benefits are delivered, impacting millions of people. This means if the transition from legacy benefits to universal credit fails even an apparently small proportion of people, it will lead to real world misery for thousands. The DWP must make sure that people are not cast into financial hardship due to a bureaucratic change, and that robust support is in place for those vulnerable claimants who need it most.'

For more information, see Universal Credit: PAC raises alarm over risk of vulnerable claimants losing benefits from parliament.uk
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DWP issued guidance for local authorities participating in the Housing Benefit Award Accuracy Initiative in 2024/2025
New housing benefit circular advises on fraud and error activities that local authorities are expected to undertake in return for additional funding.
In HB Circular A5/2024, the DWP confirms that local authorities participating in the initiative - a five-year programme that started in April 2020 designed to reduce housing benefit fraud and error - will receive additional funding for the fifth and final financial year of the project ending March 2025 to enable them to undertake the following activities -

• Full Case Reviews (FCR), that require the local authority to look at and consider all the current claim details and evidence associated with the claim, as well as any other information or evidence they can source for the weekly housing benefit award to be reviewed;
• Housing Benefit Matching Service (HBMS) referrals including Self-employed Earnings Reviews (SERs) based on data matches showing potential undeclared income; and
• the correct recording of cases on local authority IT systems and the return of relevant management information to DWP.

The DWP also acknowledges that a large proportion of cases identified as high-risk and therefore subject to an FCR involve working-age claimants who will also be subject to migration to universal credit action during 2024/2025. As a result, the Department advises -

'... we still expect local authorities to undertake FCRs on working age cases but will want to consider the complexity and duration needed to complete any of the working age FCRs highlighted as high risk (as there may be a risk of migration to universal credit action occurring before activities are complete). Local authorities are advised they can move down the list to choose cases that make best use of the funding provided, including pension age reviews which are not subject to migration to universal credit.'

In addition, the Department provides similar advice in relation to the other award accuracy work -

'It is expected there will be a significant reduction in the overall working age housing benefit caseload. So, we ask local authorities to complete the HBMS referrals and SERs as soon as possible as this will maximise the opportunity to remove fraud and error in the housing benefit caseload ahead of universal credit migration action.'

Note: indicative activity volumes and funding for each local authority are set out at Annex D to the circular, while HB Subsidy Circular S5/2024, also published today, confirms the individual funding allocations.
For more information, see HB Circular A5/2024 from gov.uk
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Conservative MP brands plan to scrap WCA and allow work coaches to decide fitness for work ‘a crazy idea’
Nigel Mills made the comments as the Commons work and pensions committee was taking evidence from campaigning organisations on the government’s employment plans.
Under plans announced last spring, the WCA would be scrapped and disabled claimant's who cannot work would only be able to qualify for a new health element of universal credit if they also receive PIP, DLA or ADP.
But this would leave it to DWP’s work coaches – who will usually have no health-related qualifications – to decide if a disabled person should carry out work-related activity.
The WCA will not be scrapped until after the next general election and not until 2026 at the earliest, DWP has said.
Mills, a Conservative member of the committee, said:

“My experience of constituents is they don’t generally have a great deal of time or regard for their work capability assessment medical professional.”

He added:

“The idea that I’m going to trust a work coach and share my biggest issues and concerns and seek their support and want their counselling if they’ve just told me I’m not getting the extra benefit is extraordinarily unlikely, isn’t it?
It’s just going to destroy the relationship between them and the claimant.
I just can’t imagine many work coaches are going to fancy this sort of flicking through the file and going, ‘You do get the extra money… you don’t.’
It seems like a crazy idea.”

Later in the evidence session, the mental health charity Mind raised serious concerns about government reforms to tighten the WCA in the years leading to its eventual abolition. Nil Güzelgün, interim head of policy and campaigns at the mental health charity Mind, raised concerns about the changes to the substantial risk criteria, and stressed how important the current protections are. She told the committee that the safeguards were:

“critical for people with mental health problems so they cannot be retraumatised or hospitalised because of activities that are required by the jobcentre or work coaches”.

For full details you can watch the committee discussion on parliamentlive.tv
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1. Device Identification Exercise:

• Provide excerpts from various texts and ask students to identify and annotate instances of specific literary devices.
  
• Discuss their findings as a class, exploring different interpretations and applications of the devices.
  

1. Creative Writing Prompts:

• Assign each student a specific literary device and ask them to craft a short story or poem that prominently features that device.
  
• Encourage creativity and exploration of the device's nuances in their narratives.
  

1. Literary Analysis Essays:

• Assign students a literary work (poem, speech, or prose) and ask them to write an essay analyzing the author's use of a chosen literary device.
  
• Emphasize the impact of the device on the overall theme and tone of the work.
  

1. Collaborative Storytelling:

• Divide the class into small groups and have each group create a collaborative story.
  
• Assign a different literary device to each group, instructing them to incorporate it seamlessly into their narrative.
  

1. Speech Writing and Delivery:

• Have students choose a social or political topic and write a persuasive speech using anaphora or epizeuxis to enhance their rhetorical impact.
  
• Organize a speech delivery session where students showcase their use of repetition for emphasis.
  

1. Literary Device Showcase:

• Assign each student or group a different literary device and ask them to prepare a presentation showcasing its historical origins, notable examples, and contemporary usage.
  
• Encourage multimedia elements such as visuals or short video clips to enhance engagement.
  

1. Rewriting Exercises:

• Provide sentences or paragraphs containing common expressions and ask students to rewrite them using more complex literary devices.
  
• Discuss the impact of the changes on tone, mood, and overall meaning.
  

1. Debate on Stylistic Choices:
   • Organize a debate where students defend or critique an author's use of a specific literary device in a given text.

• Encourage students to articulate how the device contributes to or detracts from the effectiveness of the work.

1. Literary Device Scavenger Hunt:

• Provide a list of literary devices and have students search for examples in books, articles, or online.
  
• Discuss their findings in class, exploring how different authors use the same device in diverse ways.
  

1. Themed Poetry Slam:

- Task students with creating a thematic poetry slam where each participant focuses on a different literary device. - Host a class poetry slam event where students perform their pieces and discuss their choices. 

1. Interactive Online Quizzes:

- Curate online quizzes or interactive activities that allow students to self-assess their understanding of literary devices. - Provide instant feedback to reinforce learning. 

1. Peer Review and Feedback:

- Implement peer review sessions where students exchange their creative writing assignments and provide constructive feedback on the integration of literary devices. - Encourage discussions on the effectiveness of different approaches. 

1. Literary Device Journal:

- Assign students a literary device to track in their personal reading over a set period. - Have them maintain a journal documenting instances of the device, their interpretations, and reflections on its impact. 

1. Literary Device Bingo:

- Create bingo cards with different literary devices - As students encounter instances of these devices in class readings or discussions, they mark off the corresponding squares on their bingo cards. 

1. Real-world Application Project:

- Challenge students to find examples of literary devices in advertisements, speeches, or news articles. - Present their findings, discussing how the devices are employed for persuasive or artistic purposes in the real world. 

A build for 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons
Raven Darkholme, a.k.a. Mystique, is inarguably the most inscrutable and cunning of the X-Men characters. She was born with blue skin and startling eyes which led the people of her time to shun her or worse. She curses those that won't let mutantkind be and is a fearless agent for mutant rights, prepared to do whatever is needed on the long and bloody path to mutant freedom. She is a lieutenant to Magneto in the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants for very good reason.
Her mutant power of shapeshifting lets her don the appearance of anyone or anything in an instant, changing her body on a molecular level to alter her clothes, voice, scent, and even size. This total reshaping of her anatomy grants her a gift for undoing injuries and keeps her young and long-lived; how old she is exactly is never stated, but she could very well be older than Wolverine. Mystique isn't limited to shaping into humanoids; she can easily become a tiny or huge creature, grow wings, stretch, or even grow additional arms and a head to facilitate a gunfight on two sides. She can also shapechange to resemble the area behind her like a chameleon, becoming effectively invisible.
In her long and difficult life, she has mastered the art of mimicry and manipulation, reading people to an almost supernatural degree and copying their movements and habits with ease. She has had the time and the occasion to master all manner of combat, deadly from any range and with any weapon. Her freely shifting physiology and talent for misdirection make her remarkably hard to hit. She is the ultimate survivor, the last woman standing, and fights with both fearsome tenacity and otherworldly grace.
Mystique:
8/15/14/10/13/12, +2 in dexterity and a +1 in wisdom

• Changeling, gaining an at-will disguise self ability
• Proficiency in Performance and Persuasion come from Changeling
• Acrobatics, Perception, Investigation, and Stealth as a Rogue
• Deception and Sleight of Hand come from the Charlatan background
• Thieves’ Tools come from Rogue
• Disguise Kit and Forgery Kit tools come from Charlatan

Rogue level 1

• Expertise: double your proficiency bonus when using two skills of your choice; here we take Deception and Stealth
• Sneak Attack: once per turn, add a number of d6s to weapon damage when you meet certain conditions. This is 1d6 added damage now, but will increase to with rogue levels
  • To secure sneak attack conditions, you need to be using a ranged or finesse weapon, not have disadvantage to attack, and either have advantage to hit your target or another ally positioned adjacent to that target

Rogue level 2

• Cunning Action: Mystique is able to use a bonus action on her turn to Hide, Disengage, or Dash, while still keeping her regular action and reaction

Rogue level 3

• Mastermind roguish archetype:
  
  • Master of intrigue: gain Smith’s and Alchemist’s tools as well as the ability to perfectly mimic speech you’ve listened to for at least 1 minute
  • Master of Tactics: the Help action becomes available as a bonus action and gains a range of 30 feet as long as the ally can see or hear you. Bear in mind, needing to be seen or heard by them can interfere with stealth efforts
• Steady Aim: you can use a bonus action to take no movement this turn and have advantage on your next weapon attack
  
• Your sneak attack dice is now 2d6
  

Rogue level 4

• ASI: Gunner: +1 Dex, now at 18, and gain proficiency with firearms. Ignore the loading property of firearms, and ranged attacks while an enemy is adjacent to you no longer have disadvantage.

Multiclassing now to
Ranger level 1:

• Additional skill proficiency in Insight from multiclassing into ranger
• Canny: Additional expertise in Acrobatics
• Favored Foe: when you attack a creature, begin concentrating to add 1d4 extra damage each round. Usable PB/LR, so you are encouraged to save this for high HP targets.

Ranger level 2:

• Archery fighting style, adding +2 to all ranged attack rolls
• 1st level spells:
  • Cure Wounds - repair wounds as needed mid-fight
  • Fog Cloud - throw a smoke grenade to create obscurement to hide in
  • Disguise Self - shapeshift and be able to also affect your clothes and equipment, something Changeling’s Shapechanger cannot do

Ranger level 3: take the Gloom Stalker subclass

• Dread Ambusher: add Wis mod to your initiative, gain 10 speed on your first turn of combat, and gain an extra attack on your first turn of combat
• Umbral Sight: gain Darkvision of 60 feet (changelings don’t naturally have darkvision), and while in darkness you are effectively invisible
• Primeval Awareness: you ask your future-seeing wife Destiny if anyone of certain exotic creature types will be in your near future or not. Spend a 1st slot to detect if there are any aberrations, celestials, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, or undead within 1 mile of you.
  
• 1st level spell:
  
  • Zephyr Strike: in a tight situation where you need to disengage and/or dash but won’t also have conditions for sneak attack, use this to do all three. Speed increases by 30, you avoid OAs even from enemies using the Sentinel feat, and you have advantage on your next attack.

Rogue level 5

• Uncanny Dodge: when hit by an attack, you can use your reaction to halve its damage, usable every round
• Your sneak attack dice is now 3d6

Rogue level 6

• Expertise: double your proficiency bonus on Insight and Investigation checks

Rogue level 7

• Evasion: Dex saves against effects that deal half damage on a save now deal no damage if you save and only half damage if you fail
• Your sneak attack dice is now 4d6

Rogue level 8

• ASI: +2 Dex, now 20

Rogue level 9

• Insightful Manipulator: after watching a creature for at least one minute, you can intuit their level or mental stats relative to your own, as well as gleaning a hidden trait or piece of history about them. The one minute duration works simultaneously with learning their speech and voice so you can accurately disguise as them.
• Your sneak attack dice is now 5d6

Rogue level 10

• ASI: Fighting Initiate: Thrown Weapon fighting style, granting you the ability to draw a dagger in the same moment you need it. Enables reaction sneak attacks if a target walks away from you, even if you weren’t holding a melee weapon at the time.

Rogue level 11

• Reliable Talent: for checks in which you are proficient, any d20 roll under a 10 is treated like a 10. That means all of your skills with proficiency have a minimum roll of 10+PB+mod, or double PB in the case of your 5 expertises
• Your sneak attack dice is now 6d6

Rogue level 12

• ASI: Skilled feat, adding three more skill proficiencies to make further use of Reliable Talent. Mystique is long-lived and has seen and done a lot, including cavorting with demons. Gain proficiency in Arcana, History, and Religion
  • With proficiency and Reliable Talent in Arcana, you can now cast from any Ranger spell scroll without risk of failure as the highest Ranger spell level is 5 and you now have a minimum Arcana of 15.

Rogue level 13

• Misdirection: if attacked while another creature provides cover to you, reaction to have them be targeted instead. In the case of that target being an ally with a higher AC than you, the attack may miss completely. This can also work if the target is an enemy standing between you and the attacker, causing unavoidable friendly fire to your enemy’s ranks.
• Your sneak attack dice is now 7d6

Rogue level 14

• Blindsense: know the location of any hidden or invisible creature within 10 feet of you, regardless of stealth/perception contests

Rogue level 15

• Slippery Mind: Gain proficiency in Wisdom saving throws
• Your sneak attack dice is now 8d6

Rogue level 16

• ASI: Alert feat: grants you +5 initiative, meaning you'll almost always go first, grants immunity to surprise, and hiding doesn't grant advantage against you, meaning assassins and ambushes can never get the best of you
  • This can be crucial when facing enemy rogues such as Nightcrawler because if you hide, you aren’t keeping track of them and may not know where they went to

Rogue level 17

• Soul of Deceit: you become immune to mind reading, and can optionally present false thoughts when someone tries to read your mind. You are also immune to magical lie detecting and can present as truthful when you lie.
• Your sneak attack dice is now 9d6

Magic Item Wishlist:

• +1/2/3 of any firearms, modern or futuristic
• +1/2/3 Serpent Scale Armor - your scaly bodypaint look from the Fox movies
• Glamour Studded Leather - enable your outfit to change appearance
• Nature’s Mantle - your classic white getup, serves as your Ranger spellcasting focus. Hide if lightly obscured even if being directly observed.
• Wand of Polymorph: for shapechanging into larger and stranger forms
• Ring of Regeneration: for passive healing and regrowing lost anatomy
• Ioun Stone of Reserve: double your available spells in a day by storing three of them in your little gold skull ornament on your forehead
• Efficient Quiver - for storing and concealing your many firearms
• Any Ranger spell scrolls

Tactics:
At the top of initiative, Gloom Stalker aids Mystique in moving early and walking quickly to the nearest patch of shade. Any light obscurement will allow Mystique to Hide if she has the Nature’s Mantle equipped, regardless of line of sight, and she has a sky high Stealth bonus of 17, a minimum roll of 27 with Reliable Talent. In full darkness such as a fight happening underground or at night, Mystique is fully invisible regardless of if she Hides or not.
While undetected, Mystique can freely change her entire appearance and has a minimum 23 Deception to help sell it. Be anyone you want to be and nobody can tell otherwise. Even better with a mid-fight Fog Cloud including one or more enemies, because you can be any of them and their team will be unable to discern which is which. Choose a non-rogue, non-bard enemy and you’re almost certainly going to be more convincing than they are! At 20, her mind can’t be read but can give false information, and she can’t be magically compelled to tell the truth but can fool magic detection to think she is.
When the hijinks are over, blasting fools will be long overdue, so Mystique carries a small arsenal of firearms to help finish the job. If not using stealth, the Gunner feat and Rogue’s Steady Aim lets her fire a cannon at point blank with advantage and sneak attack added damage, and if an adjacent enemy tries to move away for cover you can draw a dagger in the same reaction as using it for a potential reaction sneak attack. If they don’t move, they can be providing you partial cover for Misdirect to cause friendly fire upon them. Each sneak attack delivers around 40 damage in a single shot, a concentration DC in the area of 20, nigh impossible for most casters, so you can be ripping concentration effects from a great distance all battle long.
The X-Men in 5th ed D&D Full Build List

I(28M) had my TIA this past Monday. So I am still very new to it. I have a Service Dog, she actually was the first one to notice my symptoms, so idk where I'd be without her. I was drivingand pulled over. I didn't know what was happening, so I called my wife to come get me and take me to the ER. I had blurred/double vision, my right side wasn't working, I had some facial droop. I was in the ER trauma/surgery bay with the stroke team who were treating it as a stroke. In the middle of my wife making (life/death) treatment decisions, I asked her to call my parents (I went no contact a year ago) to let them know/give them a chance. No answer, then they literally responded with "keep me updated". I was admitted to neuro/stroke floor, so she gave then my room # and told them how there werent any visitor restrictions. Was left on read for the night and then got a text saying "well, I have to work this week, so let me know when you get discharged" the next day. Eventually I was discharged and sent a text with some help and was told "youre faking it, you are too young for a stroke". My wife was furious, she called them and started explaining how insane their response was. Then they told her "be careful, it sounds like she might have a stroke too" like wtf 🙃?? I made the decision that this was the final straw and im done with them. But since my discharge I've been dealing with the fatigue, new neuropathy in my arm, and dizziness/balance issues. I have the whole circus coming over (home health, PT, speech, occupational therapy, and social work). Honestly I am still trying to make sense of it all. I have noticed my speech is getting more difficult though, so I'm trying to focus on the positives.

The Sikhs are creations of the Guru’s universal love. They are by their very birth of His spirit citizens of the world.
This small world has been knitted together now as never before. Though wars still rage and will rage, for brothers must fight for patrimony, the spirit of fraternal reconciliation is in the air. Blood is thicker than water, and of the same wheaten bread and water and grapes and salt and wine we make the scarlet blood. The human body is one, the human soul is one. Human beauty is one. Our perception of the Beautiful is one; our self-intoxication is the same. Our pursuits of pleasure are alike. There is no difference between man and man. Our Guru says, the ears, the eyes, the speech of man are the same all the world over. The Guru also traces the angelic and the divine in us and emphasises this feature of our nature, showing how we may indistinguishably mingle with the angels in the Realm of angels. The heart-beat of man is alike from Japan to America, and man has already begun to recognize his heart-beat in all living things. Abraham Lincoln’s fight for the freedom of slaves in America gives him the dignity of a prophet amongst statesmen. That large sympathy of man for man is the recognition of the same heart-beat. Men, few men, have gone further, some for brief moments of inspiration, others for long, and they feel their blood in the veins of the animals. Buddha prohibited animal slaughter. Priyadasa issued edicts which made the beef-eating Aryan races of India vegetarian. This was the mass appreciation of Tathagatha’s great compassion for all sentient beings. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is typical of the curious contradiction of the nature of the man who eats chicken with his plate of rice and goes out of doors to prosecute a driver who is beating mercilessly with his lash his jaded horse in order to get a little more speed out of him. Wars rage and sisters of mercy nurse the wounded of both camps. All these contradictions of feeling only show that something nobler is stirring in the human mind and soon it will be born.
The universal brotherhood of man has become a cant from the lips of the priest, as the universal oneness of life from the lips of the philosopher. All the higher tendencies of civilized and cultured men tend towards universal kinship. All desire peace upon the earth, this small sweet home of man. The days of patriotism are gone: patriotism was a foolish clannishness. In these days man with a patriotic feeling is a brute, because patriotism makes him blind to the larger interest of the family of man. All the barbaric selfishness that still dominates the narrow-minded politics of the governments of different countries is due to the wrong notion, “This, for me alone and for none else.” We need not recall here the stupid jealousy of the white settlers in different parts of the world who reserve the best pieces of land and the best rights of man for themselves and look with manifest contempt on the coloured races. For that jealousy is the rotten patriotism of the old world when brother was divided from brother and neighbour waged war against neighbour. We need not refer to the strength of arms that crushes the low-lying victim and eats it up, for there are men who have not yet been able to rise above man-eating tendencies. We need not refer to the fight that is going on apace all over the world between capital and labour, the aristocratic state and the proletariat, for this strife only thickens the gloom before us. The gloom of centuries seems to thicken still in the old ways of the brute and the beast. We, however, wish to look at the distant rays of the coming Dawn of Peace between brother and brother, members of the one human family.
In the modern world, there is no towering personality, the race of the old worthies has been run. England has not yet given us another Carlyle nor America produced another Abraham Lincoln. And because of this want of greatness, there is confusion not only in the direction of world-politics but in all human affairs. Little points that Napoleon would have solved as part of the day’s work, are put before committees and sub-committees and take years of discussion and still remain the fourteen points unsolved.
This is the misfortune of modern times. Great men are true representatives of the people. So, they have been in all ages, for true greatness is always representative. But the giants are gone, and now the tiny dwarfs flutter and shake their wings. They have not the soul in them to take any responsibility. They are not great enough. They have misunderstood democracy. By the introduction of the idea of democracy into politics, perhaps, that tall, Himalayan kind of human personality has been made impossible. All have become sand grains in one great level desert. The winds blow and heaps of sand arc gathered here and there and then are blown away. Such is the fate of human affairs in this age—a significant fate! All ideals are in the melting pot and from the great liquid will crystalize the New Ideals. Then the world being tired of these dwarfs will cry for its old Himalayan giants again. “Down with democracy!” will they cry, as they once cried “Down with Kingship.” There will be no revolutions, for revolutions have not made us a bit more comfortable than the old obedience. Better obedience.
At present, we can only see the tendencies. One great bent of human thought is towards internationalism. And I dare say this thought began in the modern world with Guru Nanak. “Down with caste distinctions!” Man is one. There is no such thing as Hindu or Sikh or Mohammadan or Christian, the eastern or the western. Man is man, and man is one. As long as man carries a label distinguishing him from his brother man, he has not risen to the dignity of man. True culture is that which does not make him a Sikh, or Mohammadan or Hindu or Christian, but a man. True education is that which does not make him Indian or English or Japanese or American but man. A truly educated and cultured man is he whose radiant sympathy, whose genuine feelings, whose brilliant mind, whose God-like manners bring him the spontaneous kinship of all the races of man wherever he may go, so that he becomes indistinguishably a man of all countries, colours, climes and castes. This is the spirit of the Gurus. Guru Nanak fascinated Mardana. Mardana never after seeing him called himself a Mohammadan. Bhai Nand Lai after seeing Guru Gobind Singh never called himself a Hindu. Who so ever met the Guru in his soul said “he was no other but a man”. There is one sky over a Mohammadan’s, a Hindu’s, a Christian’s head; the same winds blow for everyman, for everyman the same waters flow. When the river has no such labels, it is gross ignorance to call ourselves Hindus, Mohammadans, Sikhs, Christians—and there are many others—names which divide rather than knit us together. Of what use is our going to the prophets and saying we are their followers, if we are a disgrace to their genius, genius which was exhausted by making the human wolves flock together as lambs under the protection of one shepherd? When the Guru says man is one, it is blasphemy for us to recognize Hindus, Mohammadans and Christians any more. Bhai Bir Singh of the Sikh time is the type of the Guru’s man. He lived in a fort, he was of the Guru. Though a man of renunciation he lived like a king in a fort, such is the need of the soul that is given to the Guru. He had minstrels to sing to him, for they loved to see him grow translucent in flesh as they sang and loved to see the tears of ecstasy roll down from his closed eyes on his cheek, as a baby weeping in his cradle in dream. They said he had more of Him than they had, so they sang to him, they recognized him as their prince. And the Fort was a temple in the image of the Golden Temple of the Guru. The herd of Sikh soldiery mad with lust of revenge on the men and Princes who opposed their mob rule beseiged the Fort of Baba Bir Singh. “Either surrender such and such a Sikh prince who has taken refuge in the Fort or we blow it up.” The ultimatum was given. “My fort? No, it is the Temple of Guru Nanak. The prince has taken shelter with the Guru. I am nobody here. All right let them blow us up.”
The mad soldiery started the firing.
“Come, ye minstrels, and sing now our wedding song,” said the old saint whom the religious history of the world does not know, because the Guru’s man never proclaims himself. Loving the rapturous silence of His Love he lives and dies in it. “My system is for me to live by. And I am as a tree that gives shade wherever I am”. And the minstrels came and gathered round him. They began singing the psalms of the Guru. The shells fell. That rampart is gone, that parapet is broken. And then fell a shell in the choir and the Baba was gone. But before this happened, the inmates of the Fort asked his permission to reply fire. For they had all fire-arms and ammunition. “No”, said the Baba, “They are brothers, not enemies.” But they are firing.” “They know not we are their brothers. We know they are. This knowledge makes all the difference.” The difference was death. For those who value the Guru’s ideal of brotherhood prefer death. There is indeed no justification for the man of the Guru to hate any sentient thing, far less a man. It is therefore no fanatic thought of a fervent Sikh that this ideal of the brotherhood of man starts with the Guru. This one great tendency of the modern epoch of the world of internationalism has its root in the ideals of the Guru. These ideals put you to shame. You are not amongst yourselves full of pure love for each other, you have not yet dropped selfishness in love and given yourselves wholly to love. In face of this small performance, your calling yourselves His only is empty talk. But we must hang our heads in shame and stand condemned, if we have not yet acknowledged love as the only substance of human life. It is not for me to remind you of your performance. I am showing you how in the modern world the idea of the Guru is slowly appearing as softly and as brightly as the morning sun embroiders with a thin ribbon of gold the black velvet of the winter clouds. We have not yet risen to His Ideal. We are not His yet, in spite of wearing two swords and two turbans and drinking the sugared syrup to our heart’s content. Self-flattery cannot give us wings to fly. Those who have wings fly and never see the earth. The larks know naught but their own song.
The second great tendency of the modern world is towards dropping the so-called religions. Enough of them. The world is tired of them. And I call your attention to this, this very disgust of the Guru, the disgust of a well-informed, fully emancipated mind of the modern age apparent in every page of the Guru’s writings. If you read closely Asa-di-Var, you will find it. If you read Akal Ustati of Guru Gobind Singh you will find it, indelibly written. All gods are relegated to the past. All religions are thrown away. If you look at the type of lives the Guru created in the Punjab you will for the first time see the Ideals of civic life coming into being. You will see men with families serving the poor and the weak with their very lives. A man apparently not of their persuasion comes complaining to the Sikhs assembled in the Golden Temple at Amritsar that a tyrant has snatched away his wife. The assembled men all rise and go. Some of them die in the affray, others restore the wife to her husband. These were men wholly unpractical in the ordinary worldly prudent sense. They reeked not of power and of the kingdoms of this world. For all belong to the Guru, we are his dedicated servants. This feeling made the men of the Guru as universal as wind and river and light. If our daily life is not ideal as was that of the old disciples of the Guru’s, if we have no spiritual expression of the Guru’s ideal in our society, and in our homes, if there is no musical peace of the soul as expressed, say in the homes of artistic Kyoto or Tokio, nay more, if there is not more cleanliness, more divine human feeling, more spiritual charm that fascinates us in the aesthetic Japanese, in the temples and offices of the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbhandak Committee, then of what use is our falling flat with both our arms spread on the floor of our temple and of what use is our cry to possess them? Then I will frankly call this possession of temples by my Akali brothers a bearish embrace of brick and mortar. If the spirit of the Guru which alone makes all temples sacred has departed from our hearts, of what interest to us or to the world are our shrines? If our shrines do not establish an atmosphere of that inner music which rained down from the thorny branches of the Punjab acacia when Brother Lehna shook it under the bidding of Guru Nanak and the hungry were fed, the significance of shrines to a people so lost to love and passionate love of the Guru’s perfection shrinks to nothingness. And the superstitions and formal sanctimonious regard for them is the sign of the death of that feeling which brought them into existence. I am for the absolute maintenance of the spiritual atmosphere, but not for that exclusive possession as of our peculiar inherited property. I see no reason why in the Golden Temple should not gather the Hindu and the Moslem and the Christian to recite their kathas and songs, provided they serve to maintain the peaceful, radiant spiritual atmosphere characteristic of the Guru’s teaching. That great calm harmony of the complexity of faiths and the inner oneness of all religions is the special theme of the Gurus. The very first thinker on comparative religion was Guru Nanak. Akbar followed in a weak dreamy way, obsessed with the sense of his being an Emperor and capable of starting a new religion. Abul Faizi perhaps was responsible for his doings. The modern world East and West followed. The great spirit of toleration for all religions that modern religious movements such as Theosophy have started, the unifying cultural movements of the world, are all under the driving sankalpa of the Guru whose mind governs the activities of the coining world that is to take shape according to His will. In fact, there were many Hindus who had staunch devotion for the Sikh ideals. True they did not join us, but they had sympathy with our persuasion and we have thrown them out. Our Guru says, “I embrace the sweeper who has His Nam in him.” And we shut the doors of our heart. The shutting of temple doors is immaterial, but the shutting of the doors of the heart is not in harmony with the Guru’s ideal of the universal kinship of man. People point out that we do not treat the low castes that have joined (perhaps only outwardly for social reasons) our persuasion on a basis of human equality. The sad fact is not our treatment of these people, but the smallness of our moral stature in comparison with the ideals of the Guru. Closely connected with this comes the question of what they are pleased to call “our symbols”. We as men of the Guru have no symbols. We, I say, as men of the Guru have no so-called religion or religious creed as others have. “Then what are these impediments of long hair and beard?” asks the impatient young Sikh who sees that the see no reason whole world is clean-shaven with a cigarette in its lips. And it is so neat looking. “I wish to be like that. After all what does the hair matter when my heart is pure?” The question is quite simple to answer when the answer is based on an intellectual analysis of things. And who is there to compel any one to be of the Guru, unless one feels the need of His love and His protection and His Ideal and unless one seeks ardently for Him?
But those who have been to Him and have loved Him and have received His gifts cannot throw the gifts of the Guru to the winds and still say they love Him. It is a question of the intensity of personal love for the Guru. Those braids of Jesus Christ and these sacred knots of the Five Beloved of Guru Gobind Singh who tied them on their heads with his own hands are His Gifts thenceforward. For one who has any feeling in his breast, death is more welcome than parting with His gifts. But at the same time, we should not be so foolish as to impose the possession of these gifts as a condition on the modern man for his capacity to sympathize with the Guru’s ideals and to accept them for his soul. As I told you, I feel it is the Guru’s ideals that are working in the world today and the shape and colour and race and religion of the different nations of the earth do not hinder the growing acceptance of those ideals. Men are driven to go Guru-ward. All the modern tendencies, political and religious, are turning men towards Him. It is simply stupid in this age of the progressive tendencies of man to tie him down to any superstitious symbols. Symbols will be discarded if they are merely symbols. But we Sikhs of the Punjab saw Him, met Him. He gave us His personal love and we gave Him ours, though we went astray and still go astray. The sacred knot of hair is our veritable crown, because it is His gift. Better death than parting with this gift. After a short while, except for this shape of the Guru, all other things they call symbols shall be as one chooses. To say that because a Punjabi Sikh binds a turban, the American Sikh sympathiser shall therefore be precluded from wearing his hat is the idle jugglery of an ignorant fanaticism for a local personal gratefulness to Him who freed us from caste and superstition and saved us from the hands of political tyrants. But different indeed shall be the covering of one who meets Guru Gobind Singh and gets a particular headwear as a gift. You all remember how Guru Amar Das during his discipleship received from Guru Angad Dev a piece of khaddur as a gift and token of His love for Him. The disciple knew not where to keep it. So he put it on his head and there it remained. A year later he was given another piece and he put that on his head over the old piece. It is madness to bring such things under intellectual analysis. Feeling alone understands and worships such sublimity of feeling. Personal love given to the Guru is our discipleship. But we have no right to call others to discipleship unless the Guru is revealed in us and the soul of man is instinctively attracted to that Great Love. To other men the call will come direct. We have got a bad habit from the modern Christian missionary of going with the Bible in hand in the dust and noise of the streets, saying “Believe in Jesus or you are forever damned”. None has the right to preach such things which are on the face of it concerned with personality. Is it not shameful that we go and auction our Beloved for the fun of preaching a sermon that has but one effect of causing hatred between man and man? Because of my personal love of my Beloved, I should be so radiant that my radiance should conceal me and my Beloved from all. And yet my radiance should be a revelation of Him, as is the fragrance of the rose. It is certainly a tiresome futility for us to go impressing on the busy world of to-day that unless they keep long, hair and wear turbans they cannot understand the Guru. The Guru is already diffusing his mind in the world-mind and if, like other theologians and priests, we strive to force upon the world our particular theology and rites and symbols we shall certainly fail. As the shape of nose and ear and eye cannot be limitations for the ecstasy of the soul, so no symbol, no rite, no particular form, no particular virtue or vice can impede the inner realization of the great ideals of the Guru. But as the mystic expressional types of the Guru’s mind, we have to roam in this world and spread the fragrance of the Guru with the braid-knot he gave us, and the flowing beards. Our shapes indeed can, in no sense, be considered symbols. But more important is the expression of the Sikh soul through their medium, and if that expression is lacking, our very life and body, whether our head be dressed or clean shaven, are meaningless superstitions. To a person given to religion, as one given to intense human love, trifles relating to the soul are more essential than realms of silver and gold. Surely for such people the very superstitions contain more reflections of truth than the gathered facts of the learned people of the world. If one who is at peace and fully intoxicated on those delectable heights closes his eyes in ecstasy, this closing of his eyes in no symbol of religion and yet, in a sense, it is. So should be with us Sikhs the wearing of His knot, His beard, His shape and His obedience. Our form and shape of the Guru will radiate with His inspired and extraordinary humanity. Lacking that one thing, all shall be lacking. Without that spirit within us both life and death are devoid of meaning and truth.

TikTok’s expected legal challenge to a law signed Wednesday by President Joe Biden forcing the popular app’s parent company to spin off its US operations could be a seminal moment in First Amendment law in what is shaping up to be a year of defining cases.

The new law gives TikTok’s parent company ByteDance nine months to sell the short-form video app or face a ban in the US, where it claims some 170 million users and has raised national security concerns over its ability to potentially gather data on and influence Americans.
But in an ironic twist, ByteDance, which is based in China where the ruling Communist Party has cracked down on free speech and dissent, will be relying on this very American right to protect its business interest.
“We are confident and we will keep fighting for your rights in the courts. The facts and the Constitution are on our side and we expect to prevail,” TikTok chief executive Shou Chew said in a video posted on the app in response to the new law.
In recent months, the company has foreshowed it plans to challenge the law on First Amendment grounds. In the run up to the law’s passage, TikTok encouraged its millions of users to call members of Congress to protest the bill, arguing it would infringe on “their Constitutional right to free expression.”
Last year, a federal judge halted a first-of-its-kind statewide ban on TikTok in Montana, stating the law had “both harmed [TikTok’s] First Amendment rights and cut off a stream of income on which many rely.”
Although the details of TikTok’s legal case are not yet public, legal scholars say the government only has a very narrow argument to stand on to force the sale.
“At stake here is not TikTok’s interests, but the interests of the millions of Americans who use the platform,” Ramya Krishnan, a senior staff attorney at the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, told CNN. “So whatever rights TikTok has or does not have, it is indisputable that Americans have a right to access and use social media and media of their choosing.”
To overcome that right, the government’s strongest argument is based on national security, said Nate Persily, Stanford law professor and Founding Co-Director of the Stanford Cyber Policy Center.
“If the company is acquiring data on the US population that can be used by the Chinese government in a way that threatens American national security, that of course is a compelling state interest that could overwhelm of what might be the first amendment rights of the users or the platform,” Persily said.
“I think that’s a pretty solid argument, actually. I mean, is it even technically feasible to wall off their data gathering operations in the US, given that they it feeds back into the algorithm globally right now,” Persily added.
FBI Director Christopher Wray said earlier this week that TikTok is “a national security concern” because “it is beholden to the Chinese government.”
“It has to do with the data, the recommendation algorithm, and the software,” Wray said in an NBC News interview. “The data, we’re talking about the ability to control or collect data on millions and millions of users, and to use it for all sorts of influence operations, like driving their AI efforts which are not remotely constrained by the rule of law.”
TikTok says it has never provided data to the Chinese government and has “invested billions of dollars to keep US data safe and our platform free from outside influence and manipulation.”
But legal experts say potential influence operations on TikTok, such as suppressing content on the app, is not a persuasive argument that will stand up in court. (TikTok has denied it suppresses content).
“It’s less persuasive to say that the reason you’re going to ban the foreign platform is because you’re afraid of the messages that it communicates,” Persily said.
Krishnan said even the national security argument will not withstand legal scrutiny because the Chinese government could easily purchase the same data on Americans through the open market.
“[The government is] not going to be able to satisfy that burden here, not only because much of this information is information that China could obtain through other means, but because the government could much more effectively protect American privacy by passing a comprehensive data privacy law,” she said.
TikTok’s looming legal challenge will be one of several that could eventually reach the US Supreme Court that could completely redefine online speech. Other high-profile cases that will determine whether social media companies can moderate content on their platforms are also likely to be decided this year.
“The rules for online speech are being written by the Supreme Court this year,” Persily said.

“Telling you guys, it was Ratcatcher. His body just floated out of the fuckin’ reservoir, torn all to shreds. Cops showed up, boss sent us all home for the day.”
“Yeah, sure thing, Fox. We believe ya. Right, Loco?”
“Sure. And the green chick with the plants was there too, right? She stripped down and asked you to turn over her new leaves.”
“Fuck you two.”
They numbered three: Fox, Ali, and Loco. They were Street Demonz, or at least aspiring associates. Admittedly, so far that association consisted solely of picking up and moving the odd smuggled package from Morningside Mortuary (each, unbeknownst to the trio, extracted by the surly mortician from inside the body cavity of a freshly delivered corpse). But still, they were on their way, climbing the ladder. Rising stars.
This evening their ecliptics had brought them to Gotham’s sewer system, in search of buried treasure. That had been Fox’s idea. She (the gang was quite cosmopolitan in its way) worked by day at the water treatment plant in the industrial district, being the only one of the bunch with some form of legitimate employment, if only seasonally. It was an unpleasant job but, in Gotham City, one that came with intermittent moments of excitement. You never know what might wash up in a typical work day.
Fox continued her spiel as they trudged on, guided by dim and fading light from a weak flashlight or the odd storm drain. “I’m telling you guys, it musta been Killer Croc, cuz I heard there were chunks missing from him-”
“Hold up,” Ali said, gears turning in his head. “You ‘heard?’ You told us you saw the body.”
“I saw the body a little. There was a big crowd, alright?”
“Fuckin’ wonderful. Now it comes out.”
“It was him, alright?” Fox snapped, exasperated. “The cops ID’d him and everything. I wouldn’ta recognized him if I just saw him, I never met the guy.”
“Can’t be Killer Croc,” Loco pitched in, patiently. “Heard he got shipped to a zoo in Louisiana.”
“Fine, then, it wasn’t Croc, but it was someone. I dunno, someone who kills on Halloween. Calendar Man, maybe. Sweet Tooth, Nursery Cryme.”
“Man, you said this Ratcatcher guy’s some big shot supervillain guy, he gets taken out by guys named Nursery Cryme and Calendar Man. I’m rapidly losin’ faith in this expedition, here.”
Ali felt a sense of self-satisfaction. He had heard that exact sentence used on a TV documentary once and, liking the sound of it, had been eagerly awaiting a chance to use it.
Fox took as deep a calming breath as she was able in her current surroundings. “Look. He was a big shot supervillain, okay? Made the news and all. And that means he’ll have a stash of some kind. Maybe money, maybe jewels. We find it and get it back to Dallas, real fast, before anyone else thinks to, we’re in sweet with the Demonz. Right?”
Ali and Loco were pensive for a moment. The logic was sound. Although it sounded like a long shot, each of the trio was by nature a gambling man. Or woman.
“Right. So shut up and follow me. This sewer line drains into the terminal they found him in. That means he washed up from somewhere around here. We just gotta find a place that looks like he’s been living in it, then we search it for his stash. We find it, badabing. Yeah?”
Ali grunted, which was a reluctant expression of agreement. Loco shrugged, to indicate he was resigned to follow wherever the other two went. That squabble addressed, the intrepid trio pressed onward.
They’d squelched in silence on for another few blocks when they saw the Bat. Heart pounding, Fox managed to switch off her light as discreetly as possible. Ali and Loco had seen as well; she could just barely make out their terrified wide eyes. With quiet urgency, she waved the gang into a branch tunnel, where they hid, struggling to keep their breathing level and their heartbeats steady.
They said not a word aloud, though inwardly they were each screaming.
Oh fuck, it’s the Bat. What’s he doing here? Maybe he’s the one who whacked Ratcatcher. No. No, he never kills- or maybe he just doesn’t leave any survivors to tell on him.
Why didn’t I stay at home? I could be watching Return of the Haunted Tank on Kadaver’s Mystery Theater right now.
Steady, Fox. What now? Retreat? No. We came this far. And this is almost better. Ratcatcher’s stash would have been one thing. But what if we turn this thing around? What if the three of us get the jump on the Batman? Bring HIM back for Dallas? The Demonz lost a ton of money when he shut down that street race last night. Dallas would be pumped. Nah… that’s aiming too low. We ice the Bat- That would make us just about the toughest gang in Gotham by ourselves, wouldn’t it? I’ll do it. Yeah. Sure, everyone else tried it, but they didn’t have the drop on him, the way we do. Just a quick jump when he’s not looking…
Fox drew her switchblade out of a pocket. Ignoring Ali and Loco’s silent pleading gestures, she slowly poked her head around the corner again and looked in the Bat’s direction…
Hey. Where’d he go?
They were mercifully out cold before they were even aware of it happening.
***
Jim Gordon was certain he felt something eating away at his stomach lining. He’d called Barbara again, left a voicemail. After arriving back in the city at the 14th Precinct in the East End, the first two things he’d done were commandeering the captain’s office and downing a pot of coffee. He had been up more than 24 hours already. Serial killers didn’t have the decency to allow you a night’s sleep first. The third thing he’d done was call Barbara again, and left a voicemail. It was comforting knowing she was safe in a hospital room somewhere, even if it was with that Grayson punk.
The fourth thing he did was start giving orders. Some might have argued ‘barking.’
“I want a squad at Mainland Bridge and I want them phoning in hourly. Assuming Myers hasn’t left North Island yet we want to keep him contained. And I want us in contact with other stations. Everyone not at the bridge and not here taking calls stays on patrol.”
A young lieutenant raised a hand tentatively. “‘Everyone’ meaning-”
“EVERYone. And nobody goes anywhere alone. One more thing. Michael Myers is a killer. I don’t mean he’s killed people. I mean all he does is kill people. He’s completely without remorse. He doesn’t have his original mask anymore- that identifier’s no good. But you have his height, his build, his behavior. If you have a likely suspect in sight, someone on their own, refuses to communicate through speech, or refuses to remove their mask or set down a weapon. You clear the area. You give warning to suspect to get on knees. After that you move to taze or take a shot. Understood?”
There was quiet as everyone digested that. Gordon’s eye was drawn to a heavyset figure standing in a far corner, features obscured by shabby trench coat and downturned hat brim. He swallowed a bit to get a sudden dryness from his mouth.
“I understand that’s not what most of you would have expected to hear from me. Especially in light of Myers’ last rampage. One of ours took a shot at someone in a mask. Turned out to be an innocent mental patient dressed up to resemble Myers. That officer isn’t with the force anymore. Tonight is different. We’re going to be smart. But we sure as hell aren’t taking any chances with Michael Myers.”
Batman wouldn’t approve, Gordon thought to himself. Well. Let him disapprove. Needs must when the devil drives.
The sergeant spoke up. “Alright. You heard the man. Everyone get out there. Bring that bastard down. And let’s be careful out there.”
There was a rumbling as the room emptied. Gordon ducked around a few officers to the heavyset man in the corner. He needn’t have hurried. The man had simply gotten to his feet, waiting for him.
Gordon sighed inwardly. “Hello, Bullock.”
“Hey, Commish,” the man with the throat scar said, in a raspy, broken voice. “Long time no see.”
“Didn’t expect to see you here. Not least since you’re not police anymore.”
Through the distortion, Bullock’s voice was cold and bitter. “Guess you wouldn’t. Still. Good to hear you remembered Montoya.”
“What are you doing here, Bullock?”
“Me? I’m just finishing up old business from a few years ago. That evil son of a bitch dies tonight, Jim.”
***
Corrigan, looking over his shoulder, noticed the Commissioner talking to someone as he left the briefing room. He couldn’t quite place the other someone. They were almost familiar, maybe someone who’d left the force just as he was stepping in. Guy looks like an unmade bed in human form.
Still, it hardly mattered now. In absence of other orders, Corrigan assumed he was to get back to the CSI lab and push paperwork around. He was about as useful as nippled on a bulletproof vest now. The only ones left at the station now where those Gordon trusted here or specifically mistrusted elsewhere.. You swipe a few things from the evidence locker- allegedly- stuff nobody’d miss, even, and everyone treats you different.
Corrigan’s boredom was interrupted when Kitch, who seemed to be Gordon’s new golden boy, called out to him in a hallway.
“Hey. Corrigan.”
The CSI, a pale and scruffy man who put most people in mind of a badly groomed corpse, turned and tried not to look guilty. “Yeah? Uh- yes, lieutenant?”
“You’re with me. We got a top secret important assignment. You ready? We’re gonna fix these goddam lights.” Kitch gestured to the ceiling. The lights in 14th Precinct were indeed in a sorry state, flickering on and off spasmodically. “Try going over a file in this, I’m gonna get a seizure. Someone said you can show me the fusebox.”
“Ah. Yeah. It’s downstairs, in the evidence room. Follow me.”
Things were surprisingly quieter down in the basement. Kitch was clearly a bit on edge. Even Corrigan himself, who spent a good chunk of his professional life down here, was starting to think the edginess was contagious. His heart nearly jumped out of his chest when they passed the exterminator. It was the gas mask, mostly. Creepy fuckin’ thing. Apart from that the guy was just some dweeb, in denim coveralls that were too tight across his chest.
“Hey,” Corrigan said, mildly. “Workin’ hard?”
The exterminator said nothing, only tilted his head quizzically, and, helpfully, held up a dead rat he’d been carrying by the tail. The thing was missing big chunks out of its hide. Clearly humane traps weren’t in vogue this season. Corrigan felt his stomach turn, and was pretty sure he heard Kitch make a little noise of disgust. Corrigan nodded and moved along. Jeez. Freakin’ sanitation department, they say the cops in this city are creeps.
“Here we go,” Corrigan murmured. “Fair warning. The Locker ain’t the coziest place, not even when the light’s good.”
Kitch looked around, seemingly unimpressed, until he found himself looking straight into the severed face. “Jesus” he swore. “The hell’s this thing?”
It was in fact a human face, flayed from the skull of a presumably very upset former owner, kept preserved in a jar of preservative fluid. Someone had crudely painted clown makeup on it, white skin and red lips.
“That’d be a Joy Boy who annoyed the Joker. You might not remember. There was this phase a year or two ago, the freak was all about cutting off faces. Thought it was some kinda sick art or something. We keep it there. Don’t think anyone has any ideas what to do with it.” Only option I never could sell to any collectors, Corrigan thought, privately. “Alright, hang on. Lemme grab some tools a sec.”
The CSI weaved through cramped rows of wire shelving, finally reaching a toolkit in the far side of the room, unzipped it to take a quick inventory. Damn. Thought I had a hammer in here. A good one, too. He heard Kitch make an impatient grunting.
“Hang on already. Jeez.” Corrigan rifled more in search of the hammer, before giving up in annoyance. When he turned around, he bumped into a solid wall of very quiet muscle. His new friend the exterminator was back, standing straight and still right in his path and staring him down with the empty eyes of his gas mask.
Corrigan swore. “Christ. What the fuck you doin’, man? Get out of the way.”
Absolute silence.
“Yeah, look, buddy, I’m getting you ain’t really all there, but I’m bettin’ Sanitation don’t hire complete morons, and ya probably understand ‘get out the way.’ Right?”
More silence.
“Fine. Fuck.” Corrigan moved to push past the lummox, only to be effortlessly shoved backwards into a wall by one arm with the strength of a steel beam. He swore again and looked up. The exterminator was still staring him straight down with empty eyes. He was suddenly aware he could hear deep breathing from behind that mask. Deep and almost lustful.
“Christ,” he whispered. I’m sorry, I, I didn’t mean-” as he stood up, Corrigan noticed, far too late, that the exterminator had a hammer in his other hand. The claw end was tripping with Kitch’s blood. He swallowed. “Oh Jesus-”
He felt a strong hand grip his hair, then world-splitting pain as his face was slammed into the wall. Then again. And again. His vision shrank to a pinprick of light and the masked face with the empty eyes was occupying it entirely.
Corrigan scrabbled desperately to gain some kind of handhold as Michael Myers dragged him across the floor. He struggled to muster up enough air to scream for help, but it didn’t come. Not in the time it took Michael to drag him to the fusebox, rip the panel off, and ram his face inside. His last sensation was the smell of cooking meat.
The lights stopped flickering and simply died. A dark shape stood alone in the dim emergency lighting. Michael’s gaze wandered over to the severed clown face preserved in its jar. Intrigued, he slipped his Ratcatcher mask off his head. Time to trade up.
***
“Wish I could say it was good to see you again, Bullock,” Gordon said. With nowhere else to put the ex-detective, he’d opted to simply bring him into his office, or, more accurately, someone’s office.
“Woulda thought you’d want all hands on deck for this one,” Bullock responded. The throat wound he’d gotten that Halloween years ago made his voice sound labored and croaky. He’d lost a significant amount of weight; his formerly plump face looked slack sallow now. Those, Gordon knew, weren’t the only changes.
“You’re not exactly one of our hands anymore, Harv. I heard you wound up working with Waller and the Feds.” Must be someone well-connected. This investigation’s less than a day old and you’re already in on it.
Bullock winced. “Gotta eat. Didn’t work out in the end.” He’d swiped a bishop from some chessboard he must have passed on the way in, and was fiddling with it idly as he sat. “Now I’m private sector. Can’t tell me that’s a problem, all th’ sudden. I recall you not havin’ too much of a problem bringing in outside help.”
Gordon folded his arms. “I’ve never had to worry about the Bat. But right about now I don’t know how worried I need to be about you. But fine. I don’t have time to argue tonight. And you were once something reasonably close to a good cop. Just remember, when you let an obsession control you, like as not you wind up burned.”
Harvey Bullock was readying his retort when the lights went out, completely.
There were shouts of alarm and nervous grumbles from outside the office. Bullock swore; Gordon added a few imprecations of his own as he barked his shin on the desk. It took until he reached the office door for the emergencies to kick in, and the light remained movie-theater dim.
“Everyone calm down,” he heard himself shouting. “We have emergency light. Backup generator should kick in soon. Everyone accounted for? Where’s Kitch?” No response. “Anyone seen Kitch?”
“Think he went to the basement earlier,” offered a voice from far to Gordon’s right. “Haven’t seen him since. I think he took Corrigan with huuuu-” the voice was suddenly interrupted, trailing off in a strangled cry. Gordon felt his heart skip a beat.
“Say that again. Who was that?”
No response, not from whoever it had been. But agitated whispers from the others. Hairs began to prickle on the backs of necks.
“Hang on,” someone said. “Got a flashlight. Let me just-”
A light shone for a split second on a face, a face that looked to be made of strips of leather. A face with red lips and pale skin, and the blackest eyes. Then in a split second that face was gone, and the beam of light smothered. There was another, muffled, horrible cry and then a disturbing snapping noise. Then the panic started. Voices hissed, a few guns were brandished.
In Gordon’s ear, Bullock’s voice cut through it all. “He’s here. God help us, ‘e’s here.”
“Don’t get separated,” Gordon shouted. Stay next to someone you know. Don’t panic!”
There was something behind him. He felt it only for a split second. Then a crashing as something heavy was thrown across the room. As he whirled around he saw a flashlight beam again, illuminating a face carved like a nightmare. Throat slit, X-acto knife still jammed under one side of the jaw. Eyes removed and lips flayed into a gruesome smile. It was Kitch. His head had been made into a Jack-o’-Lantern.
“Oh, god. Stop. Everyone-”
No good. There was screaming now. More flashlights flicked. By beamglow a dark Shape was barely visible, strolling easily around a doorway. A shot rang out, and a scattering of plaster danced across the floor. Someone screamed that they had Myers, only to be suddenly silenced. They were dropping like flies. They were stuck in a tank with a shark. Gordon had not the slightest inkling of his location. He was only aware of shadows ducking and dodging in the pandemonium.
It took probably less than five minutes for the backup to restore light to the room. By that time, five of the officers in the room had become corpses. All mutilated in some way, some bent and some disfigured. Alcana had tools rammed through her skull like devil horns. Hainer's jaw was cloven in half and his throat slit vertically, eyes glassy and empty. Gordon struggled to catch his breath as he saw Kitch’s head, lying in his own lap.
“Oh, god,” he whispered to himself. “Lock this place down. Form groups of three, cover all exits, the holding cells-” He was here the whole time. We weren’t prepared for that. How? What did he want? “Security’s probably dead too. Get us the footage, see if we can trace where he went in the building.”
It took longer than it should have, precious time, to find the bodies in the security feed room, and in the evidence locker. Longer still to see the ransacked records room. In the ensuing chaos, nobody noticed uninvited Harvey Bullock eyeing up a smashed glass frame on the wall. A news clipping of James Gordon, receiving some sort of commendation or other, a set of faint blooded fingerprints on the photograph. It was a good photo. Jim centered, looking uncomfortable. A few others behind him- the Mayor and some officers, and-
In the chaos nobody saw Harvey Bullock slip out of the room and out of the station house.
***
Waiting less-than-patiently for Barbara’s MRI to finish, Dick took a moment on his phone to search for police records relating to Michael Myers.
The stories were disturbing, to say the least. Multiple escapes, each ending in a mass murder. A string of psychologists, more than a few coming to bad ends. Almost as if there were something about Myers that just couldn’t be safely studied by a rational mind. Going back to someone named Loomis, who had apparently spent the better part of fifteen years desperately, fruitlessly trying to convince the world of Myers’ true nature. Through those fifteen years, right up to Myers’ first escape, Loomis had been disbelieved and dismissed, even as Smith’s Grove’s other patients and staff started dropping mysteriously and inexplicably dead.
Like that cartoon where the frog dances ragtime, but it always stops whenever its owner tries to show someone, Dick thought, absurdly.
Mugshots of Myers were available, showing an unremarkable, expressionless face, but the photo that kept coming up was one of the mask. Pale white, ruffled black hair, totally empty eyes. It shouldn’t have been terrifying. It was just a piece of latex. Some cheap thing Myers had looted from a grocery store, part of a costume kit that let kids pretend they were the captain on Space Trek 3022. But somehow even in a police photo, those empty eyes seemed to stare straight through you.
Dick felt unaccountably cold all of a sudden. He flicked the phone’s screen off and looked out the window. Dark was just falling outside. Halloween was underway. I’m still exhausted, he thought. And then: Hope Bruce is alright. But Bruce is always alright.
“Mr. Grayson? You’re here with Miss Gordon?”
Dick snapped back to reality. He was being addressed by Dr. Shondra Kinsolving, orthopedist and traumatologist, tall and striking and strong-featured.
“Yes. That’s me. Hi.”
“Well, that’s the last test done. Signs are mostly positive but we’ll need maybe another hour to see any results. She’s resting now if you’d like to see her.”
Dick indicated that he would like to do such a thing and brushed off apologies for delays, and, in the understanding that politeness cost nothing and might buy many things, dared a mid-level dazzling smile. In time he was being led down a hall to Barbara’s room.
The clinic seemed unusually quiet by city hospital standards, quiet enough that Dick couldn’t help but mention it. “Pretty quiet here tonight.”
“Been a quiet season so far. We’ve been lucky lately.” That appeared to be all there was to say on the matter.
Barbara, still green-gown-clad, had hauled herself off her chair and onto a bed. There was still a considerable amount of strength in her still-functional limbs, which she tended to show off in those cases where she felt it might be forgotten.
“Hey,” Dick said, trying to sound nonchalant (not even a trace of chalant). “So. How’d it go? They say the Wizard can give you a heart?”
“You’re not funny, you know.”
“I think you’ll find I’m actually hilarious.”
Dr. Kinsolving smirked just a tiny amount. “Well, I can see you two are busy. I’ll leave you alone a bit.”
There was a thoroughly uncomfortable silence for a bit after Kinsolving left. Eventually Dick pulled up a chair and sat backwards, leaning his elbows against the back. “So. They still think-”
“So far no new complications. They think the surgery can still take place like normal. I could be walking again by New Year.” Barbara said. Her composure was almost perfect. You wouldn’t have heard the slight tremor if you didn’t know her well. She had been a champion athlete once. Once she’d kept pace with him and Bruce on nighttime patrol. It hurt to even try to imagine how much hurt came with that much loss.
Subject-changing time. “We should do something. I mean, while I’m in town. Wanna go to the museum, or the zoo?”
Barbara snorted. “What?”
“I kind of want to see that big snaggletooth shark thing they have. Whatsisface. Dunkleosteus? He still there? I missed him.”
“Dick-”
“Catch a haunted house, maybe. Think any’ll be open tomorrow? Maybe they’re discounted.”
“Dick.” Barbara employed her Stern Voice. It allowed no possible deflection. “You’re acting weird. And that’s even by your standards. What’s wrong?”
Dick sighed. “I’m just. I dunno. I talk when I’m worried. And I am, now. Worried, a little. I guess. That something could go wrong.”
“You don’t have to worry about me.”
“I don’t know how not to. I know we’re not, like… that anymore. But we’re still… something. Okay?”
There was another pause. Subject change, take two.
“So. I heard you were seeing someone. Bard or something. Is that still a thing?”
“He’s fine.” Barbara said, simply. “And how’s the orange girl? What was her name, Princess some-kind-of-spice? Cardamom?”
“It’s Koriand’r,” Dick said, a trifle indignantly.
“She’s orange.”
“Shaddup.”
“She’s orange and you’re an idiot. And you can stop worrying about me because I can take care of myself. And… thanks.”
Dr. Kinsolving poked her head back in the room, possibly revealing a metahuman talent for impeccable timing. (What makes timing pec, anyway?)
“Hi. I’m terribly sorry about this, it looks like the results might be a bit longer than we expected. We seem to be having power failures or something.”
Barbara shrugged, turned to Dick. “I can wait here, if that’s alright with you.”
Dick counter-shrugged. “What, pass up free cafeteria Jello? No chance.”
“I think that’s his way of saying he’s in too. A little more waiting won’t kill me.”
***
A rope drew tight. Three unconscious gangbangers would wake up, in time, tied to a safety railing atop an abandoned warehouse, just across from a shop where someone called Madame Xanadu did palm readings. Safe but humbled, and hopefully having learned a valuable lesson. All the same, the Batman was fuming inside. It was a distraction he had not needed. The darkness was getting denser. Halloween night would bring trick-or-treaters, a parade, parties, pranksters- and lined up for the slaughter, as long as Michael Myers was loose.
He hit the commlink in his cowl.“Alfred. Three for the police station on East End, at my location.”
“Placing call now.” came a voice on the other end. Once upon a time Alfred had passed up a very successful career on the stage. The police had gotten used to receiving anonymous tips from his Algernon Moncreiff or Señor Benedick. “Is there anything I can report on Myers’ whereabouts?”
“No.” Nothing except a few dead, mutilated rats. It was dark now. Myers would be on the hunt. Even from the rooftop the sounds of Halloween were audible. People were on the streets. Lined up for the slaughter.
Think.Using techniques he’d learned in Asia, the Batman emptied his mind of distraction. The city’s layout, perfectly encoded in his memory, unfolded before him. Time slowed down until it seemed not to pass at all.
Think. To catch a man, understand how he thinks. How does Michael Myers think? He used Cobblepot Manor as a hiding place during our last encounter. No good to him now. It’s demolished. And he won’t be hiding now. Possible routes and points of emergence, then. Maze-finding algorithms. Think!
It was no good. In his mind’s eye the city gave way to a pair of pitch-black eyes in a snow-pale face. He felt his jaw tense. There was no time for this…
Earlier that morning.
Dr. Leland had been helpful. But he had wanted a second opinion. So once the chaos had been sufficiently reined in, he paid a visit to the inmate in Myers’ neighbor. He had been moved, quite calmly and without even token resistance, to a spare cell in an emergency block.
“Oh, Batsy. You should have told me you were dropping by. I would have cleaned the place up a bit. Mmmhehehehehee.”
By all rights he should have looked unassuming next to the others at Arkham. Tall, stick-thin, gangling. Pale skin, hair sharply receding and pastel green, lips red. Teeth on dazzling display, always. Like Myers, it was the eyes that let you know you were dealing with a monster. These eyes weren’t black like the devil, but pale green and manic. The smile forever on that clownish face never quite touched those eyes.
“You had a chance to escape in the fire. Instead you let them move you here. Why?”
A casual shrug. “Eh. Still brainstorming some new material. Anyhoo, no sense sharing the stage. Everyone else always plans something big on Halloween.”
“Including Michael Myers?”
The pale face betrayed just a twitch of micro-emotion. “Ah. Ol’ Audrey, eh? You know his middle name is Audrey? Tried calling him that, and no response. How are you supposed to get the new guy’s goat if he won’t show you where he keeps it, amirite?”
“Then you interacted with him.”
“Heh. Much as I could. Talk about a stiff. Why so interested, Bats? Looking for someone else in the old two-man act? Bad dynamic for a duo, there. Two straight men? Abbott and Abbotter?”
That flash of expression had been there again. He asked only a few more questions. He’d learned more than he expected. Even the Joker, deep down, was afraid of Michael Myers.
No time for this at all. Like it or not, he was up against a mind he couldn’t understand. With time a factor, that left only one resource he hadn’t tapped yet.
“Brand,” he said. “If you’re there. Talk, now.”
For a time, nothing happened. Then a snort. Then a stir. One of the gangbangers, the woman, was conscious. Her head was no longer slouched on her shoulder; her eyes were wide, and… different. Everything about her seemed different. Somehow two people were in the same space, now, one flesh and one not. Like a 3D image, one was superimposed on top of the Other. The Other you might catch for less than a second, if you squinted, or looked only with the corner of your eye, though like a piece of subliminal advertising, your mind would convince you that you had not. The Other had corpse-pallid skin, and dressed in a high-collared leotard red as exposed sinew. A bullet wound in its heart bled eternally.
“Fancy meetin’ you ‘ere.” The gangbanger did not say it. Her mouth shaped the words, and her vocal cords gave them timbre. But the words themselves came from the Other. Boston Brand, the late.
“You were following me.”
“Don’ take it personal. I follow a couple guys. Yez one a’ th’ more interestin’ ones. Anyway, I guess y’ain’t too mad, seein’ as yer the one wanted to tawk to me.”
Batman kept many secrets. Few knew of this one. In life, Boston Brand had been a circus acrobat, killed mid-routine by an unknown assassin’s bullet. In death, for reasons even he did not know, his spirit would not vacate the mortal coil. He walked the Earth without mortal flesh or bone, save when he took possession of someone else’s. Until the day the mystery of his murder was solved, or the scales of karma were otherwise balanced, the Dead Man was not completely dead.
Brand’s death had been of interest once to the man now called the world’s greatest detective, a cold case intended as a bit of mental exercise. As Bruce Wayne, he had combed over Brand’s circus a dozen times or more, hoping to piece together the events of the crime, including the night he had made the acquaintance of Dick Grayson.
“So. What do I owe this pleasure to?” The Dead Man in the gangbanger’s body winced. “Hey, you have to rough ‘em up so much? I’m feelin’ this one’s bruises. Hang on.”
The Dead Man’s meat suit slouched into unconsciousness and within a second, another gangbanger perked up.
“Nah. Dis one’s worse.”
“I don’t have time for games. Something is loose in Gotham. Something I may not understand.”
“An’ naturally you turn t’ me fer help. Hey, I’m touched. Only not all us ghosts ‘n’ goblins know each other, see.”
“He knows,” came a voice from nowhere. “His actions are informed by desperation.”
A woman had appeared on the rooftop, unheard and undetected. One second she had not been there and the next it was as though he had always been. She was dressed in red robes and a jewel-inset choker, and a strip of cloth covered her eyes. She seemed to ripple oddly as she moved; one moment her long black hair was thick and lustrous, the next it was stringy and streaked with gray. One moment her face below the blindfold was youthful and soft, the next haggard and sharp.
“Forgive an old woman for her interruption. But you’ll get nothing harassing a petty ghost like Boston Brand."
“Hey,” protested the Dead Man, who was experimenting with the body of the third gangbanger.
“Men call me Madame Xanadu. I have answers that you need, though perhaps not the ones you want.”
Batman didn’t appreciate the unwelcome arrival, not least because he hadn’t sensed it. But he also realized, through something that was not deduction, that the (old?) woman wasn’t a threat, at least not at the moment.
“There’s only one answer I want, now.”
“Ah, yes.” The blind woman held up a hand, let a voluminous red sleeve slide down. In her palm was a deck of Tarot cards, and she flipped one off the top of the deck, not bothering to look with her blindfolded eyes. “Five of Wands. Sometimes associated with the rune of Thorn. Signifies determination and the drive to overcome. Overcome what, I wonder.”
“If you know Myers’ whereabouts, tell me. If not, stay out of my way.”
Another card flipped. “Yes. The Devil. Signifying a challenge, or an obstacle to self-realization. It’s the Devil you seek to overcome. Or he seeks to overcome you.”
“I said I don’t have time for games. And I don’t believe in devils.”
Xanadu flipped another card from the deck, blind gaze holding perfectly steady. “The Heirophant. Mistrust, rigidity. Your soul is ruled by logic, but you walk in a world you don’t understand. You haven’t been able to trust in higher powers since- yes, a fateful night when you were eight years old.”
Another card flipped. “And that one’s the Tower. Meaning danger or peril. And it’s for me. Well, fair enough, I apologize for that.”
I don’t have time for this, Batman thought. But somehow time didn’t seem real anymore. Everything felt like a dream. He was standing on a rooftop. Why did it feel like he was seated at a table?
“Myers,” he said out loud. “I’ve seen his eyes. He seems beyond death. What is he? A madman? A curse? Human? More? Less?”
The Dead Man chuckled. “The supernatural explanation ain’t ever right, except when it is.. That oughtta be your rule, Bats. Arkham’s Razor, they could call it.”
“One more card,” Xanadu muttered, and flipped it. “Wheel of Fortune. Signifying faith. That’s all I can say for now. Your world doesn’t have higher powers, but ours does, and there are rules about what problems magic can be used to solve. But don’t worry. When you wake up none of that will matter.”
Batman felt his head swimming. “Why?”
“Because you’re going to find who you’re looking for right now.”
“Sir? D'you hear me?”
Snap. Back to reality. Alfred’s voice was in his ear. Xanadu was gone, and the possessed gangbanger was asleep once more. It was as if no time had passed. Reacting on instinct, his eyes darted towards the magic shop across the street. It was there no longer; in its place was an abandoned pub by the name ‘Sabatino’s Old Irish Pub.’ What happened? Something about cards, and Thorns…
“Sir!”
“I’m fine, Alfred. Say again.”
“There was no response at police headquarters. I had to use our private line to the Commissioner. He said to pass onto the Batman that Myers had claimed another two victims at the East End station, sir.”
No. But that doesn’t- “Where were the bodies found?”
“In a basement records department, sir. Apparently some files were in disarray.”
Jigsaw pieces fell into place. He’s not after me. Or he is, but not directly. Leland said he was becoming obsessed with emulating my enemies. So what would Joker do in this situation, or Penguin? ...get at me through family. Myers faced someone else that last Halloween. Someone who poked his eye out and someone who escaped him. The one that got away.
But that only makes sense if he knows her connection to Gordon…
He knows. Never mind how. He knows.
“Alfred. I’m going to the Thompkins Memorial Hospital. I know what’s happening. Myers is going after Barbara.”

• What is a debate?

_A debate is a formal discussion where individuals present arguments on a particular topic, usually in a structured manner with defined rules. Participants express their viewpoints, support them with evidence or reasoning, and engage in a back-and-forth exchange to persuade others of their position. Debates often involve contrasting opinions, with each side advocating for a specific stance or proposition. The goal of a debate is not only to express viewpoints but also to critically analyze ideas, challenge assumptions, and encourage constructive dialogue to reach a better understanding of the topic at hand,Simply a debate is a symphony of perspectives, a tapestry woven with contrasting threads of logic and passion. In this grand spectacle of discourse, minds collide, hearts ignite, and the pursuit of understanding takes center stage.

• *The fudementals of debate:

_The fundamentals of debate lie in the art of persuasion and critical thinking. It's a structured exchange where participants present arguments, counterarguments, and rebuttals to advocate for their positions. Key elements include clear communication, logical reasoning, and evidence-based support for claims. Debaters must listen attentively, analyze information, and construct compelling narratives to sway opinions. Respect for opposing views, adherence to rules, and a focus on the topic at hand are vital. Embracing diverse perspectives, honing public speaking skills, and fostering intellectual growth are core aspects of engaging in debates.

• *Rules of debate

_These guidelines ensure fairness, clarity, and respect among participants, fostering an environment where ideas can flourish and perspectives can clash harmoniously. Key rules include maintaining decorum and civility, adhering to time limits for speeches, presenting arguments based on evidence and logic, refraining from personal attacks, and engaging in active listening. Additionally, following the structure of the debate format, respecting the moderator's instructions, and allowing equal opportunities for all speakers to express their viewpoints are fundamental principles. By upholding these rules, debates become vibrant arenas where ideas contend, minds sharpen, and understanding deepens. Also these tips gonna positively affect on your debate:1):Use Cue cards:2):Use eye contact3):your voice4):your body5): Avoid nervous habits.

• *Great results of debate:

_The outcomes of engaging in debates can be truly remarkable. Through debates, individuals hone their critical thinking skills, enhance their ability to articulate ideas persuasively, and refine their capacity to analyze complex issues from multiple angles. Debates foster intellectual growth, encouraging participants to delve deep into topics, conduct research, and develop well-structured arguments supported by evidence.On a broader scale, the impact of debates resonates beyond the participants themselves. Debates spark dialogue, stimulate critical conversations, and drive societal progress by addressing pressing issues, proposing innovative solutions, and shaping public opinion. They serve as platforms for intellectual exchange, fostering a culture of inquiry, learning, and collaboration.

• *A historical result of debate:

_A significant historical result of debate is the Treaty of Paris signed in 1783 to officially end the Revolutionary War between Great Britain and the United States. This negotiation, involving several countries, favored the United States and marked a crucial moment in history.The treaty's impact and subsequent agreements highlight the importance of successful diplomatic efforts in resolving conflicts and shaping international Relations.

1. debating is a livelyinteraction between two teams not justreading a speech off notes. Use cuecards like a prompt in a play as areference if you lose your spot or train ofthought.
2. Use Eye Contact - if you look at the audience you will hold their attention. If you spend the whole time reading fromyour cue cards or looking at a spot awayfrom the audience, they will lose concentration very quickly. Keep the audience in your sight and their minds will follow your logic.
3. Your Voice - you must project vour voice so that you can be heard but definitely donot shout. Use the volume, pitch and speech of your voice to emphasizeimportant points of your speech. Sometimes a loud burst will grab the audience's attention while a period ofquiet speaking will draw the audience in and make them listen more carefully to what you are saying.
4. Your Body - Make your body work for you by using hand gestures with confidence.Move your head and upper body tomaintain eye contact with all members of the audience. Stand straight up, definitely do not slouch over the desk or let theaudience know you might be nervous.
5. Nervous Habits - avoid them like the plague. Playing with the cue cards, pulling strands of your hair, fiddling with your watch or bouncing up and down on your feet will all distract from what you aresaying. Don't let any one thing detract from your ability to persuade the audience.

- Hiba Kalla

I love this song out of context. It’s one of the strongest on the album. Knowing anything about the person who wrote the song, makes it so hard for me to get through without rolling my eyes.
“The “Who’s Who” of “Who’s That?” is poised for the attack / But my bare hands paved their path” Regardless of who you think she’s calling out here, her bare hands paved nothing on their own. She would not be where she is today without immense privilege and a really good label and marketing team behind her. Not to mention the songwriters and producers who helped make her music stand out the way it did. It is literally impossible to gain this kind of fame success on your own.
“You don’t get to tell me about sad” the billionaire cries in her mansion while there’s an actual genocide happening.
“If you wanted me dead, you should’ve just said” Who said that?
“Nothing makes me feel more alive” Okay do you resent the “pain” we “provoke” or not?
“So I leap from the gallows and I levitate down your street / Crash the party like a record scratch as I scream “Who’s afraid of little old me?” / You should be” Great songwriting but what? Her “cancellation” was 8 years ago and she’s already been acquitted. What else could she have been metaphorically hanged (hung?) for? Whose party is she crashing, she’s literally the most loved woman in the world right now?
“The scandal was contained, the bullet just grazed / At all cost keep your good name / You don’t get to tell me you feel bad” Is this about Matty fkn Healy again?
“Is it a wonder I broke, let’s hear one more joke / Then we could all just laugh until I cry” sigh.
“I was tame I was gentle til the circus life made me mean” ah, blaming others for things you can actively control, I see I see.
“Don’t you worry folks we took out all her teeth” if “teeth” is a metaphor for her ability to sue people for expressing free speech, by all means take ‘em.
“So tell me everything is not about me, but what if it is?” it’s not.
“They said they didn’t do it to hurt me, but what if they did?” can you tell I’m rolling my eyes?
“I want to snarl and show you how disturbed this has made me / You wouldn’t last an hour in the asylum that they raised me” Siri, pull up that picture of Taylor Swifts childhood home that sold for $800k.
“I’m always drunk on my own tears, isn’t that what they all said? That I’ll sue you if you step on my lawn” yeah I think that’s a fair assumption…
“That I’m fearsome, and im wretched, and I’m wrong” Yeah, sometimes, Taylor, you are in the wrong. It’s not a big deal to admit that.
“I put narcotics into all of my songs and that’s why you’re still singing along” I mean I can neither confirm nor deny this one.
“’Cause you lured me then you hurt me and you taught me” didn’t anyone teach you nice things too 😭
“Then you caged me and you called me crazy” Girl, you are a billionaire, you are not in a cage. What is with all of this caging imagery, you are free to do whatever you want. Stop this.
“I am what I am ‘cause you trained me” Can I sign up for the “How To Become a Ruthless Billionaire Pop Star Queen” training course too, or is it members only?
All in all, she has shown no amount of self awareness or growth with this song. It sounds to me like she’s pissed anyone dare to criticize her for anything. Carbon emissions? It’s because she’s caged! She needs to fly private! Suing people for expressing free speech? We trained her to do that! It’s exhausting. I’d love the idea of this song so much more if it was written for people who actually stand up and even risk their lives to fight for change. She’s not “little,” she’s one of the most powerful people in the world and rarely uses that power unless it somehow benefits her. I’m over it. Thanks for reading my rant.

Here’s a brief rant about my escapades when it comes to my love life. Feel free to share yours, dog on mine etc. Let’s begin.
Part 1 : The yapper who wrecked me
For as long as I can remember I used to be a very timid kid in school, not that extroverted but I did have heart. I used to be really good at speeches, played a bit of sport, won a couple of trophies, was good at my studies too. This is where when I was in my 11th grade I was approached by a girl for the first ever time in my life . Don’t judge me but I was straight ass so my first instinct was to turn her down and move on with my life. But unironically we caught the same bus home everyday and we started talking which slowly developed into something beautiful.
This goes on for about 8-9 months and that’s when the first antagonist steps into the picture, her father. He catches us walking together and whisks her by the arm, yells at me and takes her home and initiates his most diabolical plan yet : A 3 hour yap session to convince her that I’ll be the death of her.
Next day comes and I’m waiting for her to hop on the bus as I usually save her a seat next to me. This girl straight up walks up to me and in front of everybody without hesitation says “ you are not good for my life because you’ll amount to nothing “, complains to the bus driver makes me give up my seat and gets me to stand all the way over the back. I tried talking to her during our lunch break but no luck, bro just totally aired me. I wanted to save my remaining self respect and went and cried in the bathroom for an hour before I went back to class.
Following that evening until I finished school, I had to deliberately catch the next bus because I couldn’t bear looking at her. This couldn’t have happened at the worst of timing as I had my final exams and luckily enough I did well to secure an application at a good college.
The last I heard of her was she moved back to her native or somewhere. This was a while ago so the max we could use to stay in touch was sms through our parents phones as we didn’t have phones ourselves.
Part 2: The dumpster fire
Time skip, I’m in college. I haven’t fully recovered from the previous breakup yet but was coping quite well. I said to myself screw being in a relationship, bros for life. And bros for life it was, I had the most must fun with the boys during the first semester, found my bearings and made some lifelong's who keep in touch with me still.
Second semester starts and my second heartbreaks leans her head into my life. Since the start of the second semester, I was constantly feeling everyday that someone was drilling a hole in the back of my head with their stare. Whenever I turn back to g check them, it was her looking so intently that she doesn't even bother breaking eye contact even when I turn around to look back at her. She was really pretty but I made a vow to myself so I just let her be, she wasn't doing anything wrong just staring and so I didn't think much of it.
I was an honour student and so was she, so we were called down at the principal's for a general chat about how we found the classes, subjects and the staff. Her name was alphabetically in front of mine so he went first in and finishes up and heads back to class. I go in next, have a hearty chat and finish up as well. As I am walking up the stairs to get to class though, that's when I see her waiting for me at the stairs. I gave her a smile and thought nothing was gonna happen and that's when she pulls me by my shirt and asks if she can talk to me. I wanted to diffuse the tension and told her we're classmates and we were bound to talk with each other at some point. This is when she admits that she kept staring at me because she thought that I reminded her of her dad. It was pretty weird but I said it was okay? and just walked off because I was kinda nervous and the nervousness made me awkward and I sort of sped walked back to class.
Few days go by, they decide to make a Whatsapp group of the class. I was pretty hesitant but I kind of stalked everyone's number and after 3 hours I sent the first "Hi". Immediately there's a ding and we start talking. We caught on like wildfire and spent hours texting which felt like only minutes, I am sure you can relate to this. We spoke and met up in class for like 3 months, shared lunch, used each other's pens and all the cute shit.
I still vividly remember this but there was as huge storm that hit our city and she lived pretty far away from me probably about 40kms (~25miles) and the storm was devastating, it uprooted so many trees, powerlines and cell phone towers. It was basically zero dark 30 for an entire week and I missed her like hell and she did too. I finally hear news from my neighbours that they were able to get some kind of reception from a place that was 10kms away. I without any hesitation, steal my dads bike and head to the place and see if I received any messages from her. With no surprise as soon as I turned on my mobile data, I received a total of 300+ messages just from her seeing if I was safe and doing alright.
I call her up immediately then and there and she picked up and we spoke for the first time. She confessed she was in love and I hesitant but surely told her I loved her as well. It was official we were boyfriend and girlfriend, word spread like wild fire and all the old mates who were interested in her, ganged up on me and we used to throw down almost everyday over a girl, which is embarrassing I know but game's the game. We hung out a lot, malls, movies, parks, beach, dinners you name it. We were in love and it was the most beautiful feeling yet one which I longed for after the heartbreak in school. Whenever she needed something I didn't even bother thinking of how it would affect me and she did the same. The reciprocation from each end was immaculate and we couldn't stay away from each other.
She always used to say that there was a vacant flat in her apartment and if I was there, we could meet everyday and stay together everyday. This will come in handy later but I digress for now.
Here's where it started to go downhill. Her friends catch wind of the matter and think that I wasn't allat and we should breakup since I didn't deserve a girl like her. In a moment of weakness after constant persuasion, she says she wants to breakup outta the blue. I was so confused and upset and I tried to understand why. She doesn't give me much to work with and blocks me in Whatsapp, ignored me in college and pretty much gave me looks that felt so alienating fuelled by her friends.
Her life is really tragic when it comes to her family but without going into much detail she's been someone who's really unsure of herself and gets easily pushed around by the people who love her. I was able to sympathise with her on this and helped her see that her decisions are far more important at the end of the day than what other people say.
We kind of broke up in the second year and couldn't talk much. One fine day I had enough of it and followed her on her way home and asked if she could talk with her. We went somewhere private and she bawls her eyes out hugging me and apologising for doing that to me and she only did it because of her friends and not of her own free will. I told her it was okay and I was ready to forgive her and take her back and we're back on with the relationship happily ever after.
Third year comes by and remember the flat I told you about? the one vacant? yeah, so I basically rented out the place without a couple of my friends and me and her we had the happiest days of our lives. But funny story before that, When me and my friends came to finalise moving in and the payment with the landlord, she invited us all to her house but really it was an invitation for me especially. What she failed to let me know was that her mother was home and I was scared shitless of her mum.
As a single mother, she was really protective of her kids and her daughter having a bf would not be ideal to her and so I was scared she was gonna tear me up into shreds. I go there and there is her mom, bang in the middle of the house waiting for us with some snacks some drinks. I was shitting my pants the entire time, barely making eye contact when answering questions. I felt like I was gonna spontaneously combust any minute and I wanted to gtfo there ASAP. but luckily that evening after I get home she texts me and says her mom actually thought I was very sweet and charming and of course that made my day.
So I move in, we go to college and come back together, I get really close to their family, she prepared me lunch almost everyday, we had fun, we studied together etc.
But this is the time period where we started fighting a lot, mostly pointless looking back at it now but we were going at each other quite a bit and as a result we would go on long pauses and this kind of ruined the relationship in general. What I came to know was most of the fights were instigated by her friends and not her but I never really confronted her friends. I move out of her apartment and back home in my final year and I used to drive all the way to college which was the same distance as her house from mine.
One fine day after our many fights, I try to patch up and nada, total silence. I tried talking to her in person but it was just shrugs or fast walking to avoid me. I stopped trying at some point on the account that I was in the relationship with her and not with her friends, I she values her friends opinions more than mine then I can see where her priorities lied and so I stopped.
But boy did I know that I was in for one of the most depressing aspects in my life. Took me 3 years to fully recover from it because I believed we had the perfect relationship and I had put in so much work that it would be indestructible but here I am writing about how it ended lol
Part 3: The train-wreck
I graduate from college with a distinction, join an amazing company just after two months and quickly join the ranks. It was in a different city and hence I had to rent out somewhere closer to the office meaning I had to stay alone. Evenings were really lonely and depressing and to be frank I wasn't coping really well, turned to alcohol, some internet mischief and stopped completely taking care of myself.
This in turn made me burn out at work and even though my throughput was ideally the same or better it took a toll on me mentally and physically. Couldn't sleep at night, ate like one meal a day etc, no will to have fun or hangout and just wanted to be on the bed or a grifter at night. It took me almost 8 months to realise that I was depressed and I wasn't doing myself any favours. I joined the gym again and started rekindling what were once lost joys like boxing, motorcycles and gardening.
A few months go by and I am in good shape physically but didn't do anything about the mental side of things. That's when the third love of my life comes in. She was a family friend of my uncle's, her dad my uncle used to work together and her dad was looking for marriage alliances for his daughter before he wanted to send her abroad for higher studies.
My uncle introduced me as a potential suitor and we went and met her family once. Spoke to her and kind of dug her vibe, got the feeling that she was a bit too naive and a daddy's girl and felt she was a bit emotionally immature and naive when it came to relationships.
I wasn't too keen about proceeding any further and informed them in the most respectful way possible that I wasn't ready to get married anytime soon. Her father naturally took offence and she for some reason was heartbroken and that gave me confirmation that I made the right call because If I went ahead and we fought then one, her dad would step in and two she will want to cry and never want to resolve things unless her dad got involved.
I go on with my life, work in Dubai for a bit. Had a think about my career and decided to study abroad and funnily enough due to covid it got delayed by a whole semester and yet I went to the same country before her where I still am. I begin my masters and it was pretty okay same as back home, studying and working to support myself.
I am in my second semester and I get a random text from a number that was not in my contacts. It was her and she informed me that she was coming into a different uni later that year. Didn't think much about it but I wanted to help her settle in and stuff because I know how isolating it can be moving to a different place. So she gets here, gets nicely settled and we sort of spark up what ended two years ago. By this time I was partially kind of recovered from my second break up and I wanted to move on. I worked hard and saved a lot of money to take her out and spend time with her, buy her things she wanted and just make her feel home and she confessed that she was heartbroken when I called off the engagement.
I tried to explain her the reason but she assured me that I had my reasons and she believes me. Days go by We hang out whenever we can, I teach her cooking, grew flowers which I gave her every time I went to visit her and so much more.
In an around the 3rd semester of mine, she confesses she had feeling for me and told me she would wait for my reply. I didn't want to bullshit her and told her I loved spending time but I don't view the same at this point in time. She took it in stride and told me she'll wait for me to open up and I told her there were no promises and told her to just focus on the present.
I'm in my 4th and final semester comes around and this is where it goes to dogs. I started liking her too and we kind of acknowledged it but I didn't outright say it but I was slowly falling for her. One fine day she calls me up on video one day and show me a bloodied arm. It was a deep slash and was bleeding like crazy. I quickly call her friend to rush her to a hospital as I lived almost an hour and a half away. I get to the hospital and there she was stitched up and unconscious. The doctor says to me that her wound was infected and had to operate and remove the infect through incisions. They charged an arm and a leg and kind of pressured us into thinking it had to be done immediately. I had my savings and immediately paid it off and prompted to start the surgery. After 3 whole years of no contact, I call her father up and tell her the knows.
He was taken aback more about the fact that I called him than his daughter being in the hospital. Even on the phone he started probing as to how long we were talking with each other and shit and how she didn't tell him nothing about us being together. I felt like shit hit the fan then and there and was ready to just face whatever is gonna come my way. He was furious that I paid for everything and took care of her and stuff and said he'll send his wife and son (her younger brother) on the next jet which supposedly will get them here in 2 days time.
I really hated that phone call but in my mind her health was kinda important so after the surgery I just slept next to her on chair, go her food, fruits and everything and after a whole day she wakes up but I don't tell her what happened with her dad as she was not fully in her senses yet. I even offered to pick her mom and brother from the airport but they rejected it.
They get here, hop on cab and reach the hospital and don't even say a lousy thank you and pay me in cash and told me my presence was no longer needed there. But before I got there, I wrote here a note giving her a run down of events and asked her to cal me when she could. I leave, I go back to my place and wait. After two days, I received a call from her saying she was gonna go back home on a break in a couple days and asked if I could come see her tomorrow.
They were in a hotel and I get there at a time and place we decided on. I being her my flowers as usual and I give it to her and her midget of a brother, this 5ft nothing guy comes up to me and no warning just slaps me. I assured him that if he ever did something like that again, the hospital bills would be the least of his worries and I'm letting him go because of his sister. She lashed out on him and he went back crying to his mom, who comes down drags her back to the hotel room and doesn't even acknowledge my presence. She signalled to me to back home and she did not want me to wait there for her. But I was tired already of all the shit and just caught a bench and sat there for a bit. She looks down from her balcony and begs me to leave and I just stare at her for bit and head back.
Later that evening, I am put on a 4 way conference call between me, her, the mom and the dad. They just blasted me for spending time with their daughter and distracting her from studying all those kinda jazz. I patiently listened to finish them talking and spoke up. I told her that we are two consenting adults and we like each other and love spending time in each others company. We did not overstep our bounds and utmost held hands and told him that I know I said no before but my hearts changed thanks to your daughter and in order to re-enforce that we were interested I wanted her to pitch in and kind of passed on the torch to her saying you can ask your daughter too if she has the same feeling.
But I was for a shock of my life, she just was there silent, didn't say yes and didn't say no and made me look like a complete fool. So yeah, his father had what he wanted and basically just warned me not to pursue his daughter anymore. I had to swallow my pride and gave him my word and assured him I wouldn't contact her again. It was indeed a huge blow and yeah kind of spiralled in classes for a week.
A few weeks go by and she calls me again, I reluctantly pick up and talk and as if nothing happened she starting giving me her itinerary on when she's coming back and everything. I told her straight that, you have some balls telling this to me and top of it you act as if nothing happened. I told her I needed her during that call and not now and if she wasn't gonna stand for what's her then I most definitely couldn't stand with her. I kind of ended things then and there. She tried to contact me a couple of times but I didn't budge so far.
I graduated by the end of last year and she'll be graduating mid this year. Haven't been in contact for a total of 6-7 months.
Part 4 : That one dance scene from pulp fiction I graduate with a masters degree full re-invigorated and ready for my next challenge. Was able to land a job in a space on one month and still heart broken I pushed through, taking care of myself along the way had some breathing room because it wasn't like McDonald's pay and finally started enjoying life in the country.
We usually go to Starbucks to grab coffee but I just go along with my team even though I don't drink coffee. One fine day a month into the job, we had a really important client meeting that was coming up and we had to rush to get those lattes. I went and sat in one of the benches overlooking the street and that's when my fourth and final fling came through.
She was a flight attendant from Northern Africa and was desperately in need of an iPhone charger. She reluctantly came up to me and ask for mine and I obliged. I told her she could have the charger to herself because I was running later and I can get myself a new one. But she was pretty adamant that she'll drop by my office and return it in person. I gave her the details and dip and as promised she comes during lunch to hand my charger over. She asked me if I was free after work since she wanted to return the favour which I told her wasn't necessary but she was pretty insistent and so I budged.
I asked her if she could meet me at the same Starbucks after work. We met and we sort kicked off and we exchanged snapchats and went from there. She informed me she's was on break and was not in the city and hasn't been around much. We went out coffee, lunches and basically took her around the city. The first moth was pretty chill it was really casual at least from my end but I loved her energy and she could keep the conversation going for hours and genuinely wanted to know me so I just went with the flow.
Second month got a lot more intense and that's when the love bombing started. She showered me with so many compliments and how much she loved me and everything. It was really different and given her perspicacity I felt like it was authentic and gave in as well. We confessed our feelings before the end of the second month and we were in love.
Third month is the conclusion to this whole debacle. One of the many rules of the relationship was that I shouldn't drink alcohol because she was muslim. So I avoided alcohol for a whole two months since we started talking. Like I wanted to drop the vice since I didn't really enjoy it in the first place and only picked up a bottle or two just to fit in. But unfortunately I was working late at the office and they ordered some pizzas and vodka cruisers.
I wasn't very aware and had close to 3 cruisers and took one for home. I reach home finish the remaining cruiser and that's when I realise I screwed up and I did not want to hide this from her really cuz that's not the kind of guy I am. She was indeed overtly upset, ghosted me for days together, nonchalant replies and overall it sucked.
I tried so hard to get a conversation going and said I felt being honest was important so that something like this doesn't happen again and after a huge back and forth she finally forgave me. Things went back to normal we were having fun as usual and it was one of the best days of my life. During the last week of the month, she goes really cold and straight up avoids me and my calls. No replies whatsoever and even if she did she'd day things like " I have nothing to talk to you " , " you're free to do what ever you want " etc.
Didn't quite make sense to me but I tried my best to save whatever this was from but ultimately I failed. The last ever words of her to me was. " I lied to you. I never loved you in the first place, stop wasting my time and yours. You're fool for falling in love with me " after this I had clear confirmation I needed to stop so I wished her the best and said I'll be here for her if she ever wants to change her mind and give me closure and just like the title it was brief but really intense lol.
To this day I don't understand why that ended and I Have been single for almost a month and a half now.
P.S : I understand, I haven't been really emotionally intelligent on multiple instances and I should have ended things a lot sooner if I wasn't carried away by all the things happening. I just wanted to share these experiences as I have been bottling them up. Thank you for reading so far. Have an amazing day!
Edit : Formatting and spelling.

Upon reviewing my previous post about the different signs as Lagnas, I acknowledge that it might have failed to accurately portray the characteristics of the different Lagnas. Initially because I wanted to focus on superficial interpretations, I chose to incorporate examples from contemporary Vedic astrology rather than traditional (contemporary incorporates elements from Western that I don’t agree with), which was an oversight on my part. Despite my intention to provide simplistic explanations, I recognize now that they did not entirely align with the traditional significations. Hence, I have prepared a revised version encompassing the twelve signs. This will still be superficial, but it will be based on traditional sources and will be very one-dimensional.
Keep in mind that these are generalized. Much more than just the ascendant goes into shaping these factors for a native. The significations described are more so reflective of the base nature for the sign as the ascendant irrespective of any other influence. Also, the Lagnesh’s sign (dispositor to your ascendant) may also somewhat apply to you.
Aries Lagna
Physical characteristics of Aries-born individuals: slender, middle stature, round eyes, sharp eye-sight, long face, long neck, reddish complexion, broad at the temples, narrow at the chin, mole or scar on head or near temples, weak knees, poorly kept nails, eats quickly, eats sparingly, likes walking, eager gait and motion, prominent (usually thick) eyebrows, and developed bones.
Positive traits for these natives: Dynamic, creative, original, independent, active, energetic, forceful/assertive, pioneering, adventurous, enterprising, courageous, freedom-loving, frank, vivacious, decisive and adjusting quickly, ambitious, good planners, strong willed, heroic, self-confident, aesthetes and art lovers, leadership-oriented, takes risks for others, and likes change.
Negative traits for these natives: fickle-minded, quick-tempered, extremist, hot-constitution, rash, restless, selfish, unsubtle, impulsive, impatient, quarrelsome, aggressive, stubborn, needs a lot of breaks during long activities, nervy, brash, intolerant, dislikes being subordinate, blind to their effect on others, and liable to extreme jealousy.
Taurus Lagna
Physical characteristics of Taurus-born individuals: relatively short in stature, tendency to be fat (though I tend to notice slimmer waste still prevalent even with bigger thighs), fair but darkish complexion, square framed, big face, prominent eyes, relatively large ears, chubby and broad hands, thick and stout neck, sportingly, good digestive power, and moles or marks on back or sides, often beautiful and attractive, especially the women.
Positive traits of these natives: practical, reliable, calm, patient, persistent, loving, ambitious, affectionate, artistic, sensuous, trustworthy, warm-hearted, strong-willed, industrious, liberal in gift-giving, self-reliant, remarkable power of endurance, fond of pleasure, fond of beauty, fond of music, sacrificing, forgiving, cautious, careful, prudent, does not stay angry for long, good stamina, careful conservative outlook, thorough, attentive, gentle and placid though expressive, and enjoyer of food (though society can make them feel guilty to where they try to suppress this).
Negative traits of these natives: Lazy, possessive, nervy, unimaginative (less so in Rohini), stubborn, greedy, resentful, self-indulgent, unoriginal, obstinate, proud, prejudiced, fixed and rigid temperament, suffers from nervousness, vindictive, materialistic, and insensitive.
Gemini Lagna
Physical characteristics of Gemini-born individuals: Tall and straight stature, energetic in motion, thin but well developed, elevated or snubbed nose, clear dark eyes, curly hair, depression near chin, sanguine complexion, thick neck, long and slender hands, fast walk, and clear speech.
Positive traits of these natives: intellectual, good planners, versatile, adaptive, witty, charming, logical, lively, inventive, amusing, youthful, fond of reading, fond of writing, fond of indoor activities, sensual, artistic, imaginative, good conversationalists, progressive, variety seeker, active in their occupation, mathematical, and inquisitive.
Negative traits of these natives: changeable and unstable mind, nervous, restless, fickle, fidgety, gossipy, too inquisitive (wanting to know too much), liable to fraud and deception, prone to trickery, deceitful, noncommittal, impatient, irritable, manipulative, capricious, uncertain, inconsistent personality, impractical, and lacks self-control.
Cancer Lagna
Physical characteristics of Gemini-born individuals: Middle-sized stature, full face, fleshy neck, relatively pale complexion, small or snubbed nose, long arms, long face, wide chest, broader waist, walks briskly not in straight line, can be frail.
Positive traits of these natives: domesticated, emotional, sensitive, self-reliant, nervous, intelligent, frugal, industrious, intuitive, perceptive, imaginative, talkative, attached to family, hospitable, honest, loves justice and fairness, fond of music, dexterous in music, decisive, adaptable, psychic in nature, easily impressed by others, tenacious, caring, kind, protective, and having excellent memory.
Negative traits of these natives: Shy, lack of confidence despite beauty, restless, nervous, sensitive, hen-pecked, overly sensitive, hyper-sensitive, gullible, self-pitying, unstable, messy, stubborn, low recuperative power, unhappy married life, possessive, too easily hurt, manipulative, and moody.
Leo Lagna
Physical characteristics of Leo-born Individuals: Magnetic in appearance, average to tall height, broad shoulders, oval-face, thoughtful countenance, fast but clumsy walk, reddish eyes and complexion, large chin, broad face, often frail in constitution, commanding in appearance, speaks sparingly, and a relatively big head.
Positive traits of these natives: Dynamic, active, dominating, warm-hearted, ambitious, creative, courageous, generous, enthusiastic, good organizer, cheerful, likes art and literature, sincere, good tempered but sensitive, firm-minded, likes reading, forgiving, cannot be controlled, truthful, abundant energy, fond of travel, dignified, generous, hospitable, pride in family and home, strong sense of responsibility, and valiant.
Negative traits of these natives: Egotistic, proud, conceited, vain, bullying, pompous, snobbish, stubborn, intolerant, contemptuous arrogance, obstinate, cannot be reasoned with, willful, boastful, cold-hearted when vulnerable, tendency to keep up false appearances, tendency to take undue credit, undermining of others, not very social, and indifferent attitude.
Virgo Lagna
Physical characteristics of Virgo-born individuals: Fair complexion, slender body, average height, very physically beautiful and socially attractive, drooping shoulders and arms, shy and languid eyes, straight neutral to upturned and pointed nose, broad but well-proportioned face, high cheek-bones, youthful, prominent chest, and lazy in motion but with quick walk.
Positive traits of these natives: Intelligent, analytical, meticulous, quick witted, fond of sex, modest (but exploited), precise, discriminating, agreeable, loves peace and order, good memory, loves music and fine arts, methodical, cautious, prudent, economical, diplomatic, kind, warm-hearted, dedicated (but seldom loyal).
Negative traits of these natives: fussy and unsatisfied, lacks confidence due to criticism, self-conscious, vindictive, selfish, not practical, hypercritical, finicky, cynical, impulsive, irritable, dogmatic, untidy, prudish, undemonstrative, over-demanding, nervous and worried, and eccentric
Libra Lagna
Physical characteristics of Libra-born individuals: Relatively tall, lean but well-proportioned, slender and uneven limbs, prominent nose, attractive appearance, very active, fond of walking and physical exertion, fine eyes, broad face and chest, standard features, minor setbacks in health, vulgar, often has curly hair, and fair to splotchy complexion.
Positive traits of these natives: charming, easy-going, idealist, clean, diplomatic peace-makers, refined, far-sighted, quick-witted and intelligent, positive, as impartially, lobes justice and order, agreeable demeanor, adaptable, artistic, inspirational, sensual temperament, persuasive, level headed, decisive when all variables can be weighed, unassuming, humanitarian lover of animals, sharp reasoning, and cooperative.
Negative traits of these natives: Indecisive at times when overwhelmed, resentful, overly flirtatious, changeable, easily influenced, highly susceptible to flattery, vindictive, tendency to make plans that are unlikely to happen, more idealists than realists, avoids hot discussions and controversies, slow worker, overindulgent in sex, not easily amenable to reasoning, forceful when it comes to imparting their views on others, and overbearing.
Scorpio Lagna
Physical characteristics of Scorpio-born individuals: Tall in stature, good-looking appearance, broad eyes, broad forehead, forceful movements, well-developed bones, round thighs, round knees, round calves, broad chest, suffers disease in childhood, fearless eyes, round belly, thick and short curly hair.
Positive traits of these natives: Materialistic so likely to gain stability, emotional, powerful emotions, committed, loyal, imaginative, discerning, determined, judicious in speech, knowledgeable, skilled in writing and conversation, generous, sensual, loves excitement, appreciates luxury, enjoys fine arts and dancing, occupies good position in service, intense in romance, self-critical but in moderation, proving, penetrative, compassionate, high power of concentration, and magnetic.
Negative traits of these natives: jealous, resentful, obstinate, unforgiving, secretive, suspicious, vindictive, inflexible, escapist, inclined to cruelty, overly frugal, lacks understanding for why others are not like they are, overly-critical, sarcastic, preaches about controlling base urges but struggles the most with this, ruthless, inclined to sadism, cunning for nefarious means, and temperamental.
Sagittarius Lagna
Physical characteristics of Sagittarius-born individuals: Unusually tall, long face and neck, often fat, well-developed figure, light brown hair, predisposed to thick thighs and fleshy belly, round limbs, prominent nose and ears, bent shoulders, almond eyes, big lower teeth and upper lip, bad nails, generally pleasant appearance, and big smile.
Positive traits of these natives: humane, quick, dynamic, jovial, sincere, optimistic, versatile, open and fair-minded, philosophical, frank, mental visionaries, impulsive, active, enterprising, religious, sacrificing, god-fearing, honest, humble, sympathetic, energetic, bendable to persuasion but not by force, orthodox, good speech, hates hypocrisy, forgiving, and inspiring.
Negative traits of these natives: over-anxious, restless, indecisive, callous, tactless, careless, boastful, unreliable, irresponsible, tend to exaggerate, preaches to others, overly conventional, argumentative, uncommitted.
Capricorn Lagna
Physical characteristics of Capricorn-born individuals: Tall, mostly skinny to muscular, not plump unless influenced by other factors, stiff and tense throughout entire body, reserved in motion, big head, big neck, prominent nose and ears, thin face, bent shoulders, large teeth and lower lip, reddish brown complexion, thin waist, dark and coarse hair, long hands and legs, awkward presence regardless of other physical attributes, often slow to mature physically and considered “ugly ducklings as children”, and relatively weak in lower body compared to upper body.
Positive traits of these natives: Most practical, stoic, intelligent, tends to be wealthy, artistic and musical, spiritual, strong-willed, intends to be honest, ambitious, determined, good organization skills, reliable, careful, prudent, struggling with but strengthening discipline, patient, persevering, possessing strong work ethic, far-sighted, takes advice, tendered, good stamina, well-behaved, grateful, talkative and educational, sympathetic, generous, vital, and philanthropic.
Negative traits: Vulnerable to the cold, while inclined to spirituality can struggle to be irreligious, vindictive, secretive, cunning, despite intentions to be honest is often untruthful, greedy, overly extravagant to try and fill inner emptiness, stubborn, cruel, indolent, devoid of shame, hypocritical when it comes to religion, impudent, rigid, harsh, ruthless, pessimistic, over-exacting, overly serious, miserly, overly oriented to sex, overly oriented to status, licentious, inclined to laziness, wants to show off, egotistical, and unrealistic perfectionism.
Aquarius Lagna
Physical characteristics of Aquarius-born individuals: Attractive countenance, kind and elegant disposition, fleshy lips, lower well-proportioned nose and lips, big eyes, broad cheeks, prominent temples and buttocks, large but lean body, large features, clumsy gait, and dark hair.
Positive traits of these natives: Humanitarian, independent, friendly, willing, progressive, original, inventive, loyal, idealist, rational, generous, moderately lucky to balance out bad luck, capable of hard labor and trying endeavors, good conversationalists, devoted to life partner, makes friends easily despite stand-offish persona, prone to be misunderstood owing to their humanitarianism, covetous, persevering, sensual, leaves and indelible impression all others, communicative, and devoted to family.
Negative traits of these natives: unpredictable, eccentric, peevish when provoked, continued struggle in their life, limited means, rebellious, stubborn, tactless, unwilling to share, inclined to perverse ideas, rude, self-interested, and curious about others.
Pisces Lagna
Physical characteristics of Pisces-born individuals: (there tends to be the most diversity in appearance for this Rashi, owing to the non-discriminate nature of the sign) Medium height, shorter limbs, dark hair, passionate in motion, lean to muscular or plump in stature, relatively fair complexion, stout or gangly, full lips, stopping shoulders, big and wideset eyes, lustrous face, fine body, large head, and well-developed figure.
Positive traits of these natives: compassionate, religious, god-fearing, rationally superstitious, stoic, orthodox, reserved, learned, grateful, artistic, kind, sympathetic, intuitive, adaptive, receptive, easily impressed by feelings and thoughts of others, satisfied with life and partner, inclined to change and travel, emotional and psychic disposition, shy but outspoken on topics that matter to them, and likely to overcome enemies.
Negative traits of these natives: superstition can turn into paranoia, indecisive, easily led astray, greedy, entitled, can be immoral, lacks self-confidence, timid, stubborn, frugal but wanting to spend lavishly, nervous, confused, vague, overly oriented to pleasure derived from sex and spending, rigid, ambitious to exercise authority over others, depressive, self-pitying, dissociative, blames self for everything, becomes too invested in the emotions of others, and restless.

Date started: 1/1/2024
Date watched: 4/22/2024
Wow. Network is one of those films that seems to be far more relevant now than when it came out. I’ve heard of it by reputation long before actually seeing it. It’s a 2-hour lambasting of the television industry, with some great, well-known speeches and messages that are still very applicable to media beyond TV.
My impression was that Howard Beale, the character who gives the famous “I’m mad as hell and I’m not gonna take it anymore” speech would be the hero of the story, the righteous journalist raging against his corrupt network. Turns out this character is manic, psychotic, and suicidal, and he’s in the midst of a breakdown when he gives this speech. And he’s not even the main character, really. That would be his friend, Max Schumacher, a relic from the old days of TV, and Diana Christensen, a businesswoman (played by Faye Dunaway) absolutely hell-bent on getting the ratings up at any cost.
But it’s really a story without a hero, and it gives a very dark vision of humanity and its future. A dark vision, but one that was profoundly ahead of its time. 1976 was still the age of Walter Cronkite. Now television is dying, and an ever-rising amount of people’s news and entertainment are decided by an algorithm which pushes content that would make Diana blush. The film’s script, by the way, is fantastic. It’s almost Aaron Sorkin-esque with its fast-paced jargon and erudite references. But there are 5 or 6 great speeches where the film really lets loose, and I can’t help but quote one:

And why is that woe to us? Because you people, and sixty-two million other Americans, are listening to me right now. Because less than three percent of you people read books! Because less than fifteen percent of you read newspapers! Because the only truth you know is what you get over this tube. Right now, there is a whole, an entire generation that never knew anything that didn't come out of this tube! This tube is the Gospel, the ultimate revelation. This tube can make or break presidents, popes, prime ministers. This tube is the most awesome God-damned force in the whole godless world, and woe is us if it ever falls into the hands of the wrong people…
So, you listen to me. Television is not the truth! Television is a God-damned amusement park! Television is a circus, a carnival, a traveling troupe of acrobats, storytellers, dancers, singers, jugglers, side-show freaks, lion tamers, and football players. We're in the boredom-killing business! So if you want the truth... Go to God! Go to your gurus! Go to yourselves! Because that's the only place you're ever going to find any real truth.

Well, other than predicting the future, Network does have plenty else going for it. Some sharp satire, good drama, great acting on the part of everyone involved. I especially enjoyed Faye Dunaway and her ruthless fixation on ratings. Although Schumacher’s lecturing her about how she’s such a cold, inhuman snake rang a little hollow considering he cheated on his wife to get with her. And there are other quibbles I have, but they don’t get in the way of the big picture.
I personally see Sidney Lumet’s 12 Angry Men and Dog Day Afternoon as his masterpieces. But this is a very good film, without question. I’m happy as hell, and I’m going to take it!
8/10

I’ve worked for the CIA for the last twenty years. My jobs vary, ranging from torture to weapons smuggling to chemical weapons manufacturing. When an insurgency begins in a hostile country, like Syria or Libya, my job sometimes required me to traffic in guns, ammo and money.
So I had seen a lot of things, and I felt a sense of relief when I was told that, from now on, I would only have to work within the United States. When my superior, Agent White, called me to his office one hot summer morning last year, I went right away.
“Sit down, Agent Black,” he said to me, motioning to the chair across the desk. “Do you want coffee or anything?”
“Sure,” I said, and he called his secretary to bring us both coffees. She hustled in, dropping the steaming hot cups in front of us and leaving immediately without a word.
“So,” he said, “we’ve been hearing a lot of chatter lately about the Chinese starting a mind control program.” I nearly choked on my coffee when he said that.
“That stuff is all bullshit, sir,” I said dryly. “You know it and I know it. The CIA tried that in the 60s, and they had no results. MKULTRA, MKOFTEN and CHICKWIT already covered that ground- unsuccessfully, I might add.” He smiled slightly at this.
“They had no results that they publicized, you mean,” he said. “The truth is slightly more nuanced. MKULTRA was not run with the kind of scientific vigor that we would bring to a modern experiment, however. They were basically just dosing people with huge doses of LSD or injecting them with amphetamines and barbiturates until they became drooling idiots. This is not the experiment we are interested in funding.”
“So what is?” I asked, genuinely curious.
“We want to see whether certain people can see the future, keeping them under controlled, scientific confinement in the process to rule out any kind of fraud or charlatanism. Also, we want to see if psychics can see military secrets in the present, secrets that we don’t currently have access to.
“Any advances in interrogation techniques achieved from the use of new drugs would also be funded. We are particularly interested in the potential of bromo-dragonFLY and alpha-PVP in test subjects. Both have caused nightmarish hallucinations in people accompanied by visions of hell, which could be useful for getting hardened subjects to talk.” He paused for a long moment after this, looking thoughtful. “And psychic research, of course.” I scoffed.
“Psychics?” I said scornfully. “Like from a circus? Are we bringing in Tarot card readers too?” He laughed.
“Sure, why not,” he said, handing me a slip of paper. “Report here tomorrow morning. It will be your first day with the researchers. We’ve decided to call it ‘Operation RAVEN’.”
***
I went to the address written in Agent White’s tiny, copperplate handwriting. By the time I pulled up to the front gate, the sun had just started to rise. I had always liked getting an early start.
Two armed guards sat at a booth, a red-and-white striped metal gate blocking the way inside. Behind them, I saw massive, brown buildings with no windows. The architecture looked brutalist. The buildings stood tall and imposing, forming perfect cubes of smooth concrete surrounded by row after row of razor wire.
“Identification?” a guard said, coming up to the window and putting out his left hand. He kept the other near his holstered pistol.
I opened my wallet and flashed my CIA credentials. After staring at it for a long moment, he nodded, going back to the booth and allowing the thick metal gates to slide open.
I had never been here before, and I was amazed by how many cars filled the parking lot. Hundreds of them stretched out in front of my eyes, and I drove around for five minutes before finding an empty spot towards the back. As I started the trek towards the door, I felt like eyes watched me from all directions.
I signed in again at the front desk of the complex, an armed security guard eyeing me mistrustfully as I pulled out my identification and badge. When I told him who I was and what I was doing there, he said to take the elevator to the bottom floor, then pretended to go back to reading his newspaper. Behind the rustling edges, though, I caught him glimpsing everyone that walked past with a soldierly intensity, ready to react at a moment’s notice.
I got in, seeing the building went all the way from -5 to 5. I pressed the button for -5, feeling the elevator quickly descending, my stomach rising with the motion.
When it dinged and the doors rolled open, I found myself standing in front of a large laboratory. A team of doctors, scientists and lab workers stood twenty feet away, forming a semi-circle around the steaming hot coffee pot in the corner. They discussed something in hushed tones, and when they saw me approaching, they all went silent.
“Hello,” I said calmly, stepping forward. “I’m Agent Philip Black. The Director sent me here to look at your work.” A female doctor stepped forward. Even though I towered over her five-foot-frame, she exhibited a kind of self-confidence that made her seem larger. Her black hair framed her thin face, and her eyes gleamed with intelligence. She smiled, showing straight, white teeth. Her stylish glasses reflected the bright fluorescent lights overhead.
“Nice to finally put a face with the fake name,” she said, grinning. “My name is Dr. Lander.” I didn’t react, simply looking around at the chemistry equipment and computers set up.
“Where do we keep the subjects?” I asked. She nodded at a narrow hallway at the far end of the large laboratory. “I’d like to see them.”
“You can see them all you want,” Dr. Lander responded, “but we’re about to start an experiment. Perhaps it would be better if you saw our research first-hand before talking to the subjects. Things will make more sense, I think, if you watch.”
“Sure,” I said, tearing my gaze away from the narrow hallway. It seemed to beckon me, cool and dark in the corner. I suddenly felt very hot, and the lights seemed too bright overhead.
Dr. Lander turned and headed towards a room in the corner. I saw a chair welded to the floor with straps hanging down from both sides. A bag of saline and a syringe filled with blue fluid stood on a metal tray next to a box of latex gloves. Two lab assistants stood at attention, one on each side of the chair. Dr. Lander chatted with one as we waited for the guards to bring the man in.
“This stuff, alpha-PVP, they call it flakka on the streets,” she said to the assistant. “In some subjects, it has caused visions of demons and hellfire. I think this is the same stuff that caused someone to eat another guy’s face with his bare teeth. We could also use amphetamine psychosis in weakening the subject’s will for interrogations, but the problem is they start to get delusional and their information…”
I stopped listening as two black-suited officers brought in a very hairy man. He was stout, barrel-chested and only about five-foot-six. But his arms and legs looked like tree trunks covered in thick, black hair. He had a unibrow and his eyes looked nearly black. A massive wizard beard hung down to his belly button. He wore a bright-orange prison jumpsuit.
“This is kidnapping!” he said in a thick Eastern European accent. “You cannot just come and tie people up and take them out of their homes!” Dr. Lander ignored his outburst, instead turning to me and the assistants as the guards strapped the man down in the chair. She raised the syringe filled with blue liquid so we could all see it.
“Now this here is a special combination of drugs we thought might be a good starting point. It is a combination of potent hallucinogens, including LSD-25, ALD-52, bromo-dragonFLY and the more potent purified isomer of alpha-PVP. We will be feeding the substances intravenously to the subject during interrogation and observing his reaction. Are there any questions?”
“Fuck you, you American pig,” the man in the chair said. The doctor ignored him.
“That’s not a question,” I said, trying to break the tension. No one laughed.
“OK, so let’s start running the solution then. For the recording, this is subject 102202, Vladimir Greika.” She nodded at the lab assistant who stood next to the IV line feeding into the man’s arm. “Go ahead.” The lab assistant, a thin man with large glasses and a balding hairline, took the syringe and gingerly screwed it into the plastic tubing taped to the man’s arm.
The blue fluid mixed with the clear saline as it fed into the man’s veins, the dark cyanotic color lightening as it went. The subject, Vladimir, continued to hiss and scream at the doctor and her assistants. His eyes met mine, and I noticed they looked rather strange. When I first saw him, I remember thinking about how dark his eyes looked. But now the iris had turned a muddy yellow, like a tiger’s eye gemstone.
His scowl had turned into a grin, and his teeth appeared to sharpen and lengthen. They looked dark and stained, with the serrated points covered in a thick, yellow film.
“Where were you during the massacre of your family on April 10th, 2022?” Dr. Lander asked Vladimir. His muscles seemed to grow before my eyes, ripping through his clothes. He gnashed his teeth as foamy saliva dripped from his mouth. She sighed. “OK, prepare round two of the drug combination on my…”
“I was with my family, of course, you stupid bitch,” Vladimir said, his voice deepening and turning into a growl. The black hair on his body looked like it had grown, and even his hands and face were now covered. “I had changed. I was hungry, so hungry. They tried running through the forest, but I could see far better in the darkness than they could. I took them one by one, ripping them apart as they screamed and begged for mercy. That was my own wife and three daughters.” He leaned forwards in his chair as claws sprouted from his fingers, as white as ivory and as sharp as scalpels. “So what do you think I’ll do to you when I get out of this goddamned chair?”
With a roar, the beast in the chair pulled against the straps. For a few moments, it looked like they would hold. And then, with a ripping noise, they all gave way at once. The man had fully transformed into a wolfish abomination, and silver streams of saliva ran from his grinning mouth.
“Code silver, code silver!” Dr. Lander screamed as she began to run towards the door. The thin male lab assistant stood there, quivering and trembling, the bald spot on his head turning a bright red. The other assistant, a young blonde woman, sprinted past me. I stood there shocked for a moment, not knowing what to do. But my instincts screamed at me to stay with Dr. Lander. Without waiting to see what would happen, I turned and started sprinting for the door.
“Shut the door, shut the door!” Dr. Lander cried as the three of us ran out of the room. I looked at the heavy steel door with its shatterproof glass window.
“What about your assistant?” I said. She shook her head.
“It’s too late! He’s already dead! Close the door before it gets out!” She shoved me aside as her and the blonde assistant each grabbed an edge. With a groan, they slammed it closed. Dr. Lander bent over double, hyperventilating. She looked up at her assistant. “Good job, Kasey. Quick thinking.”
I looked in the windowpane and saw the male assistant running towards the door, covered in blood. He definitely was not already dead. I gave Dr. Lander a skewed, mistrustful look.
“Let me out, please!” the assistant pleaded as he slammed his bloody fist against the small window. With glowing, yellow eyes and greasy, black fur covering every inch of his body, Vladimir looked like something straight out of a medieval textbook on occultism. He lept high into the air and came down on the assistant’s back, clawing and gnashing his teeth as shreds of fabric and drops of blood flew everywhere.
Dr. Lander stared into the room, her eyes as emotionless as that of a marble statue. The blonde assistant shifted nervously from foot to foot, her face flickering from Dr. Lander to the window and back again.
“Aren’t we going to help?” Kasey, the blonde assistant, said. A moment later, the wall shook as the werewolf slammed into the male assistant again, knocking him to the floor. I saw the assistant smear his own blood all across the white walls as he tried to crawl away from the beast, holding one side of his neck with his left hand. Bright red blood spurted between his fingers and soaked his lab coat.
The beast jumped and flew across the room. The assistant twisted his body so that he was laying on his back, putting his arms out in a defensive posture. In a blur, the werewolf landed back on top of the prone man. It began clawing at his chest and face as the assistant to put his hands up and shield his eyes. I saw its claws slice through his fingers like a sharp knife through hot butter. The four digits fell to the side, the man’s spurting hand still raised high in the air as he lay on the ground. I heard his gurgling breaths as he began choking on his blood.
I heard Kasey gasp and suppress a cry of horror as she watched the final moments of the brutal act. In a show of mercy, the beast knelt down and placed his ivory-white teeth over the male assistant’s throat. Then he bit deeply into the man’s neck and, with a sickening spray of blood and a ripping sound, finally killed the poor bastard.
***
“Well, that was a massive failure,” I said spitefully as we walked away from the gruesome murder scene.
“Why would you say that?” Dr. Lander asked politely, her large, brown eyes turning to regard me.
“I mean, your guy is definitely dead,” I responded with incredulity. “Is that not a problem? Do you go through assistants like toilet paper here?”
“Sometimes to make an omelet, you have to crack a few eggs, right?” Dr. Lander answered, smirking. Kasey was sweating heavily and shifting uncomfortably from leg to leg. I think she may have been reassessing her career choice at that moment. “That was actually the most information we have gotten out of Vladimir so far. Normally, he just blacks out when the topic of his family is brought up. So the hallucinogenic drug mixture is already exceeding expectations. I think we need to try it again on a few more people.
“But anyways, we have another experiment planned within a few minutes. We’ll put a pin in this for now.” The werewolf continued to shred the dead body in the interrogation room behind us. I heard bones cracking and ripping, squelching sounds.
“I hope the next one isn’t so… wet?” I inquired. Dr. Lander only gave me a cryptic half-smile.
Once the notice for code silver got relayed to the ground floor, chaos broke out. A team of men in bulletproof vests and military gear came running out of the elevator, heading in the direction of the interrogation room. I saw they carried special long-barreled tranquilizer guns rather than automatic rifles.
“What do you use to put down a werewolf?” I asked, genuinely curious. I watched as one soldier flung open the door and a few others stuck their guns in. I heard soft popping sounds as they fired. Within seconds, they pulled them back out and the door slammed shut again.
“Oh, it’s a special blend we developed here,” she said. “Normal tranquilizers don’t work on them. A super-potent opioid like etorphine that would take down an elephant just slows them down. So we use a combination of etorphine, carfentanil and phencyclidine. Even that is sometimes iffy, and it takes a massive dose just to sedate them. They have a very strange neuropharmacology compared to normal animals. For some reason, they’re highly susceptible to synergistic effects from NMDA antagonists, yet a pure opioid agonist has little effect.”
“Yeah, I really don’t know what that means,” I said.
We came to another cell with a clear plexiglass shield covering the entire front entrance. I peered through, wondering what other oddities lay down here in the heart of Operation RAVEN.
***
I looked back down the steel reinforced halls just in time to see three men in SWAT gear dragging Vladimir’s unconscious body along the floor. He had partially returned to his human state. Now he looked more like a Neanderthal covered in thick black hair, his strange claws fused to the stubs of his fingers. His face was saturated with coagulated blood. Pieces of gore and shredded skin stuck to the entire front of his now naked body. Remnants of his orange jumpsuit littered the hall, small pieces of bloody cloth falling to the sides as they pulled him by his arms towards another nearby metal cell with a bulletproof glass front.
“OK, our second experiment for the day is a little different,” Dr. Lander said as she stopped in front of another cell. Looking down the hallway, I saw that each of the rooms on both sides had prisoners. Most were men, but I saw some women and even a few children locked behind the glass walls. I estimated that at least fifty people must live here as subjects in hellish experiments.
Dr. Lander pointed at a woman laying on her steel bed, her face turned away from us towards the wall. I saw a few photos on the walls, mostly pictures of small children grinning for the camera in their best clothes.
“Mrs. Vaber?” Dr. Lander said politely, her light voice echoing off the cold metal and concrete walls of the building. “Can we please talk to you?” The woman continued to ignore us. “OK, well, we’re coming in. You know the rules.” Dr. Lander nodded at Kasey, who quickly took a massive ring of keys out of her pocket. With a click, she turned the lock in the ballistic glass front. The clear glass door slid to the side. I looked down the hall and saw a couple armed guards watching us with consternation.
They’re probably afraid of another code silver, I thought to myself as I entered the cell.
***
“This is subject 171041, Mary Vaber. For the recording,” Dr. Lander began. Mrs. Vaber still just stared at her wall, refusing to talk or turn her body. All I could see of her was auburn hair and an orange prison jumpsuit. I wondered if she was dead, or perhaps in a deep catatonic state, like some schizophrenics experience.
“What’s the point of this?” I asked in a low voice to Dr. Lander. “Can this woman even talk?”
“Yes, she is physically capable of speech,” Dr. Lander said, which didn’t seem like an answer to the question. “We just have to get it out of her.”
“What are we testing?” I asked.
“Psychic research,” she answered. “Mrs. Vaber here is capable of seeing events occurring in other parts of the world. Remote viewing, I believe they call it. Her powers extend beyond that, but I’d like to see if we can get any results on smaller details before moving onto larger ones.” Dr. Lander turned away from me towards Kasey.
“OK, let’s flip her over. Mrs. Vaber, we’re going to move you so that we can have access to you during the experiment.” She nodded at Kasey, and with a grunt, they spun Mrs. Vaber around to face us. When I saw her face, I gasped.
Her eyes shone a bright red, without pupil or iris. Covered in a film of blood, they looked demonic, vampiric even. Yet the blood, if that’s what it was, didn’t overflow. No crimson tears flowed down her face or stained her eyelids.
She didn’t look old, perhaps in her late 30s. She might have been pretty with her wavy, auburn hair and creamy, white skin. Yet the bloody demon-eyes and blank, statuesque expression on her face ruined whatever beauty she possessed.
“Mrs. Vaber, if you ever want to see your family again, you have to cooperate with us,” Dr. Lander said, her tone cold. I thought the use of the word “see” impolitic under the circumstances. When Mrs. Vaber’s face continued to show as much expression as a statue’s, Dr. Lander turned to the assistant. “Please give the injection.”
Kasey took a needle out of her pocket. It had a colorless liquid inside of it.
“Is this stuff similar to the last experiment?” I asked nervously, taking a step back. “LAD-whatever and alpha-PCP?” Kasey lifted the plastic tubing taped into one of Mrs. Vaber’s veins and began injecting the drug before pulling out a saline syringe to flush the line. She exhibited a degree of nonchalance I could only characterize as “outstanding”, especially for someone who’s work partner just got murdered by a werewolf a few minutes ago.
“This ‘stuff’ is a new experimental substance,” Dr. Lander said proudly. “We have had some results using it on people with latent psychic powers. You won’t find it on the streets.”
“Was is it?” I asked nervously. She paused for a long moment, as if lost in thought.
“You know what DMT, or dimethyltryptamine, is? It occurs naturally in the brain, and it also causes out-of-body experiences and mystical experiences in most people.”
“Of course I know what DMT is,” I said. “You know, when the Soviets did their own version of MKULTRA back in the day, they mostly used DMT instead of LSD.”
“Well, this new stuff makes DMT look like ginger beer,” she said confidently. “The lab used DMT as a starting point, but with tweaks of chemistry, we found something far stronger.” She pulled out a clear, sealed vial and threw it to me with an underhand toss. I read the label carefully: “4-fluoro-HO-DMT”, it read. “Experimental drug. Not approved by the FDA or DEA. Not for human consumption.” I gave it back and she tucked it into a random lab coat. I looked back over at Mrs. Vaber and gasped.
Translucent white light flowed out from her body, from every pore on her skin and every hair. It circulated over her like water, flowing and reforming. Her mouth formed an “O” of horror and fear, a silent scream dying in that gaping black hole.
Kasey stood next to the woman, her eyes wide as she backed up a couple steps. She looked like she wanted to turn and run.
“I think we’ve just turned the lights on,” Dr. Lander said, “and now it’s time to see if anyone’s home.” She checked her watch, counting down the seconds. After about thirty seconds, she sighed, turning to Kasey. “Give her another dose, please.” Kasey seemed to grow paler, but she took another syringe filled with the clear liquid and began to inject it into the line. By the time she had flushed the last of the substance out of the line with saline, the light swirling around Mrs. Vaber had become blinding.
She suddenly sat up on her thin mattress, her face still formed into a silent scream. Her fingers began to twitch. Her arms jerked. Then her face smoothed into a placid, statuesque expression. Her head slowly turned until she was staring directly at me with those blood-red, sickly eyes.
“Whatever you do, don’t touch her,” a voice said from behind me, sounding like it came from far away. I felt like I was drifting off as I stared into her eyes. I realized I was becoming hypnotized. A hand on my shoulder ripped me back to reality. I spun, backing up into the metal wall. “And don’t stare into her eyes.” I looked and saw Kasey standing there, a look of empathy on her young face.
“Mrs. Vaber, I’m going to ask you a few questions, OK?” Dr. Lander said in a falsely cheerful voice. Mrs. Vaber’s mannequin-like face turned to stare at Dr. Lander blankly, but Dr. Lander didn’t return her stare. “What is your full name?” I didn’t think she would answer, but after a moment, she did.
“Mary Louise Vaber,” she whispered in a blank, robotic voice.
“OK, good,” she said, writing something on a clipboard. “And do you have knowledge of things happening outside this cell at this moment?”
“Yes,” Mrs. Vaber said simply. “I can see all of it.”
“Give me an example,” Dr. Lander pressed.
“I know you haven’t changed your underwear in two days,” Mrs. Vaber said. “Does that suffice?” Dr. Lander scratched something down on a clipboard.
“That’s technically something inside this room,” Dr. Lander said, unperturbed. “Can you tell me something happening in China right now?”
“Xi Jinping is discussing three potential Taiwan invasion strategies with his staff,” Mrs. Vaber said. “They want the invasion to start by 2025 at the latest. Does that count?” Dr. Lander scribbled something, frantically writing out a much longer response on her clipboard than any of the other answers elicited.
“And Mrs. Vaber, do you know why you’re here?”
“Because I killed a school full of children,” she droned. “They told me seventy of them died.” Dr. Lander made a few quick scratches on her clipboard.
“And do you know how you killed them?” Dr. Lander asked. The floor vibrated, as if an aftershock had passed underneath our feet. I looked worriedly at Dr. Lander, but she didn’t respond. Mrs. Vaber’s face formed into a wide smile. It reminded me of the death mask of a tetanus patient- an insane, rictus grin that showed no compassion.
“Slowly,” she said, drawing the word out, “like I’m about to do to you.” As she finished speaking, the light around her body expanded into a blinding flash. I backed up towards the door instinctively. I saw Kasey doing the same. Once the light had cleared, Dr. Lander still stood there, but she wasn’t alone with Mrs. Vaber anymore.
Thousands of writhing black spiders began appearing and falling off her body, like a bubbling stream overflowing its banks. Dr. Lander looked down in astonishment for a fraction of a second before turning to run. The stream of crawling predators swarmed around her, however, running up her sneakers and legs. I saw large brown recluses covering her chest and countless tiny black widows sneaking into her clothing. She began to shriek in horror and pain.
“Close the goddamned door!” I screamed. Kasey and I both started pushing on the sliding glass door as the spiders swarmed towards us. A few crossed the threshold, and a rising sense of panic began to overtake me. Then, with a bang, it flew shut, slicing some of the larger brown recluses in half.
A small stream of a few black widows skittered towards my shoes, but I began stomping them, seeing their tiny bodies squashed onto the concrete floor below. Next to me, I heard Kasey breathing hard, muttering some incomprehensible prayer.
I looked back in the cell and saw Dr. Lander stumbling around, a sprinting human pillar of spiders. They swarmed in her mouth, in her ears and eyes and nose, biting, skittering and jumping all over her body. She shrieked over and over, trying to pull them out of her mouth and nose, trying to smash her body against the wall to kill them, but after a few more seconds of countless bites, her voice began to give out. She tried to walk towards the door, putting her arms out towards us, then stumbled and fell. Her arms and legs still twitched as she died on the cold floor below us.
“We’d better go call a code black for this,” Kasey said regretfully.
“Yeah, yeah, you’re right,” I said. “I’m sure the guards will love this one.” Kasey shrugged.
“They’re used to it,” she said.
“This project is going to need a lot of work,” I said, turning to face Kasey. “Do you still want to be a part of Operation RAVEN after all this?”
“As long as you’re in charge,” she said, smiling, “always.”

So after spending two sessions at the Circus, my party finally arrived at Hither last night (even though they had almost zero information about to expect in Prismeer as they were much more focused on enjoying the Circus lmao).
I was pretty excited about a pacifist run; they generally are averse to combat and I was looking forward to how they would maneuver around the more combat-oriented added encounters.
Well. I was hoping they'd be nice to the harengons because they're well, cute, and I even wrote the lyrics and put to music Agdon's marching band tune and the first thing they did was Call Lightning on Jebbek. Incredible.
After that - and how Hither reacted badly to their actions - they have taken that way too seriously and are now intent on spreading joy and cheer through Hither like they're Santa Claus or something.
Things my party has also done:

• Adopted the Gray Ooze in the Duchess of Rot's lair. It is now called Sblurbles and it lives in a mason jar with two jewel for its eyes.
• Tried to recruit Sir Talavar to their party because "they want as many flying minions as they can find". They already have two pixies constantly following them from a previous adventure (who they forget exist all the time - except when it's incredibly convenient for them and terrible for me).
• Made earrings out of some of Jingle Jangle's keys.
• In a group effort between a forge cleric, Jingle Jangle, the rogue and the bard, they spent a lot of time creating a skeleton key that would open any door, would also play wind-chimey music AND has an alarm spell ingrained in it. Thankfully they gave that to Jingle Jangle so she would feel safe; I can't imagine the kind of trouble a "magic item" like that would put me in.
• Kind of removed Bavlorna's curses from Jingle Jangle and the Duchess of Rot by rolling INCREDIBLY high on persuasion rolls to give motivational speeches. I wouldn't allow it but they really did give incredibly inspirational talks, so why not.

They have now sworn revenge on Bavlorna and Agdon for bullying their side-quest NPC friends. I'm looking forward to seeing what else they have in store for me hahaha.

1. Device Identification Exercise:

• Provide excerpts from various texts and ask students to identify and annotate instances of specific literary devices.
  
• Discuss their findings as a class, exploring different interpretations and applications of the devices.
  

1. Creative Writing Prompts:

• Assign each student a specific literary device and ask them to craft a short story or poem that prominently features that device.
  
• Encourage creativity and exploration of the device's nuances in their narratives.
  

1. Literary Analysis Essays:

• Assign students a literary work (poem, speech, or prose) and ask them to write an essay analyzing the author's use of a chosen literary device.
  
• Emphasize the impact of the device on the overall theme and tone of the work.
  

1. Collaborative Storytelling:

• Divide the class into small groups and have each group create a collaborative story.
  
• Assign a different literary device to each group, instructing them to incorporate it seamlessly into their narrative.
  

1. Speech Writing and Delivery:

• Have students choose a social or political topic and write a persuasive speech using anaphora or epizeuxis to enhance their rhetorical impact.
  
• Organize a speech delivery session where students showcase their use of repetition for emphasis.
  

1. Literary Device Showcase:

• Assign each student or group a different literary device and ask them to prepare a presentation showcasing its historical origins, notable examples, and contemporary usage.
  
• Encourage multimedia elements such as visuals or short video clips to enhance engagement.
  

1. Rewriting Exercises:

• Provide sentences or paragraphs containing common expressions and ask students to rewrite them using more complex literary devices.
  
• Discuss the impact of the changes on tone, mood, and overall meaning.
  

1. Debate on Stylistic Choices:
   • Organize a debate where students defend or critique an author's use of a specific literary device in a given text.

• Encourage students to articulate how the device contributes to or detracts from the effectiveness of the work.

1. Literary Device Scavenger Hunt:

• Provide a list of literary devices and have students search for examples in books, articles, or online.
  
• Discuss their findings in class, exploring how different authors use the same device in diverse ways.
  

1. Themed Poetry Slam:

- Task students with creating a thematic poetry slam where each participant focuses on a different literary device. - Host a class poetry slam event where students perform their pieces and discuss their choices. 

1. Interactive Online Quizzes:

- Curate online quizzes or interactive activities that allow students to self-assess their understanding of literary devices. - Provide instant feedback to reinforce learning. 

1. Peer Review and Feedback:

- Implement peer review sessions where students exchange their creative writing assignments and provide constructive feedback on the integration of literary devices. - Encourage discussions on the effectiveness of different approaches. 

1. Literary Device Journal:

- Assign students a literary device to track in their personal reading over a set period. - Have them maintain a journal documenting instances of the device, their interpretations, and reflections on its impact. 

1. Literary Device Bingo:

- Create bingo cards with different literary devices - As students encounter instances of these devices in class readings or discussions, they mark off the corresponding squares on their bingo cards. 

1. Real-world Application Project:

- Challenge students to find examples of literary devices in advertisements, speeches, or news articles. - Present their findings, discussing how the devices are employed for persuasive or artistic purposes in the real world. 

And no, I'm not talking about Emma, the character (she wishes 😂).
This is an analysis of Emma, so obviously, SPOILERS*, lol, and many of them at that.*
I'm back! Though I never left, lol. If anyone is interested in reading more of my ramblings here are 'why Knightley is the best' 'why Knightley absoultly did not groom Emma or like her as a little girl ew' and 'why do most Dracy imitations in media fail'.
I have too many thoughts to share about Austen to wait for my incredibly slow reread of Mansfield Park to be done with (I really want to write a post about it and Persuasion, but alas, back to rambling about my favourite book).
I like writing very much (an aspiring writer myself), and that hobby of mine makes me so very appreciative of 'Emma'. I think it is the epitome of Austenian writing (though P&P and Persuasion put up a fight). This is my attempt at explaining why Emma is her best novel.
I'd like to address a few things here: structure, irony, POV and characterisation.
Disclaimer: some of the key elements that I'm going to praise in Emma do exist in her other novels (I think P&P has almost all of them) but I don't think the elements quite shine, are quite given the room, are quite elaborated as they are in Emma. Emma is one of her longest novels, and most of its pages are not dedicated to the romance plot, but rather to the rest, aforementioned elements.
~
Structure:
So, I think the structure is quite clever. We have multiple processes happening at the same time.
(1) The humbling of Emma
(2) The inflation of Harriet Smith's ego
(3) The crumbling image of 'Emma the Matchmaker™ '
When (3) is the prominent thread, leading the plot forward. If Emma were to just sit down quietly and let life happen to her (to quote Cher here, AS IF) a lot of the events in the novel wouldn't happen. Probably no Elton proposal - while amiable, Emma was never outright encouraging towards him, and it was only when she tried to progress his supposed attachment to Harriet that Emma became especially friendly and welcoming to him, therefore encouraging him to propose. And Harriet - no crush on Elton and no crush on Knightley for her - just one happy marriage to Robert Martin. Emma was the world's worst matchmaker, but more on that later.
(BTW one thing that I believe would happen either way, that is, with Emma's matchmaking or without it, is Emma/Knightley. Jane and Frank were to come to Highbury in both scenarios, secretly engaged in both. And Frank in both would flirt with Emma outrageously, so we have jealous!Knightley in both, and therefore, their match. I, for one, am glad for that lol).
(1) is also very essential, and (1) and (2) play into each other quite a lot.
\*
We start the novel with an overconfident, arrogant Emma. It wasn't Mr. Weston who fell in love with Ms. Taylor and chose by himself to marry her, it was Mr. Weston heavily relying on Emma's encouragement, and using the facilities she provided, such as her parlour, and her time.
Emma, alone, can and will choose the appropriate match for an of-age gentleman, Mr. Elton:
“Only one more, papa; only for Mr. Elton. Poor Mr. Elton! You like Mr. Elton, papa,—I must look about for a wife for him."
...
... said Mr. Knightley, laughing, “and I agree with you entirely, that it will be a much better thing. Invite him to dinner, Emma, and help him to the best of the fish and the chicken, but leave him to chuse his own wife. Depend upon it, a man of six or seven-and-twenty can take care of himself.”
It is Emma, young, a bit lazy and half-accomplished Emma (who is great at lists but not as good at following them) that can turn Harriet Smith into an accomplished woman.
"She would notice her; she would improve her; she would detach her from her bad acquaintance, and introduce her into good society; she would form her opinions and her manners. It would be an interesting, and certainly a very kind undertaking; highly becoming her own situation in life, her leisure, and powers."
As for (2) and Harriet, she is timid, grateful and humble in the beginning.
"... Not inconveniently shy, not unwilling to talk—and yet so far from pushing, shewing so proper and becoming a deference, seeming so pleasantly grateful for being admitted to Hartfield, and so artlessly impressed by the appearance of every thing in so superior a style to what she had been used to."
\*
We move on to the next part of the story. Emma's most elaborate, most daring, most forward scheme fails. She tried actively to match Elton and Harriet by having them frequently meet, by encouraging both to like the other verbally, by convincing Harriet to refuse Robert Martin and even by allowing Elton to run errands for Harriet (it was actually for Emma, but yeah). And it fails. And she is in deep this time - Elton proposed to her instead of to Harriet, and poor Harriet is head over heels for him because of Emma. Yikes.
(1) Emma's confidence is shaken, but not destroyed.
"The first error and the worst lay at her door. It was foolish, it was wrong, to take so active a part in bringing any two people together. It was adventuring too far, assuming too much, making light of what ought to be serious, a trick of what ought to be simple. She was quite concerned and ashamed, and resolved to do such things no more.
“Here have I,” said she, “actually talked poor Harriet into being very much attached to this man. She might never have thought of him but for me; and certainly never would have thought of him with hope, if I had not assured her of his attachment, for she is as modest and humble as I used to think him. Oh! that I had been satisfied with persuading her not to accept young Martin. There I was quite right. That was well done of me; but there I should have stopped, and left the rest to time and chance. I was introducing her into good company, and giving her the opportunity of pleasing some one worth having; I ought not to have attempted more."
...
... and all that poor Harriet would be suffering, with the awkwardness of future meetings, the difficulties of continuing or discontinuing the acquaintance, of subduing feelings, concealing resentment, and avoiding eclat, were enough to occupy her in most unmirthful reflections some time longer, and she went to bed at last with nothing settled but the conviction of her having blundered most dreadfully.
...
The confession completely renewed her first shame—and the sight of Harriet’s tears made her think that she should never be in charity with herself again."
We have some growth here, and some humbling. Emma feels the price of her error, presumption and arrogance very heavily - is ashamed of herself, and decides to never attempt such a thing actively. Not yet content to let people make their own choices, she is still much more humble, and will not attempt to revive her puppet master persona.
As for (2), Harriet at this point is still quite humble.
"Harriet did not consider herself as having any thing to complain of. The affection of such a man as Mr. Elton would have been too great a distinction.—She never could have deserved him—and nobody but so partial and kind a friend as Miss Woodhouse would have thought it possible."
\*
Moving on - our next big scheme is Emma trying to match Harriet with Frank Churchill. This time, Emma learned her lesson:
"Every thing was to take its natural course, however, neither impelled nor assisted. She would not stir a step, nor drop a hint. No, she had had enough of interference. There could be no harm in a scheme, a mere passive scheme. It was no more than a wish. Beyond it she would on no account proceed."
...
“It is very natural. It is natural, and it is honourable.—Yes, honourable, I think, to chuse so well and so gratefully. ... I do not advise you to give way to it, Harriet. I do not by any means engage for its being returned. Consider what you are about. Perhaps it will be wisest in you to check your feelings while you can: at any rate do not let them carry you far, unless you are persuaded of his liking you. Be observant of him. Let his behaviour be the guide of your sensations. I give you this caution now, because I shall never speak to you again on the subject. I am determined against all interference. Henceforward I know nothing of the matter. Let no name ever pass our lips. We were very wrong before; we will be cautious now.—He is your superior, no doubt, and there do seem objections and obstacles of a very serious nature; but yet, Harriet, more wonderful things have taken place, there have been matches of greater disparity."
But poor Harriet is experiencing the opposite trend, and becomes more conceited (2):
“Mr. Elton indeed!” cried Harriet indignantly.—“Oh! no”—and Emma could just catch the words, “so superior to Mr. Elton!”
\*
Now we move on to the last part. After the Box Hill picnic it is discovered to our two young friends that both have been very mistaken - Emma thought she encouraged Harriet to like Frank, and Harriet thought Emma encouraged her to like Mr. Knightley.
It is here, we see the final evolvement of both: Emma becomes a more humble woman (1), and Harriet becomes a more conceited woman (2).
(2) Conceited Harriet:
***"*Mr. Frank Churchill, indeed! I do not know who would ever look at him in the company of the other. I hope I have a better taste than to think of Mr. Frank Churchill*, who is like nobody by his side."*
And:
“Mr. Martin! No indeed!—There was not a hint of Mr. Martin. I hope I know better now, than to care for Mr. Martin, or to be suspected of it.”
(1) Humble Emma:
"With insufferable vanity had she believed herself in the secret of every body’s feelings; with unpardonable arrogance proposed to arrange every body’s destiny. She was proved to have been universally mistaken; and she had not quite done nothing—for she had done mischief. She had brought evil on Harriet, on herself, and she too much feared, on Mr. Knightley."
(1) Humble Emma + (2) Conceited Harriet:
"But Harriet was less humble, had fewer scruples than formerly.—Her inferiority, whether of mind or situation, seemed little felt.—She had seemed more sensible of Mr. Elton’s being to stoop in marrying her, than she now seemed of Mr. Knightley’s.—Alas! was not that her own doing too? Who had been at pains to give Harriet notions of self-consequence but herself?—Who but herself had taught her, that she was to elevate herself if possible, and that her claims were great to a high worldly establishment?—If Harriet, from being humble, were grown vain, it was her doing too."
\*
And this brings us to the end of the book. All is well in the end, all three processes are complete, with one being reversed for our (and Emma's) convenience. Emma is more humble, yet still has that open temper Mr. Knightley likes; her matchmaking schemes are discarded, for she now knows now she is rubbish at it; and Harriet goes back to her humble tendencies, and is very happy with Robert Martin.
And thus, with two characterizations and one failed hobby, Ms. Austen built a very clever story about the dangers of arrogance and the importance of honest self-reflection.
~
Irony:
Emma is an incredibly ironic book, lol.
The biggest irony is the fact that this book is about matchmaking, yet every single character fails miserably at guessing anyone else's heart!
Let's list all the predictions and guesses.
Emma, our MC and self-proclaimed pro thinks the following:

• Mr. Elton likes Harriet (False)
• Frank Churchill likes her, Emma (False)
• She, Emma, likes Frank Churchill, which is, funnily enough, also (False)
• Harriet likes Frank (False) and perhaps Frank can come to like Harriet (False)
• Mr. Knightley likes Harriet (False)

And no one guesses that Emma comes to love Mr. Knightley and that she doesn't truly love Frank Churchill.
Harriet:

• Mr. Elton likes her, Harriet, though this one is not entirely her fault lol (False)
• Mr. Knightley likes her, Harriet (False)

And no one guesses that Harriet likes Mr. Knightley.
Mrs. Weston:

• Mr. Knightley likes Jane (False)
• Emma likes Frank (False)
• Frank likes Emma (False)

Frank:

• Emma knows he does not actually like her, but likes Jane (False)

And no one, besides Mr. Knightley, guesses that Frank loves Jane.
Mr. Knightley:

• Emma likes Frank (False)
• Frank likes Emma (False)
• Frank and Jane like each other (True)

And no one guesses that Mr. Knightley is, in fact, in love with Emma.
And our one true prediction leads us to the second irony of the book: While it is the story of Emma, and is even called 'Emma', and the premise is, 'Emma is the puppet master of her town and knows everyone's heart, and is always right' the one who is actually always right is Mr. Knightley.
And the one thing he gets wrong - Emma and Frank liking each other - is due to his emotions (his jealousy) getting the better of him, and clouding his judgement. Was he to be objective on the matter, and not so personally affected by whom Emma is fond of, we have reason to believe he would have gotten it right.
Mr. Knightley accurately predicts that:
(1) Elton would not marry Harriet
(2) Emma and Harriet's friendship will not improve the minds of either of them
(3) Frank will not visit his father on his own accord
(4) The pianoforte was the gift of a young, impulsive man
(5) Frank and Jane are fond of one another
etc, etc. There's more. This is off the top of my head. This brings us to the third point.
~
POV:
We manage to be fooled with Emma, and not notice how wrong Emma almost always is, and how right Mr. Knightley usually is, with clever usage of third-person omniscient narration, giving us Emma's thoughts, beliefs and assumptions.
And that is clever, because each time Mr. Knightley offers Emma an alternative to her assumption (and it is usually the right alternative), we as the readers get a list of reasons Emma uses to convince herself that she is right and he is wrong. And since it is in her head and not during a debate with him, we never get to hear how he would answer that, and how he would prove his point.
And thus, with a limited, faulted POV of a character who is very adamant about believing herself, we get a false account of events and feelings without ever suspecting it is false, as it is told with assurance and reasoning. As we progress, we begin to see the cracks in the narrative along with Emma, who sees the cracks in her thinking, until we reach the end, when all is revealed, and we, alongside Emma, realize that everything we assumed to be true is now proven to be false.
~
Lastly (this is long enough lol)
Characterisation:
Emma is a brilliant character. Love her or hate her, she is still witty, caring, funny, and she means well. She wants to do right by Harriet, she is just very naive about how the world works, and frankly, quite unaware of how men think, and what they consider important.
She is faulted, and those faults are instrumental to the plot. Her arrogance drives the plot as previously discussed; her lack of awareness of her own feelings means that her liking Mr. Knightley is quite the surprise to us too (previously it was a worry for her dear nephew Henry!); and her imprudence draws her into very funny quarrels and banter with Mr. Knightley, which then serves to endear both of them to one another.
As for Mr. Knightley, I've praised him too many times to do so again, but if anyone is interested I linked my two other posts about him at the beginning of this post.
As far as his characterization serving the clever plot, he serves as the voice of reason and Emma's very compatible match - he finds her arrogance harmful, and speaks against it, but is also quite amused by it; and is very fond of her forward, sly nature (in his words- her open nature) - he finds it charming and is intrigued by it, she is the only one that draws him into debates, that amuses him, that gets out his teasing, vexing side. She is, to him (and I quote): 'Faultless, in spite of all her faults'.
As for her, she thinks he is the best gentleman to ever gentleman:
“Mr. Knightley’s air is so remarkably good that it is not fair to compare Mr. Martin with him. You might not see one in a hundred with gentleman so plainly written as in Mr. Knightley."
Swoon.
There is a case here to argue that their match is the most developed match out of all of her books, and I think it is because Mr. Knightley is a main character, unlike some of her romantic leads, and they are good friends - the only Austen match besides Fanny/Edmund and to an extent, Anne/Wentworth to know each other prior to the events of the book.
Finally - the secondary characters deserve an honourable mention - Harriet Smith is barely secondary, and is by all accounts a round character, going through an extensive change throughout the story.
And we get so many memorable, absurd secondary characters, in true Austen style: The hypochondriac Mr. Woodhouse, who is also a kind soul and a doting father; Ms. Bates, who is as kind as she is talkative, and will be remembered for her pages long ramblings; amusing, vain, careless, impulsive Frank Churchill, my favourite Austen antagonist; kind, wise Mrs. Weston; arrogant, vain Mr. Elton; and of course, my favourite secondary character: Augusta Elton.
She is perfection personified, so deliciously arrogant and vain, so blind to her surroundings, rivalling Ms. Bates in the length of her speeches, and all of her speeches are about how grand she is - but my, it is not her who thinks so, it's her friends raving on and on about her superior nature! She is but a demure, meek creature indeed!
~
In conclusion, I'm so happy Jane Austen wrote 'Emma'. It is a joy to read in all aspects, in my opinion.
Thank you for reading, let me know your thoughts 💫

TLDR: Should I have an Imperial Spellsword or a Breton Magicka/Stealth build for my very first Skyrim playthrough? Or is there another build you would suggest given that I'll be using Imperious Races, Diversity Classes, and Vokrii Perks?
I'm going to play Skryim for the very first time, Vanilla+ lore friendly playthrough on PC. Because I've never played before I'm a bit stuck on what type of character to make and what type of playstyle would work well in the game. I've got a basic background on Elder Scroll lore and how the stats work and grabbed a lot of mods my husband recommended, but otherwise am going in blind. Avoiding spoilers as much as possible, which of these 2 character types I'm considering would work better in Skyrim?
Most relevant mods for character creation I'll be using: Imperious: Races of Skyrim. Disparity Player Character Classes (will be using the class part only), Vokrii Minimalistic Perks of Skyrim, Versus Enemies Evolved, Thunderchild: Epic Shouts and Immersion, Odin, Apocalypse, Magic Sneak Attacks, Apothecary An Alchemy Overhaul, Gourmet A Cooking Overhaul, Complete Crafting Overhaul remade, Immersive College of Winterhold, Thieves Guild for Good Guys, Immersive Speechcraft
Character Build 1 Full Details:
Race: Imperial
Playing style: Spellsword
Specialization: Magicka - because I'm interested in Illusion and Destruction perks from Vokrii, and for the spell half of spellsword in battles.
Primary Attribute: Stamina - because I'm interested in one-handed perk tree, physical damage part of spellsword in battles.
Secondary Attribute: Personality - Persuasion and Intimidation +10%, Buying and Selling Prices improved by 5%, Bribe Costs 10% lower.
I'm hoping to use speech, shouts, and bribing a lot for this character and stack the pluses in bribing in these attributes from Diversity Classes with the bonuses to gold and bartering that Imperious gives the Imperial race. Also hoping to use restoration magic increases in class bonuses combined with buffs in restoration magic from my Imperious mod race bonuses so I can boost the health and strength of followers in battle, as I want to use multiple followers.
Roleplaying: Lawful Good.
Option 2 Full Details:
Race: Breton
Playing Style: Magicka, Shouts/Speech, Sneaking, Lockpicking.
Specialization: Stealth (boosts Speech, Light Armor, Lockpicking, Sneak, Alchemy)
Primary Attribute: Magicka, because I'm interested particularly in Illusion and Destruction Perk Trees from Vokrii.
Personality: Willpower (Power attacks require 10% less stamina, Magicka Regen +5%, Stamina Regen +5%, Resist Magicka +5%). Want these personality bonuses from Disparity Classes to stack with the Magicka regen and Stamina regen the Bretons get in Imperious Races.
Roleplaying: Chaotic Good. Will sneak, lockpick, and persuade over violence when possible. Hoping to use Alchemy to buff or heal myself and my multiple followers.

Isaiah 42:5-16
Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread forth the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it: "I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. I am the Lord, that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to graven images. Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them."
Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the end of the earth! Let the sea roar and all that fills it, the coastlands and their inhabitants. Let the desert and its cities lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar inhabits; let the inhabitants of Sela sing for joy, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory to the Lord, and declare his praise in the coastlands. The Lord goes forth like a mighty man, like a man of war he stirs up his fury; he cries out, he shouts aloud, he shows himself mighty against his foes.
For a long time I have held my peace, I have kept still and restrained myself; now I will cry out like a woman in travail, I will gasp and pant. I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbage; I will turn the rivers into islands, and dry up the pools. And I will lead the blind in a way that they know not, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I will do, and I will not forsake them.
Genesis 18:20-33
Then the Lord said, "Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry which has come to me; and if not, I will know." So the men turned from there, and went toward Sodom; but Abraham still stood before the Lord. Then Abraham drew near, and said, "Wilt thou indeed destroy the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; wilt thou then destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from thee to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from thee! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" And the Lord said, "If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake." Abraham answered, "Behold, I have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Wilt thou destroy the whole city for lack of five?" And he said, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there." Again he spoke to him, and said, "Suppose forty are found there." He answered, "For the sake of forty I will not do it." Then he said, "Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there." He answered, "I will not do it, if I find thirty there." He said, "Behold, I have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there." He answered, "For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it." Then he said, "Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there." He answered, "For the sake of ten I will not destroy it." And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.
Proverbs 16:17-17:17
The highway of the upright turns aside from evil; he who guards his way preserves his life. Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud. He who gives heed to the word will prosper, and happy is he who trusts in the Lord. The wise of heart is called a man of discernment, and pleasant speech increases persuasiveness. Wisdom is a fountain of life to him who has it, but folly is the chastisement of fools. The mind of the wise makes his speech judicious, and adds persuasiveness to his lips. Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body. There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. A worker's appetite works for him; his mouth urges him on. A worthless man plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire. A perverse man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends. A man of violence entices his neighbor and leads him in a way that is not good. He who winks his eyes plans perverse things, he who compresses his lips brings evil to pass. A hoary head is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life. He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city. The lot is cast into the lap, but the decision is wholly from the Lord.
Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife. A slave who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully, and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers. The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the Lord tries hearts. An evildoer listens to wicked lips; and a liar gives heed to a mischievous tongue. He who mocks the poor insults his Maker; he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished. Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of sons is their fathers. Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a prince. A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of him who gives it; wherever he turns he prospers. He who forgives an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter alienates a friend. A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool. An evil man seeks only rebellion, and a cruel messenger will be sent against him. Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs, rather than a fool in his folly. If a man returns evil for good, evil will not depart from his house. The beginning of strife is like letting out water; so quit before the quarrel breaks out. He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the Lord. Why should a fool have a price in his hand to buy wisdom, when he has no mind? A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Isaiah 42:5-16
Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread forth the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it: "I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. I am the Lord, that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to graven images. Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them."
Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the end of the earth! Let the sea roar and all that fills it, the coastlands and their inhabitants. Let the desert and its cities lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar inhabits; let the inhabitants of Sela sing for joy, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory to the Lord, and declare his praise in the coastlands. The Lord goes forth like a mighty man, like a man of war he stirs up his fury; he cries out, he shouts aloud, he shows himself mighty against his foes.
For a long time I have held my peace, I have kept still and restrained myself; now I will cry out like a woman in travail, I will gasp and pant. I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbage; I will turn the rivers into islands, and dry up the pools. And I will lead the blind in a way that they know not, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I will do, and I will not forsake them.
Genesis 18:20-33
Then the Lord said, "Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry which has come to me; and if not, I will know." So the men turned from there, and went toward Sodom; but Abraham still stood before the Lord. Then Abraham drew near, and said, "Wilt thou indeed destroy the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; wilt thou then destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from thee to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from thee! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" And the Lord said, "If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake." Abraham answered, "Behold, I have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Wilt thou destroy the whole city for lack of five?" And he said, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there." Again he spoke to him, and said, "Suppose forty are found there." He answered, "For the sake of forty I will not do it." Then he said, "Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there." He answered, "I will not do it, if I find thirty there." He said, "Behold, I have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there." He answered, "For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it." Then he said, "Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there." He answered, "For the sake of ten I will not destroy it." And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.
Proverbs 16:17-17:17
The highway of the upright turns aside from evil; he who guards his way preserves his life. Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud. He who gives heed to the word will prosper, and happy is he who trusts in the Lord. The wise of heart is called a man of discernment, and pleasant speech increases persuasiveness. Wisdom is a fountain of life to him who has it, but folly is the chastisement of fools. The mind of the wise makes his speech judicious, and adds persuasiveness to his lips. Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body. There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. A worker's appetite works for him; his mouth urges him on. A worthless man plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire. A perverse man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends. A man of violence entices his neighbor and leads him in a way that is not good. He who winks his eyes plans perverse things, he who compresses his lips brings evil to pass. A hoary head is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life. He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city. The lot is cast into the lap, but the decision is wholly from the Lord.
Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife. A slave who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully, and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers. The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the Lord tries hearts. An evildoer listens to wicked lips; and a liar gives heed to a mischievous tongue. He who mocks the poor insults his Maker; he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished. Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of sons is their fathers. Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a prince. A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of him who gives it; wherever he turns he prospers. He who forgives an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter alienates a friend. A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool. An evil man seeks only rebellion, and a cruel messenger will be sent against him. Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs, rather than a fool in his folly. If a man returns evil for good, evil will not depart from his house. The beginning of strife is like letting out water; so quit before the quarrel breaks out. He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the Lord. Why should a fool have a price in his hand to buy wisdom, when he has no mind? A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.