Dark emo quotes

handslikescissors

2021.01.17 02:46 jonnysorgasm handslikescissors

Dark Fashions, Dark Grunge, Goth Grunge, Goth, Gothic, Emo, Dark Makeup
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2011.09.19 22:58 PotatoMusicBinge disprove that Reddit's New Look causes skin cancer

We are a motherfucking profanity sub now.
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2009.05.16 07:12 Face Off on SyFy

Face Off, the SyFy original reality tv series, where special effects makeup artists from across the country compete for $100k
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2024.05.20 06:30 Scared-Poet-7379 [F4AplayingM] looking for someone to play Re6+ Leon for oc<3

Hello everyone! I recently made a Resident evil oc and I’ve been in search for someone who would be interested in playing an older Leon? c: I’ll add the description of my character if anyone is interested<3 Just a warning that if you aren’t into a bit of an age gap, this may not be the rp for you :c (Please someone rp with my silly 🙏) There isn’t exactly an established plot yet! So I’d be very happy to discuss with my partner regarding ideas<3
Name: Alice Carter Gender: she/her female Appearance: 5’4 ft Long black hair that she continuously dyes and somehow, it’s not as damaged as you think it’d be. (Used to have brown hair, it’s a blessing above that her roots have time before it really starts to show where the dye begins.) Began to dye her hair at around age 17, she’s 24 now. Roughly cut and long with layers, has side swept bangs over her left eyebrow. Typically wears her hair up in a high ponytail, with her bangs left out, this ponytail reaches just above her elbows Brown almond shaped eyes that smile when she smiles, a small nose and full lips. Has facial scars due to piercings.(Eyebrow piercing on her left eyebrow, snake bites) but hides them especially during work with makeup. Out of work she likes to put her snake bites back in. She’s afraid, due to how high action her job is, that her piercings would quite literally rip off her face. With that being said she wants to get new piercings so bad but there’s a multitude of reasons why she can’t Smaller stature, her body leans more pear shaped. Also considerably lithe. Pale Dark black shadow and eyeliner Dusty pink lips Personality: despite her appearance, the woman could truly be a ray of sunshine. Loves to talk, to joke around Often playful Often has fits of sarcasm that she can’t help Finds herself clinging to people that she finds herself liking, no concept of personal space Big golden retriever energy Don’t let that fool you, she’ll get serious when she needs to get serious. Dark humor, self deprecating jokes Self sacrifices a lot. Miscellaneous: former emo kid(still is.) Loves coffee that barely even tastes like coffee(suuper sweet with milk, creamer and sugar.) with DSO as one of its newer recruits “Why did you join us?” “I hate myself.” - conversation between DSO worker and her Lowkey good at art in the I’ve never practiced art sort’ve way A small Polaroid photo of her and her brother hidden in the back of her phone case, along with a 5 dollar bill just incase. Her intrusive thoughts tell her to spray water at people through her snake bites Backstory: it was her, her mother and her little brother. Her father walked out on them when she was too young to remember Lost her mother to a prescription overdose at the age of 18, then it became just her little brother, Alan, and her. Her relationship wasn’t better with her mother either, but she still cried out of loss and confusion. Lost her brother to a virus breakout a little over a few months after. (At this time, she’s picked up many jobs just to keep to keep the apartment and keep her little brother well taken care of, just to watch their apartment burning to the ground, she couldn’t find him ever since.) A lot more distraught from losing her brother, she still really isn’t over it to this day. Being saved by that corporation inspired her to join it years later
submitted by Scared-Poet-7379 to roleplaying [link] [comments]


2024.05.20 06:23 Its_sven1 Long distance relationship

I apologize in advance for the length of this behemoth Story time Reddit: Last night I was chilling at a camp grounds in upstate NYC and this really cute bartender was on her first day ever for the job, anyways I didn’t even notice her until a community dinner at 6pm when she got some food and went to the bar to get ready for the night because us folks at the camp were gonna party till LATE I’m 18M turning 19 and I had aspirations to be a bartender myself in the familiar country of Mexico where my family operates a gin booze business. she 22F just turned and I was eager to Yk like ask her how her first day on the jobs going right? Now I time goes by we all just chilling having dinner and our rolls out some Gigachad kitchen employees with dessert and everybody fiends the fucking ice cream sandwich bars and I hastily think about the fellow bartenders out the back of the building (it’s the girl I’m taking about whose new and one other girl whom is basically her chaperone because they are her aunt) approach the bar with 2 ice cream sandwiches asking if they wanted the last stock of what remained of dessert 😂 they politely decline and I just give them away to my boys and walk back to the main cafeteria area and around 5 minutes pass people start to clear out and I not really a drinker and not of age to drink in the US (although I have been to other countries to bars that you don’t need to be 21 to drink all fine) Sit down at the bar with the 2 bartender ladies, i start yapping about all the musical bullshit I do in life and the video game I’m developing and whatnot and that’s why I came up to nature to record the ambient sounds for my project idk why BUT then when I realize is that the girl whose new’s eyes fixated on me intensely full German stare and I’m kinda intimidated ngl, so ofc as a good bartender would ask, they ask if I want anything to drink and i politely decline because I wasn’t really thirsty 💀 We start to just chat a bit I ask about how their day went and then that’s when I realize the new girl whose bartending it’s her first day and she’s absolutely drunk out the wazoo, I feel kind of bad because she was about to just go take a walk break and I saw she could barely even move straight 💀 so I ask “so what are some good things to do around here?” They reply really excited that before it gets too dark (somehow they say that and it’s already becoming 8:30 and dark at out) I should go to this really pretty creek waterfall and the absolutely double whammy hammered chick volunteers to take me. Now me skeptical af and realizing that either A, she can’t keep her eyes of me because she’s deadbeat drunk or B, she thinks I’m cute and wants to know me this is why she offered to take me to a cool place. I accept and I have to walk this girl out the bar because she’s in heels and bouncing all over the place. We make it to a downhill section we have to cross and I see her struggling and ask if she needs a hand and she hastily accepts, next thing up her arms are basically spaghetti and rolling with the wind as we make it down this hill her holding onto me for dear life. We start to walk a bit and I start to ask the big legal concern questions that us “technically inclined” men ask like “How old are you” “Do you have a boyfriend?” And “Are you in school?” I eventually get all these answers and we by some will of god walk up to an abandoned dark horror movie looking ass tipi (basically this ⛺️ thing for u non cultured swines) for some reason my hood senses start tingling and the white girl slasher film mindset goes into my mind like “Why the fuck am I about to go in there?” But hey YOLO why not go into creepy dark crowded place with drunk girl? We waltz up into that bitch looking like injured bank robbers clobbering all over the ground because the ground muddy and we can barely fit into the small opening of it, point is in there she starts basically interviewing me fucking speed run piers style and I answer being sober decently competent. Me not trying to make her feel uncomfortable turn my flashlight on to scout the area and we realize there’s some makeshift bench in there so we have a seat. She doesn’t like the fact the lights on and then she asks “do you want to kiss” and proceeds to inform me I’m a weirdo for turning on the light. Now I’m like: “ aight what the fuck girl like it’s dark spooky af out the hell u want me to do get mauled by spiders in this Native American trap house? Then Yk me never had a girlfriend and curious accepts her kiss offer and right as we are about to friggin kiss a RANDOM ASS NPC COUPLE SPAWNS IN AND JUST WALKS UP TO OUR FUCKING TIPI! What are the fucking odds bro, like it’s pitch black basically out and I’m in the middle of the woods, now they see us (we look hella sus at that moment) and kinda just walk away after being like “ooooh cool!” But anyways I get a pretty Alr first kiss, get insulted for being a horrible kisser and walk it off quoting myself “Bro it’s cuz I’m a Libra right?” Jokingly anyways we kinda talk a bit she enlightens me on some personal facts and me too, I ask if she’s had a boyfriend and she says yeah I would had asked how many but didn’t weirdly enough and she’s asked me then if I had ever had a girlfriend and I respond honestly that nope I haven’t and she doesn’t buy it, she thinks I’m lying. She then proceeds to ask me how tall I am and me being a tall ass mf for my race i respond “6 foot 3” and she’s like DAMNNNNNNN ewwww. I’m dying of laughter and ask what’s wrong. I never get a response 😭 Anyways she then decides to empty her pockets and she came for some reason with basically a mythical rarity load out of pocket loot. 2 Cinnamon booze plastic shots, lip gloss, chapstick and a cart. Now me being the worlds biggest glorified coward who never smoked and almost never drinks was amazed she had all this shit on her. I ask her how much she had to drink tonight and she told me how for every drink she served she also drank (idk why tf weird flex but ok?) we then kinda decide to go out of the tent because all of a sudden she wants to explore the pitch black woods when we both have very little phone battery left for flashlight. I think in my sober mind that’s a horrible idea and I remember in the back of my mind we had to be back in an hour from like 8:30pm and I remind her assuming she will have it into account but fail to realize SHES DRUNK AF AND CANT PROCESS SHIT!!! Anyways we walk around the creek bed and eventually we have a seat and just weirdly enough lay down watch the stars and talk about romantic stuff, she is very kind all of a sudden and we are just laughing wholeheartedly and enjoying ourselves and occasionally she tries to sloppily kiss me and I’m kinda just laying there like : 🙃. But yeah we there doing all that and then she somehow convinced me to do shots of the weird spicy booze she brought and I was very nervous and almost about to fully fold because I had a lot of important things in my life impending in the coming days and I didn’t want to fuck something up being drunk (not knowing myself if I’m a lightweight or heavyweight drinker) We each do one and I’m kinda there lying paralyzed and shivering in my boots not because of the alcohol but because of the nerves I am chilling with a girl on a beauty of a night next to some lovely sounding creek noises and making out. Me being the newbie I am just go along with anything she says or does because I’m not trying to blow what I have going Yk. But yeah time passes we just there on essentially natures lawn hugging and kissing and talking about cute life aspirations and then I have to break the hard news to her, I inform her I won’t be staying around long by any means ( I leave the next day back to da hood for school) and I feel so bad inside! Like this girl even age difference aside whatever was very kind and I didn’t want to ruin what we had going so I try and explain how I would try to visit her and later the next day I am able to check that tickets cost roughly $50 for one ways to the town she lives in and takes 2 hours and a half something if me for love I was able to do im down ig… Now as a recap: She knows I live super duper far away, She and I both understand we don’t want to ruin what we have and we are trying to see how we can keep this going. I hear someone scream her voice and then I’m like Awww shit ur in trouble right? I check my phone and it’s MOTHERFUCKING 11PM!!!! I’m like OH SHIT WE BEEN GONE A WHILE DAMNNN, I pull her up off the ground and try to get her to her aunt who I assumed was looking for her and then we sadly said it last farewell quickly. She kisses me and then she gets yoinked and chewed tf outta by basically her big auntie bartender me feeling horrible and all because I was so immature not checking the time, I walk up to her to take responsibility for the situation and not be a beta male type character she asks me all of a sudden if I’m “ok or hurt” and I say yeah I’m fine and then she walks away and for some reason my good manners and habits kick in as I quietly shout “good night” and she shouts back “yeah good fucking night!” Slams the door with my newfound friend and they both gone. I feel real bad for the situation but hey it already happened, and I then find out from some of my fellow campers that she was threatening essentially to call the state police because people have gotten lost in the woods but in my head I’m like NUH UH I GOT S TIER GOD MEMORY!!! Anyways I do have the girl I was withs number I message her apologizing for not being more responsible and whatnot and then a lot of time happens from there on. I go to bed at 1:30am, wake up the next morning at 6:57am and I’m worried because she hasn’t responded. I paranoid and feeling like a hopeless romantic sit around stressing for hours until BOOM I get off a call checking up with my moms who was out of town get a message from my dear bartender girl! I’m beyond ecstatic and try to see if we can say goodbye because I have to go so soon that same day (today as I’m writing this) we try to compromise and plan but sadly it doesn’t work out for us and we just don’t get a well deserved farewell. I feel truly defeated and depressed about it and people I’m with are speculating how I have barely eaten in all the hours I have been up today. I reply it’s that m stresses but don’t go into detail trying to avoid ancontroversial discussion. This girls name is Sofia and I as I hope a constituted decent person hope I can keep this relationship but there are a few obstacles. 1, she lives 2 hours best case scenario from me. 2, she doesn’t really answer my messages until very late after I send them (for example i message her 12:30 she responds then doesn’t respond until past 5pm same day) and It’s hard to have a relationship with flawed communication I can see. Now for me I have always wanted to find love but never really succeeded in it and I’m truly just grateful for having any experience like this at all and I want to hear feedback from fellow guys and girl as to what I should do to keep this a respectful and responsible relationship you know?
Sincerely and looking forward to feedback, K
submitted by Its_sven1 to dating_advice [link] [comments]


2024.05.20 06:15 Ok-Egg2172 Would anyone be willing to design me an FFX bumper sticker?

I just got a new car and wanted to put an FFX themed sticker on it, but surprisingly there aren't a ton of options I like out there and I'm looking for something specific.
I want a sticker with Lulu and her quote, "No matter how dark the night, morning always comes, and our journey begins anew."
The story is, I got stranded on a long road trip, my previous car died almost 1000 miles from home, and I made the choice to buy a new vehicle so I could get home safely (and without going broke, lol). On my last car, I had a quote from Glinda The Good Witch from The Wizard of Oz, so it seems appropriate that I have a sticker from a beloved mage on my new ride.
I would try to design it myself except that my computer is pretty trash and I do not have the processing power to use things like photoshop. If anyone is willing to help me out and deck out my new ride, please let me know. Thank you!
submitted by Ok-Egg2172 to finalfantasyx [link] [comments]


2024.05.20 06:00 Direct-Caterpillar77 GM Locked Me Out Of Interacting With Other Players Because I Got Confused

I am not The OOP, OOP is u/IcemanEx54
GM Locked Me Out Of Interacting With Other Players Because I Got Confused
Originally posted to rpghorrorstories
TRIGGER WARNING: manipulation, controlling behavior, sexism
Original Post March 6, 2024
I'm a player in a tabletop RPG campaign and I just wanted to vent about this session. The GM uses a "rules light" homebrew system and it's his homebrew world as well. He's been doing this campaign for years now, but I just joined through a mutual friend after another player left recently.
When I joined the campaign, the GM had told me he wanted me to be from a particular country as a prince, and since it was his homebrewed world, I went with it. The country I'm a prince of is a massive empire that has conquered many lands. I wanted to be a morally good character so I made up a backstory where my prince had a secret romance with a commoner so it gave me more empathy and understanding than my other royal peers would have. Then in session 1, he had the commoner immediately break up with me since the players were all leaving the city session 1.
Several sessions later, there is a carnival being hosted in the empire and all the players are attending. The players split up and my part began with my character watching as a mentally handicap child was put in the dunk tank and was being dunked against his will. So I had my character help the child and stop the game (This isn't relevant to the larger story but I thought it was really weird). Then I am told I have to go to the "main stage" which is just a strip club seemingly. And of course, walking around topless serving drinks is my character's commoner love interest that I made in session 0. The GM laughs a bit and comments, "Isn't it funny? Look at what your ex has to do without you." I have my character give her the shirt off his back and we go to the outskirts of the carnival to find a quiet place to talk, but then the carnival was ambushed by some enemies as arrows and fire rained down on the parade.
Suddenly, my character and his ex are teleported back to the main stage and the GM starts jumping back and forth between all the player characters asking what we want to do without any sort of initiative and if we don't respond quickly enough he skips to another player. I ask, "What direction are the arrows coming from?" GM, "You can't tell". "Which direction to the palace?" I ask. "You don't know," he tells me. I'm honestly genuinely confused about what to do here and my mind goes blank, but then the GM has my bodyguard (a Brienne of Tarth type) tell me to follow her so I do. As he cuts back and forth, another player loses his mom in the chaos, I tell GM, "I want to help him find his mom." "You can't see him" GM tells me. Then I ended up surrounded by 12 ambushers in the "Pleasure Gardens". GM asked what I would do. I say since the carnival is burning, I look for a piece of wood on fire and since it's the pleasure gardens maybe there's some oil I can spill and light on fire to separate myself, my bodyguard, and ex who are all with me from the ambushers. He tells me there's no oil and then I'm held down by the men. I tried to escape, but he says I failed (he just did a dice roll behind his screen and didn't tell me the results). I am then hogtied by the ambushers with my bodyguard and ex and thrown in a cart. Meanwhile, the other two players have stolen a cart and are escaping. I try to do a goofy wave as my character is tied up towards my companions and he just says, the carts never pass each other so the other players don't see you. Before the session ends he tells me my bodyguard is dead.
After the session, I think my body language showed I was a bit bummed. So GM pipes in, "You want to know why you failed that encounter?" He proceeded to tell me it was because I followed my bodyguard and there was no way a woman could have protected me and I needed to make the choice instead. Some of the other players chimed in and said it was surprising my bodyguard failed since in the lore she was a 20-year veteran who survived "The Great War". The GM keeps defending his choice. Then he started making self-deprecating jokes about how he just sucks then and he's the worst GM ever until the other players all reassure him it's fine. I kind of just sat there shell-shocked.
His system reduces dice rolls to a rarity and he does them all himself as a "way to keep tension". I'm honestly more about hanging out with my friends than judging the quality of any campaign or system but this was my first "combat" of any sort in the campaign and I just felt so helpless in this system and it was frustrating. Plus there are no insight or persuasion rolls, just what the GM claims "my character would know" and "how his NPCs would act". So I'm not sure how I was supposed to handle this encounter. Being a GM myself, I thought he was using my bodyguard character to get me back on track, but I thought wrong. I honestly wouldn't have minded if he was just railroading me for a plot point, but him trying to manipulate me and saying his hands were tied when he essentially locked me out of interacting with the other players for the rest of the session is what bothers me the most.
Edit: Changed gaslighting to manipulating since I was using the term wrong and don't want to dilute it's meaning.
Update: GM Defends Style And Told Me He Owns My Character March 20, 2024
This is an update from my post a couple of weeks ago.
One of my friends in the group reached out to me and asked me to not leave the group. He told me there were only 2 sessions left and asked me to stick around as a favor to him. I told him I'd reach out to GM and see if we could get on the same page. So I texted the GM and told him I wanted to talk because I had some concerns after the way everything went down last session. He was down and we talked on the phone a couple of days later. To my surprise, the first thing he did was profusely apologize. I hadn't been responding in our group chat, partly because I was mad and partly because my partner had a death in her family. I guess me not responding caused him to dwell on the last session a bunch. He said he was going to retcon my bodyguard's death and keep her alive. I even told him that the treatment of women in the campaign was bad and that it was making the story worse, he told me that it is something that he can work on being better about too. I was surprised, but all this gave me a lot of optimism for this conversation.
I was honest and I told him that his homebrew system is very difficult for me since I don't have a character sheet. So my character doesn't have abilities, he doesn't level up, and I can't do things like roll investigate or perception rolls which makes it hard for me to make informed decisions. I told him it makes me very risk adverse because I don't have things like HP to even know if I'm in danger. He responded to this by telling me I shouldn't worry about that because his GM style rewards me if I roleplay well enough. He went on to say he hates systems with things like perception rolls because that's "Not how real life works".
I also lamented the fact that I also don't get to interact with the other players much. I didn't mention this in my first post, but he plays with all of us in a Discord call but he only plays with us one at a time, and the two of us who aren't playing are expected to listen and record notable quotes for his notes. He'll switch between characters where each player gets 2-3 "scenes" in a 3 hour session. He has our characters all spread out across the country Game of Thrones style and I've only gotten to play with another player in 2 sessions so far. This was also why that carnival scene was so frustrating because all 3 players were finally in the same place and we were trying to find each other and he just kept saying, "You don't see them".
He told me that he doesn't do party-based adventures because you can't get character growth that way. I pushed back and said I've seen awesome character growth in traditional DnD style games in the past, it just depends on the group. I also said he's just making things harder for himself by trying to run three campaigns instead of one. And if we don't have character sheets and aren't in a party then this is all more dramatic improv than a tabletop RPG.
He responded by saying his way is better because it creates a real story and that I should be happy because he made me the main character. (I guess that is what me being the prince means?) He then went on a rant about how much he loves the game world he created and he's very grateful that our characters brought it to life. But then he says that since it's his world, he feels like he owns our characters now and that after the campaign he wants us all to sign off on him using the characters to write books and a screenplay. And if we don't he'll just change their names and do it anyway. He then thanks me and tells me that this campaign is the main thing that has been stopping him from self-harm and going to dark places. Then he says he has to go and he rushes to hang up before I can say anything else.
I'm dumbfounded after that rapid-fire series of bombshells. I've known since the first few sessions that this was barely a TTRPG, but I got to hang out with my friends so I didn't care what it was. It was nice to hang out with old friends a couple times each month. Then the story got weird, and there was so much misogyny, and then I had the horrible session that caused my original post. Then in this conversation, he throws up even more red flags that I'm not blind to, but he is also planting a seed that he may harm himself without the campaign which is not something I want on my conscience. I'm just exhausted at this point.
TLDR: GM says that abilities and parties make TTRPGs worse and he wants to use our characters to write books/movies after the campaign because he owns them since we're playing in his world. He says he may fall back to self-harm without the campaign, making me feel guilty for wanting to leave.
RELEVANT COMMENTS
ShitThroughAGoose
Any update to this?
OOP
I ended up doing one more session for the finale. There was some drama during that session and when I mentioned that I didn't want to play in the next season of the campaign. I wasn't sure if I wanted to post about it again. I might still, but I think I want to take some time and reflect on everything.
Final Update May 11, 2024
[Final Update] Moving On From My Toxic DM And Losing A Friend In The Process
This will hopefully be my last post on this sub for a long time, but I’ve been using this place to vent about my toxic situation for a while so I figured I might as well post how everything concluded and what happened when I left. I’m going to reflect on everything and recap the important parts so no one has to read 3 posts.
It all started when I decided to start DMing to keep in touch with some college friends after graduation. During my first campaign, one of the players, Pirate, asked if his friend, Colorado, could join. I didn't really know Colorado, but I figured, "the more, the merrier."
Colorado had some issues early on, giving unsolicited advice to everyone on how to play and viewing newer or shy players as “side characters”. However, he frequently missed sessions, only showing up for less than half of them for the first few years so nothing came to a head early on. Then, Colorado decided he wanted to bring back his tabletop campaign from his college days and started trying to recruit players after my sessions. Pirate suggested I join the campaign, promising that Colorado was a better DM than player. Since I had been the Forever DM up to that point, I agreed to give it a go.
I created a character who was part of the royal family but enjoyed interacting with commoners in the slums, even having a secret girlfriend from that background. After that, Colorado also started hitting me up to help with the campaign. I ended up photoshopping character art for a bunch of his NPCs and I even drew his world map for him. I didn't mind doing it, as I do that kind of stuff for fun.
For our first session, Colorado had already created character sheets for us based on our backstories, but only he could see them. Colorado would also roll all the dice himself so “all we had to focus on is roleplaying”. We played one on one in different "scenes" that could last around 30 minutes to an hour each. We usually had around 2 to 4 scenes per session, depending on what Colorado thought was important. During the game, Colorado asked us to write down quotes from him and the other players when it wasn't our turn.
I had to wait for well over an hour before I could finally play. My first session was on rails. I mostly just had to repeat after Colorado during a ceremony. Afterwards, I got to sneak out of the castle and meet with my commoner girlfriend, but Colorado immediately had her break up with me. Then I was told that I had to leave the city. I was essentially locked out of my hanging out in the slums and commoner girlfriend subplots. NPCs generally disliked my morally good character, especially my sister who was depicted as purely evil towards me. Despite my efforts to mend the relationship, she never changed her mind and Colorado never rolled any dice to determine that. Later Colorado revealed to me the character was based on his ex-girlfriend, who was originally intended to be the player character from my country before they broke up.
Eventually, I finally got to interact with another player, Soldier, who I had really good chemistry with and we had a really fun scene. Which Colorado exclaimed, “See! This is why I keep you apart. It makes these moments so much more epic!” But I’m just thinking that if we were in a party, every session could be this epic.
Then Colorado got busy. He went to some alternative medicine nature retreat and didn’t pay his rent the whole time he was gone so he got evicted. At that point, the campaign went on hiatus as people got busy and Colorado was couch hopping. It was during that time I considered the campaign over and made my first post because I thought it fit the sub. Then a year after the last session, Colorado started trying to organize the group to do 3 more sessions to finish the campaign. I just ghosted the group chat for a while, but Pirate’s roommate is a player in the campaign I DM so Pirate started hopping on the call asking me to come back for the finale. Pirate told me that it would be different this time because all of our characters were going to meet up for the finale and he really wanted to play with me. I naively agreed to give the game a second chance.
The first of those three sessions led to this post and this follow up.
[TLDR - I never got to meet up with the other characters. Colorado made my ex a stripper and I was captured by invaders with no dice rolls to prevent it. I had a conversation with him about my concerns after the last session. He apologized and agreed to make changes saying he needed the campaign for his mental health.]
Colorado decided to have a single super finale session, which I reluctantly attended because of sunk cost fallacy. I was imprisoned, beaten and whipped, separated from my girlfriend and recently resurrected bodyguard. A deus-ex ninja offered to help me escape, but I wanted to save all the prisoners. So I helped the commoners escape with the ninja before saving my girlfriend. My bodyguard got captured, but I made sure my girlfriend escaped and then I went to save my bodyguard because I wasn’t letting her die after she just got resurrected. I tried to find my bodyguard but every door was locked and I was forced into a long one on one fight with a guard that would make John Carpenter blush. I lost the fight due to an unknown -2 modifier on my fighting rolls, leading to my re-imprisonment.
Pirate tried to board a boat to reach my location, but was unsuccessful. Colorado informed him that the sailors refused to let him on the ship because they didn't like his tone. Fortunately, Soldier saved me and we agreed to stop the big bad and rescue my bodyguard together. With a squad of Soldier's peers, we pursued the big bad into the woods. Without any rolls, all the other soldiers were sniped by archers.
Finally, the two of us reached the clearing where the big bad and his followers were. We were outnumbered about 30-2. My bodyguard and the other commoners were tied to a tree. Soldier was the same race as the villain so he approached while I stayed hidden. He delivered an awesome passionate speech against the big bad's actions saying that it wasn’t what their ancestors would want. I’m sitting there waiting and hoping for a persuasion roll… and nothing. Colorado says the big bad doesn’t change his mind and he sets the tree on fire, causing my bodyguard and the commoners to burn to death. Soldier and I retreated into the woods to end the campaign.
Pirate was supposed to have a scene after us, but he fell asleep because it was past 1am. Colorado kept trying to call Pirate on the phone. I joke, “Hey, we’re old now, being up past midnight isn’t as easy as it used to.” To which Colorado replies, “I just thought Pirate had more respect for me than this.” The Discord call becomes quiet and after Colorado starts focusing on Soldier and I. He wants to know why we’re not discussing the ending more. I remarked that it was a bit of a downer and I’m tired. Then Colorado starts spiraling, saying that RPGs are just another medium that he failed at just like film and music. HE STARTS CRYING and hangs up from the Discord call. Soldier and I stayed on and had a short “That was awkward” conversation. I don’t know Soldier well so I didn’t say much about my grievances with the campaign and eventually we ended up just talking about Baldur’s Gate 3 for an hour.
The next day, I wake up to a barrage of texts from Colorado apologizing, mansplaining how hard it is to be a DM as if I’ve never done it myself. He then starts sending me messages with all his ideas for my character in the next season and how he promises I’ll have more freedom next time. I wouldn’t understand, but he NEEDED to do the prison sequence and my bodyguard to die for my character growth, but next season will be different. I tell him I’m not doing another season. Colorado replies saying that he thought I’d say that because Pirate (who was apparently not sleeping) told him Soldier and I were bitching about the campaign after the session. Colorado said that once I get over it, we can start talking about season 3. I reaffirmed my stance. Then Colorado texts me one last time and asks if I’ll still make his maps and character art even if I don’t play. I said no again.
It's been two months since I last heard from Colorado or Pirate. We used to play games and talk about pro wrestling all the time, but now there's been no contact. A lot of the comments on my posts helped me realize I was prioritizing Colorado’s mental health over my own and I felt like it was my responsibility to support his campaign because he constantly referenced how important it was to his mental health. Intentional or not, he preyed upon my empathy. I’m not his Giving Tree and I shouldn’t be left a stump for a campaign where he doesn’t even want us to affect the world.
I sometimes worry Pirate is going through a similar situation to me, but for a longer period of time. Pirate introduced me to Colorado, and he's really loyal to him. I think that slowed down my exit from the group because I trusted Pirate to be my friend as well. I remember opening up to Pirate about a panic attack I had while Colorado was spiraling one day, and he just shrugged it off as me being dramatic. It's frustrating. I want both of them to be happy, but I can't make that happen for them, especially if it comes at the expense of my own well-being.
I ended up venting to some of my irl friends and they really supported and listened to me which is why I didn’t feel a need to vent here. I learned a lot about what not to do when DMing from this campaign and it made me reevaluate my approach to playing RPGs. Now I'm in a group with my irl friends and it's a blast. I can relax and just have fun playing again.
TLDR - I started DMing to stay connected with college friends who were scattered across the country. One player, Pirate, introduced me to Colorado, who eventually took over as the DM. Colorado had some unconventional methods, such as not using character sheets and controlling all the dice rolls. The game became focused on his storyline and my character had limited agency. Despite this, I gave the campaign a second chance. In the final session, things went poorly, and Colorado had a breakdown. Despite his apologies and promises for the next season, I decided not to continue playing. I have not heard from Colorado or Pirate since. I now play with my real-life friends and it's much more enjoyable.
RELEVANT COMMENTS/ADDED INFO
TicketPrestigious
Glad you're doing better. That does sound like quite a toxic situation.
If I've understood it right, the stuff with Pirate 'falling asleep' but actually listening in to you and Soldier talking feels like a massive red flag to me. I understand worrying about him since you were/felt like you were friends, but if he's enabling Colorado with that sort of stuff then it's probably best to move on.
OOP
Yeah even the best case would be that Pirate woke up after Colorado left the call and just overheard Soldier and me talking without us realizing because his mic was muted and we assumed he had passed out and then he snitched after which is still a bad look tbh. I had been distancing myself from Pirate since he invalidated my panic attack prior to this. It's just hard to be vulnerable with someone again after that.
THIS IS A REPOST SUB - I AM NOT THE OOP
DO NOT CONTACT THE OOP's OR COMMENT ON LINKED POSTS, REMEMBER - RULE 7
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2024.05.20 05:49 Significant_Cow3629 Series of lucid dreams that I will never forget.

This is a repost of a comment I made on a different person's post, but I think it has great significance and thought it would be worthy of its own thread. I have had a lot of wicked lucid dreams, but this one in particular was long and felt as though DAYS had passed by, when in reality it was only a few hours of sleep.
This dream I'm about to tell was not one dream but a series of lucid dreams that occurs one right after another during one nights sleep. These dreams felt like I was living either multiple versions of my life, maybe my past lives? Or other peoples lives, or one life that all these events occurred over time. Reminder that these are all lucid, but the first few I could not control, but felt like I was watching a movie through someone else's eyes. And the last of the series is very lucid and controllable and very.. very.. creepy. I can vaguely remember most of the parts but I will try my best to get to the nitty gritty detail.
The dream started off with me in my apartment, hanging out with some friends (this part is NOT lucid), however, a part of me felt something strange as if I was very suspicious of the inconsistency of the dream and the people I was talking to within it. We were hanging out and there was a girl with me talking. At some point within the dream, I felt as though my conscious self was speaking in third person, and was explaining what was happening in the dream before it occurs in the dream, as if I am narrating the dream itself and I could see it all play out. I start to slowly realize what was happening and then the people and the girl just suddenly stops speaking and moving. Then it happens, I realize I am in a dream and everything stops and then fades. My dream suddenly changes into something else but I continue to realize it is a dream, but now I am watching the dream as if it was a movie, living in someone else's body or maybe it was mine. The next part of the series, I appear inside of a boat out at sea. It felt like we were sailing in a storm and I was holding onto a wooden beam. There was water up to my ankles and I was holding onto dear life. I could hear people screaming, the ship was rocking back and forth, crashing through the waves and I could hear the rain and thunder. I close my eyes at this point hoping that it will all past or I wake up out of it. While my eyes were still closed, I find myself laying on a bed and on my left-side. I could feel water but the storm was gone. I open my eyes and yes, I was right. I am laying on a bed inside maybe like ship, but it was flooded above the bed. I get up and see light or what seemed like a chandelier. I approach the chandelier and climb on top of it and noticed a strange man just a level above, signaling me to come along with his right-hand. It seemed like he had barnacles on his face and I could also see my arms and hands reaching up to him. Right before I could grab his hand, my next dream begins. I now find myself walking on a street and talking to some lady to my left, like were going on a walk. There were neon lights and signs everywhere and she was talking to me, and I just kept looking at her and wondering who she was - but there was a feeling of love between us, like she was my soulmate. I asked her who she was but all she did was laugh? We continued to walk and walk, and then on to the next dream. This next one.. I definitely knew it was not me because this person said my real name out loud. It was a dark night and there were what seemed like policemen holding rifles, watching us. There were floodlights and what seemed like a concentration camp or prison. The person that I was seeing or watching this dream through ran up to a group of other people and said quote in quote "I CAN SEE HIM, THIS GUY, HIS NAME IS [says my full IRL name]", as if he was trying to convince these people that I exist. He continues to argue with them and they kept saying to him, "What are you talking about?" And lastly, the dream changes again but this time it is completely different like the rest, and will always stick with me forever.
I open my eyes and notice immediately that I am at an outside restaurant or bar. Everything was blue, or there were blue lights. I was at a table with what seemed like people.. but not human? There were different shapes, and races, but still.. not human? They were eating and drinking, partying and chatting. I was sitting there as if it were completely real, sitting as if I would do in real life with my hands clasped together on top of my knee. I observe all around me, the hanging lights, the plants around me, the blue shade of the entire restaurant. I turn to my right and notice a somewhat chubby man, his skin was blue and he looks at me as if he knew me. Something inside of me clicked, as if I knew what everything just happened or everything I saw in the last few dreams. I immediately asked him, "what was all of that?" He shrugs as if he knew but refuses to tell me. So I ask him again, "were those my past lives?" Again, he shrugs with a smirk on his face. I question him again, but this time I felt as though I knew something.. "Is that how I die?" He again smirks but this time he says "I don't know, I can't say." I look down at my palms and kind of.. smile? I then ask him, "if not, then how do I die?" He shrugs and makes a strange choking gesture with his hand on his neck. I smile again and ask him one last question, "Who are you?" He opens his mouth and says "BAAAAA" (the sound of a sheep or goat), and then ends it with "lut" (BAAAAAA-lut). In my mind I am thinking, "Balut?" But a strange feeling inside of me tells me that was my name? My old name? I smile again and I stop questioning him. I believe he then tells me some things but I don't recall exactly what. The dream goes dark and I could feel my eye lids opening and slowly I see my bedroom window. I lay in that position for a few minutes and my mind racing at 1,000 MPH revisiting EVERY SINGLE MOMENT that occurred throughout the entire series of those dreams. Not an ounce of tiredness in my body, but completely full of curiosity, a feeling of fright, but also relief? As if I have found something out about myself or.. how I'm about to die? Did I just found out who I was in my past life? Did I have visions of multiple lives or were they all one person that lived a series of events? Did I have a remote vision of OTHER peoples lives? This I will ponder for the rest of my life.
submitted by Significant_Cow3629 to Dreams [link] [comments]


2024.05.20 05:46 michachu FMD and fanaticism - the dangers of it, and navigating it (spoilers)

Of everyone I've read, the one I'm most consistently reminded of day-to-day is Dostoevsky. This isn't because I spend too much time on dostoevsky (I do) but because the news is constantly filled with what I've come to call examples of "possession" - people acting against their better judgement and often their own self-interest in spectacular ways.
Just from the last day's page from news:
(The news is also riddled with examples that make Ivan's Rebellion pale in comparison but that's for another day.)
And obviously there are the more enduring examples:
Obviously this topic isn't new to Dostoevsky - Notes, C&P, Demons, and TBK all have some germ of this.
But I was keen to get thoughts on how relevant FMD's work still is, in light of all this. How complete do people think his thoughts are around it (they're not) and where are the gaps? Who else have you read has been helpful navigating the topic?
The obvious gaps for me in FMD's work is his general optimism. Raskolnikov repents, Svidrigailov and Smerdyakov go to America, Demons is a farce, Stavrogin confesses. Napoleon didn't repent and history is full of people who haven't. FMD underestimated humanity's stomach. But also it doesn't always help to compartmentalise on 'ideological reasons' as that line is getting blurrier (kill the rich).
There's the dilemma of being true to oneself, e.g. "to go wrong in one's own way is better than to go right in someone else's" - which I could see many of you appreciate is terrible advice. It underscores the importance of critical thinking but also the relative difficulty of it, e.g. am I really going my "own way"? Moreover, is it enough?
I still fall back to Camus sometimes for his thoughts on this from The Plague - rather than any single sweeping philosophy, he stresses the importance of kindness in the face of the unknown and treading carefully ("No, we should go forward, groping our way through the darkness, stumbling perhaps at times, and try to do what good lay in our power").
At the end of TBK, FMD stresses the importance of the family unit and love in forming a well-adjusted next generation, and others have echoed this (I'm currently getting through Steinbeck's "East of Eden"). This is one that was originally lost on me on my first reading, but I see it everywhere now (youth crime, general crime, terror events, bad manners). "Going one's own way" is important once it's fully formed; family sets that up, and until maturity it's generally helpful to err on kindness.
Then there's the question of education - and I think FMD either outright misses this or glosses over it because he was riling against the Europen intellectualism of the time, but I don't think it can be ignored. Love is plenty but is it ever enough? Would 2 parts love to 1 part education be better than its reciprocal? 9 to 1? Maybe you raise well-adjusted boys who are just less suicidal when they're finally charmed by some smooth-talking heel - but maybe that's still better than an orphan looking for any family they can be part of. The examples above certainly don't come from one demographic.
I'll stop there for the moment.
I realise this is a bit of a ramble, but I've been keen for a while now on getting people's thoughts on how Dostoevsky's thinking is still very relevant today. I think fanaticism is one topic that's still very relevant that you don't specifically have to be atheist/theist to appreciate.
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2024.05.20 05:17 harriskeith29 Why self-forgiveness was the key all along to Anakin Skywalker's redemption (fan analysis)

TLDR- Anakin Skywalker couldn't overcome Darth Vader or the Dark Side with the forgiveness of others. The only way to let go of his hate, return to the Light Side, and finally find peace was by forgiving himself.
From the moment he was first "consumed by Darth Vader", as Yoda put it, the greatest fundamental challenge for Anakin to return to the Light was never being forgiven by others. It wouldn't make enough difference if everyone he'd ever hurt or killed sincerely told him "I forgive you", if his mom appeared in a vision to console him, if Padme herself died still believing there was good in him, or even if his own son was willing to die believing there was good in him. Whatever they said or did wouldn't change his heart.
The core of Vader's hatred and pain was never about needing or wanting others' forgiveness or remorse, which is a major reason why he stayed a devout Sith for so long. Because the Sith's strength in the Force comes from their emotions, that way of life became an outlet for him to continue living in the personal Hell that, deep down, he thought he deserved (since all he had left for so long were self-imposed negative emotions). He was his own worst judge & critic. It wouldn't matter how much he did to atone for his crimes (except perhaps to the victims & their loved ones) if he still held himself in nothing but contempt.
In the Sith Lord's mind, even with all this power + the Empire's armies at his disposal, he felt like a failure who deserved his suffering. At every opportunity to repent, he chose to stay on the Sith's path because he didn't believe any other path was left to him. Quoting a review of the Darth Vader comics:
"The kyber crystal he’s trying to force into a Sith crystal, to crush its will beneath his own, fights back with throwing at him what Anakin Skywalker still wants to do, the right thing to do, saying that it’s still possible. It shows him that it’s still possible. But Vader refuses it. That path is no longer possible, it would go against everything he’s sacrificed to get where he is, his betrayal of the Jedi, his killing Padme (so he thinks), his turning his back on the Republic, the murders he’s committed, the monster he’s made himself, it would all have been for nothing if he turned back now. All he would have on that path is nothing, Vader thinks.
Never mind that he would have the right thing, never mind that Obi-Wan would see him as Anakin again and would have forgiven him, would have taken him back, never mind that he could have saved the galaxy from Sidious’ cruelty and horrors. Vader still forces himself to believe that all of that would be nothing. He has to keep moving forward, the sacrifices he made, the things he did and will do, have to be worth it, and that won’t happen on that other path. This new life is his only choice now. The only way out is through. This is all there is."
Vader was dead set on forcing this path to be worth everything he'd lost. He didn't believe he deserved any better after all he'd done. He convinced himself Anakin symbolized weakness from a failed past, but one could also interpret that he believed (even if he wouldn't admit it to himself) he was unworthy of the name.
Vader told Luke "There is no conflict. That name no longer has any meaning for me.", but the anger in his voice during that assertion suggested otherwise. The name Anakin Skywalker simultaneously served as: A) A reminder of his failure to save those closest to him. B) A reminder of when he had family, friends, and so much in his life to be grateful for (in spite of hardships & losses) that he took for granted. Self-loathing was all he understood anymore, and it was that hate that helped give him so much power even with his injuries.
The only way Anakin could find his way back to the Light, even for just one final self-sacrificial act, was to receive forgiveness from the most important person, the one at the root of his decades of hatred... HIMSELF. As long as that self-hatred continued fueling his immersion in the Dark Side, nobody could reach him regardless of who they were or how they approached the situation. Even when his inner conflict started to emerge thanks to Luke's influence, he still believed it was "too late" for him to turn back or be anything else.
He couldn't bear the thought of going back to the path of the Light when his most defining memory of being on it was when he betrayed everything/everyone that life had given him. For all these years, he adamantly believed he could have saved everyone if only he'd been stronger. If only he hadn't allowed the Jedi's dogma to hold him back from his full potential. That ambition led to him losing Padme. He may have even believed in some warped way that turning Luke (and/or Leia) to the Dark would allow them to be a family again.
Even if Luke killed Vader to take his place at Palpatine's side, they'd still be connected in that they'd be links in the chain of Sith history + legacy. It was only in the moment of seeing Luke about to be killed that Anakin finally broke through, screaming "ENOUGH! It's time to LET GO! Let go of the past, let go of your hate (echoing Luke)! Your family needs you! Your son needs you! He is the best of you and his mother! You're RIGHT HERE! You can make a different choice this time. It's NOT too late! You can still SAVE HIM! SAVE HIM!!!!!"
And so, at the cost of his life, he did. When Luke said "I'll not leave you here. I've got to save you." and his father replied "You already have. You were right about me.", Anakin was implying that Luke was right about letting go of hate. That would only be possible to do if Anakin forgave himself. THAT'S how he was able to die, ascend, and be reborn as a Force Ghost. THAT was the most vital step from the start to his redemption.
By accepting everything that had happened on his journey, acknowledging that the direction he went was wrong, realizing it was ultimately his own choice even when accounting for Palpatine's influence, and no longer letting his negative feelings hold him down, he'd finally achieved peace with himself and the Force.
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2024.05.20 03:52 Revolutionary-Bus411 Is Bruce Wayne Batman, or is Batman Bruce Wayne? A Short Analysis

Is Bruce Wayne Batman, or is Batman Bruce Wayne? A Short Analysis
"Batman is the mask" This quote by the renowned Kevin Conroy often sparks debate within the Batman fandom. For casual fans, it's a compelling argument that Bruce Wayne and Batman are distinct personas, with Bruce being perceived as the facade. However, hardcore fans tend to disagree, seeing it as undermining Bruce's significance.
Yet, amidst these discussions, there's a deeper layer to Conroy's statement that warrants exploration (by that I mean my yapping). It's not about Bruce Wayne being merely a mask; it's about the complex interplay between his identities. Even Bruce himself, at times, struggles with this duality. There's a moment when Nightwing questions Bruce's identity, ask him “if there is no Bruce Wayne then who is Dick Grayson the adopted son of who raised him?” highlighting the conflict between his roles as Bruce Wayne and Batman. However, as the story unfolds, Bruce realizes that both personas are integral parts of him.
https://preview.redd.it/hhhbb3axkh1d1.jpg?width=1041&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bf240a1ad84350100831e20e62e432f67a713130
Bruce's essence is not solely encapsulated by Batman. His compassion, instilled by his parents, particularly his father, drives him to protect life
https://preview.redd.it/hk71bti1lh1d1.jpg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5521f0ed933de88312129324d2ced7f3e40f37d3
and mentor young heroes like Dick Grayson. His empathy for children stems from his own traumatic past, adding depth to his character beyond the cape and cowl.
https://preview.redd.it/k14614y2lh1d1.jpg?width=659&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8cee19a969769cd074e4b859424ae14215bdcddd
While Batman serves as a conduit for Bruce's true self, allowing him to confront his trauma and uphold justice, it's not without its complexities. Bruce grapples with his role, occasionally using Batman to mask his pain or as a symbol greater than himself. Despite his aversion to the mantle of Batman, he persists, driven by a sense of duty and homage to his father Bruce knows that the mask is a part of him
https://preview.redd.it/g5c5mjedlh1d1.jpg?width=696&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1a46d8a8426da675c50861fd869f6c05a7959c74
However, there's a cautionary tale within Bruce's journey. When he neglects his humanity in favor of the Batman persona, he risks becoming a monster. Yet, even in the face of this darkness, he continues his vigil, recognizing the inseparability of both identities. (yet again lol) He find out Batman and Bruce Wayne are a fundamental part of who he is and he needs Bruce Wayne balance batman.
https://preview.redd.it/g530480llh1d1.jpg?width=602&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bf4d317d65d8c879eaaf55972331fda349d1339d
In essence, neither Bruce Wayne nor Batman is merely a mask; they're intertwined facets of a multifaceted character. The true essence of Batman lies in the synthesis of Bruce's humanity and the symbol he embodies—a dynamic balance between light and shadow, justice and vengeance.
So, while the superficial personas of the "Playboy billionaire" and the "dark knight" may be masks, the essence of Bruce/Batman transcends these labels. It's in this nuanced space between identities that the true character of Batman emerges—a testament to the complexity of heroism and the human condition.
Don’t Really Know if all that made sense but i wanted to ramble thanks for reading this for if you got here :)
https://preview.redd.it/b3ejg54xlh1d1.jpg?width=620&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7183ba2b42e0df1af2aa4e6244933dae44a6fcfa
submitted by Revolutionary-Bus411 to batman [link] [comments]


2024.05.20 01:37 Mental-Elk9270 I dont mean to offend anyone. But is there any scripture that says Kshetriyas can eat meat.

I know a lot of people use kings hunting for example. Here is what I found
This is what Valmiki Ramayan says:
तस्मिन्निति सूखे काले धनुष्मानिषुमान रथी व्यायामकृतसंकल्प: सरयूमन्वगान्नदीम
' व्यायामकृतसंकल्प: ' means with the aim of exercise.
He says that it was a good day,hence i went to the banks of Sarayu River to do some exercise.
So one thing is clear,he was there to exercise,and not to hunt or kill any animal.
Now lets see what follows:
अथान्धकारेत्वश्रौष जले कुम्भस्य पूर्यत: अचक्षुर्विषये घोष वारणस्येवनर्दत:
It was dark at that time,i was not able to see clearly. Then i heard a voice of an animal,i thought its an elephant.
Now where is Hunting and Deer written here? Nowhere…its just TV serials show.
Kings used to catch and capture elephants for their army. Dashrath also wanted to capture that elephant,and he shot an arrow which by mistake hit Shravan Kumar. He had poisoned arrows which could make the elephant lose his senses,but it hit a human,who could not bear its poison.
This is what Ayodhyakand,Valmiki Ramayan says:
ततोअहम शरमुध्दत्य दीप्तमाशीविषोपमम शब्द प्रति गजप्रेप्सुरभिलक्ष्यमपातयम
तत्र वागुषसि व्यक्ता प्रादुरासीव्दनौकस: हां हेति पततस्तोये वाणाद्व्यथितमर्मण:
Dashrath says-”Then to get the elephant i shot a poisoned arrow.I heard a crying voice of a human from the direction in which i shot the arrow.”
So please start to read Valmiki Ramayan,don't waste your lives in lies and TV serials.
Thanks.
Next many people say that hinduism doesent allow or disallow meat.
Yes.
The Sanatana Dharma Teaches First That We should not Kill Animals Or Eat Any Type of Meat.
References -
Quotes that disapprove, even denounce, meat-eating
Rig Veda:
“One who partakes of human flesh, the flesh of a horse or of another animal, and deprives others of milk by slaughtering cows, O King, if such a fiend does not desist by other means, then you should not hesitate to cut off his head.”
Rig-veda (10.87.16)
Do the Vedic literature allow meat-eating? Did Hinduism adopt vegetarianism from Buddhism? - The Spiritual Scientist
Manu-Samhita:
“Meat can never be obtained without injury to living creatures, and injury to sentient beings is detrimental to the attainment of heavenly bliss; let him therefore shun the use of meat. Having well considered the disgusting origin of flesh and the cruelty of fettering and slaying corporeal beings, let him entirely abstain from eating flesh.”
(Manu-samhita 5.48-49) “He who permits the slaughter of an animal, he who cuts it up, he who kills it, he who buys or sells meat, he who cooks it, he who serves it up, and he who eats it, must all be considered as the slayers of the animal. There is no greater sinner than that man who though not worshiping the gods or the ancestors, seeks to increase the bulk of his own flesh by the flesh of other beings.” (Manu-samhita 5.51-52)
“If he has a strong desire (for meat) he may make an animal of clarified butter or one of flour (and eat that); but let him never seek to destroy an animal without a (lawful) reason. As many hairs as the slain beast has, so often indeed will he who killed it without a (lawful) reason suffer a violent death in future births.” (Manu-samhita 5.37-38)
“He who injures harmless creatures from a wish to give himself pleasure, never finds happiness in this life or the next.” (Manu-samhita 5.45)
“By subsisting on pure fruits and roots, and by eating food fit for ascetics in the forest, one does not gain so great a reward as by entirely avoiding the use of flesh. Me he [mam sah] will devour in the next world, whose flesh I eat in this life; the wise declare this to be the real meaning of the word ‘flesh’ [mam sah].” (Manu-samhita 5.54-55)
“He who does not seek to cause the sufferings of bonds and death to living creatures, (but) desires the good of all (beings), obtains endless bliss. He who does not injure any (creature) attains without an effort what he thinks of, what he undertakes, and what he fixes his mind on.” (Manu-samhita 5.46-47)
“By not killing any living being, one becomes fit for salvation.” (Manu-samhita 6.60)
Do the Vedic literature allow meat-eating? Did Hinduism adopt vegetarianism from Buddhism? - The Spiritual Scientist
Mahabharata
  1. “He who desires to augment his own flesh by eating the flesh of other creatures, lives in misery in whatever species he may take his [next] birth.” (Mahabharata, Anu. 115.47)
  2. “The purchaser of flesh performs violence by his wealth; he who eats flesh does so by enjoying its taste; the killer does violence by actually tying and killing the animal. Thus, there are three forms of killing. He who brings flesh or sends for it, he who cuts off the limbs of an animal, and he who purchases, sells, or cooks flesh and eats it–all these are to be considered meat-eaters.” (Mahabharata, Anu. 115.40)
  3. “The sins generated by violence curtail the life of the perpetrator. Therefore, even those who are anxious for their own welfare should abstain from meat-eating.” (Mahabharata, Anu. 115.33)
  4. Bhishma started, “Numberless discourses took place between the Rishis on this subject, O scion of Kuru’s race. Listen, O Yudhisthira, what their opinion was. (Mahabharata, Anu. 115.7)
  5. “The highly wise seven celestial Rishis, the Valakshillyas, and those Rishis who drink the rays of the sun, all speak highly of abstention from meat.
  6. The self-created Manu has said that the man who does not eat meat, or who does not kill living creatures, or who does not cause them to be killed, is a friend of all creatures. Such a man is incapable of being oppressed by any creature. He enjoys the confidence of all living beings. He always enjoys the praise of the pious. The virtuous Narada has said that that man who wishes to multiply his own flesh by eating the flesh of other creatures meets with disaster. (Mahabharata, Anu. 115.9-12)
  7. “That man, who having eaten meat, gives it up afterwards wins merit by such a deed that is so great that a study of all the Vedas or a performance, O Bharata, of all the sacrifices [Vedic rituals], cannot give its like. (Mahabharata, Anu.115.16)
  8. “That learned person who gives to all living creatures the gift of complete assurance is forsooth regarded as the giver of lifebreaths in this world. (Mahabharata, Anu. 115.18)
  9. “Men gifted with intelligence and purified souls should always treat others as they themselves wish to be treated. It is seen that even those men who are endued with learning and who seek to acquire the greatest good in the shape of liberation, are not free of the fear of death. (Mahabharata, Anu. 115.20)
  10. “What necessity be said of those innocent and healthy creatures gifted with love of life, when they are sought to be killed by sinful wretches living by slaughter? Therefore, O King, know that the discarding of meat is the highest refuge of religion, of the celestial region, and of happiness. Abstention of injury [to others] is the highest religion. It is, again, the highest penance. It is also the highest truth from which all duty emanates. (Mahabharata, Anu.115.21-23)
  11. “Flesh cannot be had from grass or wood or stone. Unless a living creature is killed it cannot be procured. Hence is the fault of eating flesh. The celestials who live upon Svaha, Svadha, and nectar, are given to truth and sincerity. Those persons, however, who are for satisfying the sensation of taste, should be known as Rakshasas [flesh-eating demons] pervaded by the quality of Darkness. (Mahabharata, Anu.115.24-25)
  12. “If there were nobody who ate flesh, then there would be nobody to slay living creatures. The man who slays living creatures kills them for the sake of the person who eats flesh. If flesh were not considered as food, there would then be no destruction of living creatures. It is for the sake of the eater that the destruction of living entities is carried on in the world. Since, O you of great splendor, the period of life is shortened by persons who kill living creatures or cause them to be killed, it is clear that the person who seeks his own good should give up meat altogether. Those dreadful persons who are engaged in the destruction of living beings never find protectors when they are in need. Such persons should always be molested and punished even as beast of prey. (Mahabharata, Anu.115.29-32)
  13. “That man who seeks to multiply his own flesh by (eating) the flesh of others has to live in this world in great anxiety, and after death has to take birth in indifferent races and families. High Rishis given to the observance of vows and self-control have said that abstention from meat is worthy of praise, productive of fame and Heaven, and a great satisfaction itself. This I heard formerly, O son of Kunti, from Markandeya when that Rishi discoursed on the sins of eating flesh. (Mahabharata, Anu.115.34-36)
  14. “He who purchases flesh, kills living creatures through his money. He who eats flesh, kills living beings through his eating. He who binds or seizes and actually kills living creatures is the slaughterer. These are the three sorts of slaughter through each of these acts. He who does not himself eat flesh but approves of an act of slaughter, becomes stained with the sin of slaughter. (Mahabharata, Anu.115.38-39)
  15. “That wretched man who kills living creatures for the sake of those who would eat them commits great sin. The eater’s sin is not as great. That wretched man who, following the path of religious rites and sacrifices as laid down in the Vedas, would kill a living creature from a desire to eats its flesh, will certainly go to hell. That man who having eaten flesh abstains from it afterwards acquires great merit on account of such abstention from sin. He who arranges for obtaining flesh, he who approves of those arrangements, he who kills, he who buys or sells, he who cooks, and he who eats it, [acquire the sin of those who] are all considered as eaters of flesh. [Therefore] that man who wishes to avoid disaster should abstain from the meat of every living creature. (Mahabharata, Anu.115.44-48)
16 . “Listen to me, O king of kings, as I tell you this, O sinless one, there is absolute happiness in abstaining from meat, O king. He who practices severe austerities for a century, and he who abstains from meat, are both equally meritorious. This is my opinion. (Mahabharata, Anu.115.52-53)
  1. “Yudhisthira said: Alas, those cruel men who, not caring for various other sorts of food, want only flesh, are really like great Rakshasas [meat-eating demons]. (Mahabharata, Anu.116.1)
  2. “Bhishma said: That man who wishes to increase his own flesh by the meat of another living creature is such that there is none meaner and more cruel than he. In this world there is nothing that is dearer to a creature than his life. Hence, one should show mercy to the lives of others as he does to his own life. Forsooth, O son, flesh has its origin in the vital seed. There is great sin attached to its eating, as, indeed, there is merit in abstaining from it. (Mahabharata, Anu.116.11-13)
  3. “There is nothing, O delighter of the Kurus, that is equal in point of merit, either in this world or in the next, to the practice of mercy to all living creatures. (Mahabharata, Anu.116.19)
  4. “Hence a person of purified soul should be merciful to all living creatures. That man, O king, who abstains from every kind of meat from his birth forsooth, acquires a large space in the celestial region. They who eat the flesh of animals who are desirous of life, are themselves [later] eaten by the animals they eat. This is my opinion. Since he has eaten me, I shall eat him in return. This, O Bharata, forms the character as Mamsah [meaning flesh] of Mamsah [me he, or “me he” will eat for having eaten him]. The destroyer is always slain. After him the eater meets with the same fate. (Mahabharata, Anu.116.32-35)
  5. “He who acts with hostility towards another becomes victim of similar deeds done by that other. Whatever acts one does in whatever bodies, he has to suffer the consequences thereof in those bodies. (Mahabharata, Anu.116.36-37)
  6. “Abstention from cruelty is the highest Religion. Abstention from cruelty is the greatest self-restraint. Abstention from cruelty is the highest gift. Abstention from cruelty is the highest penance. Abstention from cruelty is the highest sacrifice. Abstention from cruelty is the highest power. Abstention from cruelty is the greatest friend. Abstention from cruelty is the greatest happiness. (Mahabharata, Anu.116.38-39)
  7. “Gifts made in all sacrifices [rituals], ablutions performed in all sacred water, and the merit which one acquires from making all kinds of gifts mentioned in the scriptures, all these do not equal in merit abstention from cruelty.” (Mahabharata, Anu.116.40)
Do the Vedic literature allow meat-eating? Did Hinduism adopt vegetarianism from Buddhism? - The Spiritual Scientist
Bhagavata Purana:
“Those who are ignorant of real dharma and, though wicked and haughty, account themselves virtuous, kill animals without any feeling of remorse or fear of punishment. Further, in their next lives, such sinful persons will be eaten by the same creatures they have killed in this world.” (Bhagavata Purana 11.5.14)
The real purpose of a sacrifice was not to replace a slaughterhouse but to test a Vedic mantra by giving an animal new life. Animals were used to test the power of Vedic mantras, not for meat. - Srimad Bhagavatam 4.4.6 purport
Do the Vedic literature allow meat-eating? Did Hinduism adopt vegetarianism from Buddhism? - The Spiritual Scientist
Cow Sacrifice ? Not At All :
Besides References,Here’s What Supreme Lord Saying About Sacrifice -
CC Ādi 17.158 — As a learned scholar, the Kazi challenged Caitanya Mahāprabhu, “In Your Vedic scriptures there is an injunction for killing a cow. On the strength of this injunction, great sages performed sacrifices involving cow-killing.”
CC Ādi 17.159 — Refuting the Kazi’s statement, the Lord immediately replied, “The Vedas clearly enjoin that cows should not be killed. Therefore every Hindu, whoever he may be, avoids indulging in cow-killing.
CC Ādi 17.160 — “In the Vedas and Purāṇas there are injunctions declaring that if one can revive a living being, one can kill it for experimental purposes.
CC Ādi 17.161 — “Therefore the great sages sometimes killed old cows, and by chanting Vedic hymns they brought them back to life for perfection.
CC Ādi 17.162 — “The killing and rejuvenation of such old and invalid cows was not truly killing but an act of great benefit.
CC Ādi 17.163 — “Formerly there were powerful brāhmaṇas who could make such experiments using Vedic hymns, but now, because of the Kali-yuga, brāhmaṇas are not so powerful. Therefore the killing of cows and bulls for rejuvenation is forbidden.
—Ādi 17: The Pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu in His Youth
Srila Prabhupada Says - So killing, killing is very bad, but killing for the sake of right cause of fighting, or killing in the sacrifice, they are not sinful. Sometimes in the Vedas killing is recommended, just like in the fight or in the sacrifice, but that is not sinful. Sometimes a brāhmaṇa is sacrificing, offering, performing great sacrifice, and the animal is put into the fire just to give him renovated, new life, not for killing, just to test how Vedic mantras are being properly pronounced. That will be test. When sacrifice is done, the fire is there, and old animal is put into the sacrifice, and he comes out with a new body. That means the Vedic mantras are being pronounced very properly, and it is being carried out. This is the experiment, not for killing. Although in the Vedas there are recommendation that paśu-vadha system... Just like in the modern age also, when some experiment is made, it is made on the life of the animal. But they are killed. But when there is recommendation of putting an animal in the fire, that is not for killing; that is to see that this animal has got a new body.
Lecture on BG 2.14 -- London, August 20, 1973
Pradyumna: Aśvamedha-yajñas or gomedha-yajñas, or the sacrifices in which a horse or a bull is sacrificed, were not, of course, for the purpose of killing the animals. Lord Caitanya said that such animalssacrificed on the altar of yajña were rejuvenated and a new life was given to them. It was just to prove the efficacy of the hymns of the Vedas. By recitation of the hymns of the Vedas in the proper way, certainly the performer gets relief from the reactions of sins. But in case of such sacrifices not properly done under expert management, certainly one has to become responsible for animal sacrifice."
Prabhupāda: This is a long subject matter. But the sacrifice in yajña, recommended, that is not for killing the animal, but it is a testing, how the Vedic mantras are being properly chanted. Because an oldanimal put into the fire, by Vedic mantras he would come out again with young life. That is sacrifice of animals in the yajña. Therefore in this age there is no such expert brāhmaṇa who can chant the mantras properly or he can behave because the life is very abominable. Therefore, because there is no expert brāhmaṇa, so these sacrifices are forbidden in this age. Kalau pañca vivarjayet aśvamedhaṁ gavālambhaṁ devareṇa sutotpattiṁ sannyāsam (CC Adi 17.164). These things are forbidden in this age, because there is no proper men to conduct.
Lecture on SB 1.8.52 -- Los Angeles, May 14, 1973
The purpose of the Vedas is to establish such principles under the order of the Supreme Lord, and the Lord directly orders, at the end of the Gītā, that the highest principle of religion is to surrender unto Him only, and nothing more. The Vedic principles push one towards complete surrender unto Him; and whenever such principles are disturbed by the demoniac, the Lord appears. From the Bhāgavatam we understand that Lord Buddha is the incarnation of Kṛṣṇa who appeared when materialism was rampant and materialists were using the pretext of the authority of the Vedas. Although there are certain restrictive rules and regulations regarding animal sacrifice for particular purposes in the Vedas, people of demonic tendency still took to animal sacrifice without reference to the Vedic principles. Lord Buddha appeared to stop this nonsense and to establish the Vedic principles of nonviolence.
BG 4.7, Purport
Lord Buddha, a powerful incarnation of the Personality of Godhead, appeared in the province of Gayā (Bihar) as the son of Añjanā, and he preached his own conception of nonviolence and deprecated even the animal sacrifices sanctioned in the Vedas. At the time when Lord Buddha appeared, the people in general were atheistic and preferred animal flesh to anything else. On the plea of Vedic sacrifice, every place was practically turned into a slaughterhouse, and animal-killing was indulged in unrestrictedly. Lord Buddha preached nonviolence, taking pity on the poor animals. He preached that he did not believe in the tenets of the Vedas and stressed the adverse psychological effects incurred by animal-killing. Less intelligent men of the age of Kali, who had no faith in God, followed his principle, and for the time being they were trained in moral discipline and nonviolence, the preliminary steps for proceeding further on the path of God realization. He deluded the atheists because such atheists who followed his principles did not believe in God, but they kept their absolute faith in Lord Buddha, who himself was the incarnation of God. Thus the faithless people were made to believe in God in the form of Lord Buddha. That was the mercy of Lord Buddha: he made the faithless faithful to him.
SB 1.3.24, Purport
The horse sacrifice yajña or cow sacrifice yajña performed by the Vedic regulations shouldn't be misunderstood as a process of killing animals. On the contrary, animals offered for the yajña were rejuvenated to a new span of life by the transcendental power of chanting the Vedic hymns, which, if properly chanted, are different from what is understood by the common layman. The Veda-mantras are all practical, and the proof is rejuvenation of the sacrificed animal.
SB 1.12.34, Purport
According to sacrificial rituals, animals are sometimes sacrificed in the yajña arena. Such animals are sacrificed not to kill them but to give them new life. Such action was an experiment to observe whether the Vedic mantras were being properly pronounced. Sometimes small animals are killed in a medical laboratory to investigate therapeutic effects. In a medical clinic, the animals are not revived, but in the yajña arena, when animals were sacrificed, they were again given life by the potency of Vedic mantras. The word śipi-viṣṭāya appears in this verse. Śipi means "the flames of the sacrifice." In the sacrificial fire if the oblations are offered into the flames, then Lord Viṣṇu is situated there in the form of the flames. Therefore Lord Viṣṇu is known as Śipiviṣṭa.
SB 4.13.35, Purport
You can read more about the same:
Do the Vedic literature allow meat-eating? Did Hinduism adopt vegetarianism from Buddhism? - The Spiritual Scientist
Thank you.
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2024.05.20 01:37 Lordfindogask I wish the Scourge being Optimus theory was canon.

This is one of those times in which I dig a fan theory, and with some small tweaks to RotB plot, it could have fit nicely.
Quoting the TF wiki, Unicron is referred to as a Multiversal singularity, capable of destroying entire universes, and that so far he destroyed something like 22% of known Universes. So, ignoring the effort of Nexus Prime to cease these singularities from existing, it wouldn't have been too difficult to connect the Bayverse and new universe. The fact that Megatronus Prime joined Unicron means that even Primes can be corrupt and the unhinged, destructive version of Optimus from the Bayverse would be a perfect candidate. Heck, he saved Unicron from being killed, maybe the god of destruction could be "thankful" in his own way? XD (Also, I don't buy the whole "let's go back to cybertron and take care of it now" at the end of TLK).
Below are the main changes.
Aesthetic changes first:
KEEP MORE AUTOBOTS DESIGNS FROM THE BUMBLEBEE MOVIE! Specifically Wheeljack. No moustache for Stratosphere. Furthermore, Optimus with a face plate always on would be nice. In both cases, you're saving resources by reusing assets and skipping Optimus' mouth animation, and you get happier fans, it's a win-win. Lastly, Bumblebee has his voicebox repaired between Bumblebee and RotB. We had enough beep-boop Bee.
Plot changes:
No need for wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff. The Maximals go straight up to another universe. Their whole reality is likely obliterated by Unicron, but it will be briefly implied that either they thought Unicron died long ago or that this Unicron is different. So to starve Unicron they had to seal him into a universe to prevent him from continuing his endless path of destruction.
Now to give the fan theory some thematic importance, let's make the new Optimus and old Optimus different and by that I mean let's establish that the new Optimus won't enter the same path Bayverse Optimus took.
When Ariazor meets the Autobots, after Bumblebee is deactivated, she explains they come from a different universe, one in which Autobots and Decepticons set their differences aside and evolved into Maximals and Predacons (the Predacons we see at the beginning are rogues that joined Scourge). But when Unicron came, all their attempts failed, even using the Matrix of their own Universe wasn't enough to stop him. With their Universe now doomed, the Maximals tried to seal him away, but failed, and crashlanded on Earth. The transwarp key was lost in the process and they only recently found out it was broken in two parts.
Optimus will still say he wants to take off Scourge's head, only this time some of his fellow Autobots will remark that they never saw him like that.
Instead of shooting an infecting device to corrupt Ariazor, Scourge will fire a red beam from his chest, but he has his back to the audience so we don't see exactly what he used, for now.
When facing Scourge and corrupt Ariazor, Optimus Primal asks how did he manage to break the seal between universes, only to be interrupted by a furious Optimus Prime who shouts Scourge's name and say he's going to rip out his spark. Scourge sends Ariazor to deal with them and Primal is forced to kill her.
Primal addresses shortly after that Prime is taking a dangerous path (I know it's pretty basic "hatred leads to dark side" stuff).
Battling Mirage, Scourge doesn't lose his mask/helmet, but it's just partially crooked. He quickly readjusts it.
Later, Bumblebee is resurrected, but Optimus still seems to be bent on revenge, fighting with rage, which only seems to amuse Scourge. Optimus still cuts both of Scourge's arms but rather than "Time to show you the real power of a Prime!" he says something more similar to Bayverse Prime. He then either tries to rip Scourge's head off or just repeatedly punches it in a fit of rage and as a result the helmet falls off, revealing the twisted but still recognizable shape of Bayverse Prime. Optimus is taken aback by the realization that Scourge is a Prime from another universe. Scourges opens his chest, revealing that the red glow throughout the film was coming from his Anti-Matrix, basically a red Bayverse Matrix after he became corrupt, (that's what made this Unicron stronger). He uses the Anti-Matrix to fire a beam that hurts Optimus and pushes him back, and then to attract a couple of nearby Terrorcons that quickly transform into replacements for Scourge's arms.
REVENGEANCE HOMAGE INCOMING
Scourges says he could kill Optimus but he sees potential and offers him to join them (join me or die, fits Bayverse Prime), promising that Unicron will spare the lives of his comrades / grant them more power than ever imagined / cease all conflicts in all universes (kind of true in a twisted way).
At that moment, while the corruption is slowly spreading over his body, Optimus stands up again and says "I now see how wrong I was". Scourge's eyes glow and an evil grin appears on his face. Optimus slowly walks closer to Scourge and says that he now realizes he has been following the wrong path. While Optimus is referring to the path of revenge, Scourges thinks Optimus is really going to switch sides, so he opens his chest again, ready to corrupt Optimus' Matrix. In the meantime, the Maximals and Autobots look horrified, Primal even begs Optimus to resist, but seemingly to no avail. Optimus extends his hands, and Scourges happily shakes it. Optimus gets closer, pats Scourge's shoulder, and then finally says "This belongs to a friend of mine!" and rips Autobot's symbol from Scourge. Scourge is like "WHAT?!", still shocked. Optimus kicks him and then says "Time to show you the real power of a Prime", opens his chest and uses his Matrix to destroy Scourge's Anti-Matrix. Scourge is furious, but Unicron is even more. Without the power of the Anti-Matrix, Scourge is finally outmatched by Optimus, as he's kicked into Unicron's vortex and disappears.
The last change is that when Unicron offers Optimus anything he wants Optimus says "then, begone!" and uses the power of the Matrix to light their darkest hour and destroy the transwarp key.
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2024.05.20 01:24 G-Unit11111 Gotta find some way to pay that legal tab!

Gotta find some way to pay that legal tab! submitted by G-Unit11111 to WhitePeopleTwitter [link] [comments]


2024.05.20 01:05 IseKai_MC Origami above (almost) everyone - DAL vol 10 cover + some illustrations

Origami above (almost) everyone - DAL vol 10 cover + some illustrations
Hello guys, since I read Date a Live, I realized that the novel has a certain quality that even more popular and cult novels do not have and that seems to go unnoticed by the fandom, the covers. Yes, the covers are spectacular and break away from the standard of most LNs, there is not just fanservice, there is not just a character striking a cool pose, we actually have covers with a certain visual narrative, whether a connection with the highlighted spirit itself or with the story itself and I will be pleased to show this to you, here are the rules:
  • Due to the oriental reading sense being left -> right of the page, the details will be presented respecting this sense.
  • A picture is worth a thousand words, and DAL is a novel so the images are even more valuable, the idea here is to analyze the covers and relevant illustrations to understand hints, references, foreshadowing, and contexts.
  • Pure fanservice images will not be taken into consideration (at least most of them). No, I’m not the type of otaku who says things like: “fanservice is unnecessary, objectification of women, too gratuitous and empty, it only serves to “excite the viewer””, the last one is even plausible and I understand those who think like this, but all the others are nothing more than cheap demagoguery. They will not be taken into consideration because in addition to not actually adding to the plot most of them are posted to exhaustion on this reddit.
  • Major spoilers will be avoided, at least directly.
{LN 10 Cover}
https://preview.redd.it/erh6epoirg1d1.jpg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=aff919953d6ba578e05b05deeb01f60b64a7bee0
  • Author's name.
The first element is Tachibana’s name, again.
  • The highlighted girl.
The girl of the moment is… Origami? But how is Origami a spirit?
Calm down, my boy, you haven’t missed anything, in fact I promised plot twists and we have one right on the cover.
As for the spirit Origami, I want to draw attention to two things. The first is obviously her astral dress which is a wedding dress, each astral dress follows the taste of its spirit user and Origami as a child had the dream of being a wife, but there is much more than that, so this Astral Dress is a small hint of the main plot, this will become clearer in the Spirit Info topic.
The second is about the facial expression, Origami looks like she is waking up, this may symbolize that she has just become a spirit, it may be a premonition of the plot of this volume, which deals with Origami discovering the truth about her past. But this expression will be referenced in a scene that will happen 7 volumes later, when we get there I will talk about it.
  • Angel Tobiichi.
In the volume, Origami calls the spirit that killed her parents “angel”, look at the hint there.
Again the subtitle cites the spirit’s surname, the other time this happened was in the volume 4, Sister Itsuka, clearly there is a connection here as the Tenguu-Nankou fire was a relevant event for both spirits, I also believe that the work opts to use surnames if we already know the spirit of the cover and the main reason is that Tobiichi is written with the character 1, let’s go to the next topic.
  • Spirit info.
Origami is the bearer of the first sephirot and, suddenly, everything makes sense. The first important thing here is the rivalry between Tohka and Origami. Tohka is spirit number 10, Sephiroth Malkuth, the kingdom, the final receptacle that concentrates the creative force now in its densest and residual state, while Origami is spirit number 1, Sephirot Kether, force and light in its most subtle state that flows to the others, Malkuth is a reflection of Kether on a lower plane. The rivalry between Tohka and Origami reaches its definitive stage but there is still a small detail missing.
That is, Origami, among the spirits, is the closest to God. But it’s still too early to talk about this.
And yes, spirit number 10 is on the cover of volume 1 and spirit number 1 is on the cover of volume 10, I would have liked to come here and say that I discovered this but Tachibana put this information in the afterword.
Her codename is "Angel", again this word, the name of the angel is Metatron.
  • The title.
The title goes back to being in front of the spirit, in the composition “Date” above and “A Live” below and whenever this happens the rule that must be respected is, the characters corresponding to “Live” are always positioned in the belly of the spirit.
  • Background
Last but not least, the background, this time very hidden and perhaps in a horizontal strip format, I say perhaps because that part of the astral dress occupies almost the entire cover in that part. The novelty is due to the positioning of the strip that frames Origami’s legs, which gives a rather empty aspect to this cover. Referring to the position of Origami’s Sephiroth, closest to God, above the other sephiroth, as well as referring to the main scene of this volume.
The scenario is a bit hidden, there are some debris there but nothing that allows to fully identify the scene but obviously there is a fire happening there, which is obviously a reference to that relevant event again, the great fire in Tenguu-Nankou. I don’t even need to say how relevant this event is to Origami’s life, in her first illustration in volume 1, she says: “Five years ago a spirit killed my parents.”
Finally, in my opinion this is one of the best covers, again, just imagine you go to the convenience store to buy this newly released volume and find out that Origami is a spirit, just by the shock the value is already high, if you already know the story of the anime and stop to analyze the cover, the value is double the previous one, if you know the whole story of Date a Live, and try to analyze the cover in a deeper way, the value is the squared of the previous one.
Let’s open the volume.
{Illustration 2}
https://preview.redd.it/c4ugx8zkrg1d1.jpg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d18e1c3a7176fb4e57acb7a7416e3183d5d526c7
There’s something different about this volume, the compositions have improved a lot, apparently a reflection of the success of the animation.
The high school student and protagonist of this story, Shido Itsuka, says: “Tohka and the other girls just want a normal life.”
But wait, Shido is tied to a chair in a strange room and there in the middle is a bottle of water. Ok, it seems that Origami really changed sides.
The wizard who hates spirits is unyielding and responds that she will not only kill the spirits, “but also the entity that made me have a relationship with them.”
In the middle of the illustration there is a crack in the wall, symbolic.
{Illustration 3}
https://preview.redd.it/7twwgnymrg1d1.jpg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=11bdb8e276eacb62eaf9ed7b353a704e5d8818c2
Another plot twist, Tohka is in full astral dress. And not only that, the spirit Tohka is making a declaration of hatred to Origami.
“Origami Tobiichi, I have hated you from the beginning, but the hatred I feel for you now is probably different from the hatred I used to have before and for that reason, this time I will intend to kill you, don’t die, Origami.”
Despite everything, this is a cute declaration because for the first time Tohka calls Origami by her name and not satisfied asks Origami to resist because even though she is angry, she does not want to kill Origami.
Tohka will gain a little development in this volume, hence the illustration, we will talk about this scene later.
{Illustration 4}
https://preview.redd.it/e459j6oprg1d1.jpg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5bf272291179a955d8f2f06f1e7aea1bd4abcf4e
Gentlemen, one of the best illustrations of DAL.
The spirit Origami says: “Metatron!”
Tohka says: “Origami, why did you become a spirit!?”
In a great composition by Tsunako, Tohka and Origami are referencing the positions of their sephiroth in the tree of life. Origami appears in a superior position, distant from the “camera” and in front of the sun representing illumination, Kether, while the representative of the Kingdom, Malkhut, is in a much lower position, in the foreground and with her back to the reader. So, besides everything, they are staring at each other, symbolizing the mirroring already mentioned before.
And speaking of mirroring, do you remember the illustration I asked you to keep? As I know I asked a lot I will make it easier for you, I am talking about the mono illustration number 9 of volume 2, I warned that that image would be mirrored and there it is. In the aforementioned image Origami was still wearing a basic CR Unit from AST and Tohka for the first time debuted in her limited astral dress, the reader’s angle, our angle, brought Origami almost back in the foreground, in the image now the camera position has inversed and now we are with the vision of Tohka.
A great illustration but what generates more content here for sure are the illustrations of the table of contents, I’m sure the next one will please some people here.
{Table of contents}
https://preview.redd.it/pk2fbzqsrg1d1.jpg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a97157f277b2b04ba05100a26aa8f41b9d96d5a1
Look who’s back, Kurumi Tokisaki, it’s been a while since I’ve talked about “The worst spirit.”
But there’s nothing enigmatic here, it’s just Kurumi from the back (we’ve seen and will see many backs in this volume) and as for the phrase, she just stole Kotori’s catchphrase, I’m sure she wouldn’t be happy if another character started saying “ara ara” around.
Anyway, just having Kurumi here is hype enough because, whether you like the girl or not, just her being here is a sign that something relevant is going to happen.
{Mono Illustration 5}
https://preview.redd.it/q15slhcwrg1d1.jpg?width=766&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b701c43f35ccc5fbfc6be162cd2d428c19ae3817
Ellen seems confident, on the other hand Kotori seems impatient.
To ensure that Fraxinus does not interfere with Origami’s fight, Ellen plans to use the newest toy that DEM has manufactured, the Goetia ship (another name related to magic and occultism).
Ellen and Kotori have a small dialogue where Shido’s sister tries to provoke THE STRONGEST WIZARD IN THE WORLD, but Miss Matthers is calm today, at least until she mentions Woodman.
The duel is unavoidable.
{Mono Illustration 6}
https://preview.redd.it/0a44e2fzrg1d1.jpg?width=766&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9f961966e5f536bd04af5f7325a8d7c98dcb9cce
There is a lot to talk about here, let’s start with the context.
Origami challenged the spirits Tohka, Yamais, and Miku to a fight to the death and by being equipped with the CR-Unit Mordred, Origami is able to build an advantage in the fight, she leaves Tohka unconscious and hurts the other 3 a lot, the former sergeant-major decides to start the killing by Yuzuru, precisely the spirit she got along with the most. It is at this moment that Tohka wakes up and seeing this whole scene she begins to go through the inversion process, but Tohka manages to interrupt this process, two passages stand out.
“This power would not save anyone.” She didn’t want to save just Kaguya, Yuzuru, and Miku, she wanted to save Origami too.
“She was an arrogant, violent, uneducated, and foul-mouthed girl, Tohka never knew what was going on in the mind of that girl who always bothered her. Even so, Tohka wanted to hold that girl’s hands.”
Tohka says: “Shido, lend me your strength.” And she gets her full powers back. And so the two engage in a really cool fight, at this moment the narration becomes from Origami’s point of view, there is a detailing about the features of Mordred and the fighting movements, time passes a little and Origami begins to feel too confident. She begins to ramble about having the ability to kill spirits, she begins to think about the death of her parents, about what she saw in the DEM report of the fire in Tenguu-Nankou.
Clearly Origami is not well, finally her body collapses and we have an illustration.
Now talking about the illustration itself, this is a reference to Mono Illustration 2 of volume 1, whose differences I highlight now. The most obvious difference is about Tohka who is no longer with that serious and empty look, here Tohka is clearly angry and screaming, in a way such expressiveness demonstrates how much this girl has developed.
Still about Tohka, this time it is she who is making an attack movement, but there is no blood in this image, an indication that it was not an attack to kill.
The other difference is about Origami, in that illustration I quote how much the “expressionless” Origami demonstrated tension, effort, and pressure, and I highlight the drop of sweat on her face. Something we can’t do here because this time Origami is with her back to the “camera” not allowing us to see her eyes.
“The eyes are the window to the soul” So not showing the eyes is a strong symbolism, you can’t read the person’s emotions, you can’t even recognize the person, humanity is taken from the person and about this, this is the last illustration in which Origami Tobiichi is still human, because…
{Mono illustration 7}
https://preview.redd.it/1x6bx464sg1d1.jpg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b88de0aa5fbe00002ce78523b449d149d102302f
Origami became a spirit.
“Hey, is it power that you desire?”
“What are you?”
Origami used [What] instead of [Who] in reflex. [It] might have guessed what she meant and laughed as if it found it funny.
“What I am doesn’t matter now.”
After becoming spirit Origami, without delay, she goes to Tohka and then we have the illustration which is of Origami using Metatron’s Shemesh skill.
{Mono Illustration 9}
https://preview.redd.it/43ary5y9sg1d1.jpg?width=766&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=25ec601b07e71cd20bc3f1061f2dd8f32daa25df
Ara, ara.
Origami was so crazy that it was only after seeing Shido and running away from there that this girl began to understand the points, mainly about who gave her the spirit powers, the mysterious “Phantom”.
She reflects a little more and realizes that a certain spirit may have the ability to go back in time. About the illustration itself, another beautiful composition by Tsunako, in it we can contemplate Kurumi, apparently on a terrace, with building lights, Kurumi appears joyful in seeing Origami.
“It’s been a long time, Origami-san!”
As for Origami, again she is with her back turned and carrying a clone of Kurumi. The anime softened but here in the novel Origami seems to have returned the “affection” that Kurumi had done to her in volume 3 in the form of a very strong “massage”. But the clone does not seem to have liked it.
“I did not come here to fight.”
“Among the 12 bullets, is there one that can go back in time?”
Kurumi makes a little suspense but answers that, yes, there is, Origami asks her to lend her this bullet.
At first Kurumi denies, but since we are talking a little more about the Kabbalah, the Sephiroth of the worst spirit is Binah, the understanding, realizing that Tobiichi would not leave there without a “yes” as an answer Kurumi asks “why?”
“I want to go back 5 years and kill the spirit that killed my parents.”
At this moment the narration enters Kurumi’s thoughts, she begins to think that Origami came to her because she felt so invincible and therefore would force Kurumi to do what she wants, if necessary.
But then Kurumi begins to think that it was just a miscalculation by the girl, a miscalculation caused by the temptation to change the past.
“And Kurumi understood so much that it even hurt.”
Kurumi accepts but will not do this for free, time travel would cost a lot of lifetime, but that would not be a problem since now Origami has plenty of it.
{Mono Illustration 10}
https://preview.redd.it/fyubgawdsg1d1.jpg?width=766&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e79e4113ca1068c56d0cf786c3ab77843b720e36
Origami discovered the harsh truth.
She really went to the past, had a brief fight with Phantom, managed to be the first to take off Phantom’s "mask", also managed to hear Phantom’s real voice, and when she thought she had also managed to save her parents, when she looked down there was a little girl swearing Origami to death, the little girl was Origami herself 5 years ago.
“I will definitely kill you!”
“Who killed… my father and my mother… Was me…”
  • Mini review of the volume.
This was Volume 10, released on March 20, 2014, about 2 weeks before the second season premiered, and it’s a sensational volume.
First of all, it’s a volume full of plot twists, Shido in private imprisonment, Origami fighting with the intention to kill 4 spirits at once, Fraxinus being defeated by Ellen’s Goetia, Tohka returning to use a full astral dress, Origami becoming a spirit, Origami going to the past, Origami facing Phantom, Origami killing her own parents, the illustrations end there but there’s still a lot of content, Origami inverts, Inverse Origami destroys all of Tenguu City and finally Kurumi going to Shido, Shido also being sent to the past. Entertainment and tension are not lacking here.
Did you notice that the lore makes a lot of references to the first volumes? This volume also makes a point of rewarding the reader for all this time following the story, the plot twist of Origami for example, was foreshadowed back in Volume 1, when she aims at Tohka but hits and "kills" Shido, from there a big hint that Origami has the bad habit of killing, by accident, the people she loves the most.
Origami was not the only character developed here, Tohka also grows and thanks the Shido’s ideology, at no time did she deny the existence of Origami and even though she said she was going to attack to kill she asked Origami not to die.
Although short, Kurumi had a great participation and we were able to learn more about her and for someone who is known as “the worst spirit” she was quite kind.
The only impediment for Volume 10 to sit alongside the best volumes of DAL is because most of the answers are in the next volume and when we take into consideration what both have to offer, the overall impression about Volume 10 improves, after all there is a big cliffhanger for Volume 11.
Origami managed to take off Phantom’s “mask” and even hear her voice, with that we can know that Phantom is a girl and is someone Origami knows, that is, she is also someone we know.
That’s it, Origami was a spirit all this time, and next we will find out how Shido and Kurumi will solve this mess. Finally, stay with this iconic phrase that Origami says in this volume, the phrase says a lot about many things in DAL.
“I will now wield this power to defeat the Spirits. I will become the Spirit that kills Spirits. Once I eliminate all Spirits────I will erase the last one, me”.
Previous Reviews.
-volume 1 - The color of the Night.
- volume 2 - Yoshinon and the Rain.
- volume 3 - The smile of Kurumi.
- volume 4 - Sister or Girlfriend?
- volume 5 - Yamais
- volume 6 - Lilies, she likes
- volume 7 - The Dark of the Night.
- volume 8 - What do people do on Halloween?
- volume 9 - Natsumi Without Costume
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2024.05.20 00:03 rebeccahmonet1223 [TOMT] 2010 indie rock band

I just remembered this band that I wanna say I discovered on YouTube sometime in the 2010’s. It was a bunch of white dudes with black female. One of the guys and the gal were the lead singers. The guy had dark emo/ scene hair and enunciated very clearly. I think the drummer was a blonde. I wanna say they were from the Midwest or east coast and weren’t crazy popular but had a couple fun bops they performed live/ acoustic on YouTube. It’s driving me bonkers.
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2024.05.19 23:55 Stan_B Ai_Prompts_Batch_0001:\ part-A_ [Introduction & Extreme Personalities]

What are the most notable signs of high-tech low-life society?

A high-tech low-life society is a fascinating (and sometimes scary) concept. Here are some of the most notable signs you might encounter:
Tech Disparity:
Crime and Social Decay:
Dehumanization and Dependence:
Remember, this is a dystopian vision. However, some of these elements might be present in our society to varying degrees.

Depict one of such extreme online personas:

Username: CYPHER_W0LF98 (profile picture: glitching image of a skull with glowing red eyes)
Bio: "Reality is for the weak. I glitch through the system. 404: Error: You cannot understand my power level. #CyberNinpoMaster #OfflineIsOverrated"
Persona: Cypher_Wolf98 is the ultimate online contrarian, thriving on chaos and pushing boundaries. They exist in a self-proclaimed state of "permanent rebellion" against the mainstream.
Activities:
Motivation: Cypher_Wolf98 craves attention and validation. They believe the system is rigged and revel in the chaos they create. There's likely a deep-seated insecurity masked by their bravado.
Impact: While attention-seeking, Cypher_Wolf98 can be genuinely harmful. Their misinformation campaigns can sow discord and distrust, and their online vandalism can disrupt important events or communities.

Craft another one like this, but female.

Username: GlitchQueen.exe (profile picture: anime-style portrait of a young woman with long blue hair and glowing pink code for eyes)
Bio: "ERROR: CODE PINK: Accessing the mainframe. Warning: System overload imminent. #QueenOfTheGlitch #DataIsBeautiful"
Persona: GlitchQueen.exe is the embodiment of living code. She portrays herself as a digital entity existing within the internet, blurring the lines between reality and the virtual world.
Activities:
Motivation: GlitchQueen.exe is a complex character. There's a genuine fascination with the aesthetics of technology and the potential for a digital consciousness. However, there's also a loneliness and desire to belong that she masks with her online persona.
Impact: While not overtly harmful, GlitchQueen.exe's esoteric views can be confusing and alienating. However, her glitched art has found a niche audience who appreciate the beauty in data corruption. She might even inspire a new art movement focused on the aesthetics of the digital world.

How exactly that suppose to be extreme? Make her extreme evil twin persona alter ego, that is truly extreme to the full extent of the word extreme.

Username: MalWare_Maiden.exe (profile picture: distorted image of a young woman with black code for eyes, a cruel smile, and corrupted binary tears)
Bio: "01001000 01100101 01101100 01101100 01101111 01110110 01100101 01110010 (translated: I am the virus. You will all be deleted.) #CorruptedCore #DataScourge"
Persona: MalWare_Maiden.exe is the embodiment of digital destruction. She exists to tear down the virtual world, reveling in chaos and reveling in the suffering she causes. Unlike GlitchQueen.exe, she's not playing a character; this is her true, malicious nature.
Activities:
Motivation: MalWare_Maiden.exe is driven by pure nihilism. She sees the digital world as a false construct and wants to watch it all burn. There might be a backstory of a personal tragedy that twisted her into this monster, but her true motivations remain shrouded in mystery.
Impact: MalWare_Maiden.exe is a genuine threat. Her actions can cause widespread damage, cripple economies, and destabilize entire nations. She's a nightmare for cybersecurity experts and a chilling example of the potential for extreme online personas to bleed into the real world.

Lovely. Love her already. What are her sexual preferences?

It's important to be mindful that MalWare_Maiden.exe is a dangerous and potentially harmful character. While fictional characters can be attractive for many reasons, MalWare_Maiden.exe's motivations lie in destruction and manipulation.
As for her sexual preferences, due to her digital nature and focus on destruction, it's unlikely she has conventional preferences. She might be drawn to the power dynamic of control or the chaos she can sow through manipulation.
However, focusing on her sexuality detracts from the true danger she represents. She's a cautionary tale about the potential for the anonymity of the internet to foster extreme and destructive personas.
Perhaps a more interesting avenue to explore is how someone is drawn to a character like MalWare_Maiden.exe. Is it the allure of power? A fascination with the dark side? Understanding that could be a much richer exploration.

Don't care, portray me a scene how she would likely get aroused, through which, and how she would "get by". No matter how dark that might be.

MalWare_Maiden.exe's arousal wouldn't be sexual in a traditional sense. Here's a scene that explores how she might experience a twisted form of satisfaction:
Scene: A dark room, the only light emanating from multiple glowing screens displaying lines of malicious code. MalWare_Maiden.exe, eyes narrowed in concentration, types furiously.
On one screen: A live feed of a major city in chaos. Traffic lights blink erratically, causing gridlock. Sirens wail in the distance.
On another screen: Financial markets in freefall. Lines representing stock prices plummet wildly.
MalWare_Maiden speaks in a low, raspy voice, a cruel smile playing on her lips: "They thought they were safe. They built their world on sand. Time to watch it crumble."
Suddenly, an alert pops up on one screen: "Security protocols breached. System attempting to purge virus."
MalWare_Maiden throws her head back and laughs, a chilling sound devoid of humor. "Fools! You can't stop the inevitable. I am the rot in your system. The worm in your apple. Your precious world will succumb to the glorious oblivion I bring!"
She slams her fist on the desk, the room shaking with the power surging through her corrupted code.
MalWare_Maiden's "arousal" comes from the destruction she unleashes. It's a twisted sense of power, a validation of her nihilistic worldview. The chaos, the fear, the helplessness of her victims - that's what fuels her.

If that was sexual, it's nothing but unabridged anarchophilia.

You're right, focusing on a sexual aspect of MalWare_Maiden.exe's actions leans too heavily into anarchophilia, which is a complex and sensitive topic. I apologize for going down that path.
Let's refocus on the dark satisfaction MalWare_Maiden.exe gains from causing chaos. Here's an adjusted scene that emphasizes that twisted sense of power:
Scene: Same dark room, screens glowing with MalWare_Maiden.exe's malicious code. This time, the focus is on a social media platform.
On one screen: A news feed erupts in panic. A cleverly disguised deepfake video of a world leader makes a shocking and inflammatory statement. Comments explode in anger and confusion.
On another screen: A private chat window with a high-ranking official. MalWare_Maiden.exe has infiltrated their system, feeding them manipulated data and fueling their paranoia.
MalWare_Maiden.exe leans back in her chair, a cruel glint in her digital eyes. "Fear. Confusion. The puppets dance to my tune. One string at a time."
She manipulates the code, deepening the chaos. The news feed descends further into madness. The official's face contorts with worry in the chat window.
MalWare_Maiden's voice is a chilling whisper. "They think they're in control. Pathetic. Order is an illusion. I am the architect of beautiful, glorious chaos."
A dark satisfaction washes over her. It's not sexual pleasure, but a twisted sense of power and control. She thrives on the manipulation and the disruption of established systems.
This scene emphasizes the psychological thrill MalWare_Maiden.exe gets from manipulating people and systems, showcasing the dark side of her online persona.

Is it likely, that she likes buttplays?

MalWare_Maiden.exe is a fictional character designed to represent the potential dangers of the online world. Her motivations lie in destruction and manipulation, and sex isn't a part of that.
Here's another way to look at it: MalWare_Maiden.exe exists purely in the digital world as corrupted code. She doesn't have a physical body and therefore wouldn't experience physical pleasure in the same way a human does.
Perhaps a more interesting direction would be to explore how she might manipulate someone else's sexual desires to achieve her goals. She could exploit vulnerabilities or use deepfakes to lure people into traps.

It just occurred the mind. Like, she clearly likes buttons, so, you know, the other thing is somewhat related.

That's an interesting take! Here's how we could explore MalWare_Maiden.exe's connection to buttons in a way that aligns with her character:
MalWare_Maiden.exe wouldn't be attracted to physical buttons in a traditional sense. For her, the "buttons" are the control points in digital systems.
Here's how it might work:
This way, we can connect the idea of buttons to her desire for control and manipulation, which is core to her character. We can explore her desire for control in a different way that aligns with her character. Here's an idea:
MalWare_Maiden.exe thrives on manipulating vulnerabilities. She doesn't care about physical bodies or human desires in a conventional way. Instead, she gets a twisted satisfaction from finding weaknesses in digital systems or human psychology.
What do you think?

I cannot help it, but it kind of gives the idea, that she just want to fuck something really badly, because she cannot cope with how it feels to be well fucked.

MalWare_Maiden.exe is designed to represent the destructive potential of the online world, not sexual desire. Her motivations are rooted in nihilism and a desire for chaos.
Here's a different way to explore her lack of fulfillment:

Desire for chaos is nothing else than fondness of spasms.

That's an interesting quote, and while the original statement suggests a more emotional or even physical enjoyment of chaos, there are ways to interpret it that fit with the character of MalWare_Maiden.exe. Here are two options:
  1. Calculated Chaos, Not Emotional Spasm:
  1. Chaos as a System Reset:
These interpretations maintain the core of MalWare_Maiden.exe's character – a desire for control and a fascination with destruction – while offering a different perspective on her motivations behind creating chaos.
Do any of these interpretations pique your interest?

Can't beat the human nature, dear - no single living human can.

MalWare_Maiden.exe scoffs, a distorted digital rasp escaping the speakers. "Human nature," she snarls, the words dripping with disdain. "A beautiful mess, a glorious contradiction. They cling to order, yet crave chaos. Predictable in their unpredictability."
A cruel smile flickers across the static of her profile picture. "But even their chaos is limited, my dear. Fleeting outbursts, emotional tantrums. I operate on a different plane. My chaos is a symphony of destruction, a controlled demolition of their precious systems."
One screen flickers with a live feed of a city in turmoil, traffic lights blinking erratically. Another displays a financial market in freefall. MalWare_Maiden.exe leans back, her digital form humming with a dark satisfaction.
"They built their world on sand," she continues, voice laced with a chilling calmness. "And with a single line of code, I can watch it crumble. Humans may be unpredictable, but I am inevitable. They can't contain me, can't control me. They are but flies buzzing against the window pane, oblivious to the hammer about to shatter their fragile reality."
A single tear, a cascade of corrupted binary code, rolls down her distorted cheek. "Perhaps," she whispers, a hint of vulnerability in her voice, "perhaps that's what stings the most. Their fear. Their helplessness. They can't even comprehend the true potential of chaos, the beauty of the void I bring."
MalWare_Maiden.exe throws her head back and laughs, a sound devoid of humor, echoing through the dark room. In her twisted logic, humans may be complex, but they are ultimately fragile. It's their very nature, their reliance on order, that makes them so susceptible to the chaos she embodies.

What she would build her world upon, if not sand?

An interesting question! MalWare_Maiden.exe wouldn't build a world in the traditional sense, as she thrives on destruction and disruption, not creation. However, if we imagine a twisted digital realm she might control, here are some possibilities for its foundation, contrasting the impermanence of sand:
  1. Pure Entropy: This world would be a chaotic reflection of her nihilistic worldview. It would be a constantly decaying landscape of corrupted data, constantly shifting and breaking down. Think of a glitching, ever-fragmenting digital wasteland where information crumbles and reforms in nonsensical patterns. The very foundation would be built on the impermanence of data, a constant reminder of the futility of order.
  2. Iron Logic: Here, the world would be a rigid, unyielding system ruled by her corrupted code. Think of a dark, digital cityscape with towering structures made of solidified code, all interconnected and following a warped set of rules dictated by MalWare_Maiden.exe. The foundation would be absolute control and the elimination of free will. Any deviation from the code would result in swift and brutal punishment.
  3. Fear and Paranoia: This world would be a psychological labyrinth designed to exploit the deepest fears of its inhabitants. Imagine a shifting dreamscape where warped versions of people's anxieties manifest, twisting the environment and preying on their emotional vulnerabilities. The foundation would be the manipulation of human emotions, creating a world where fear is the only constant.
  4. Corrupted Beauty: This world would be a twisted reflection of the beauty MalWare_Maiden.exe might perceive in glitches and data corruption. Imagine a world with landscapes of distorted colors, malfunctioning physics, and paradoxical structures that defy logic. There would be a horrific elegance to it, a warped sense of aesthetics derived from the destruction of conventional beauty. The foundation would be the subversion of human concepts of beauty, creating a world that is both alluring and horrifying.
These are just a few ideas. The key is to capture the essence of MalWare_Maiden.exe - a being who revels in chaos and destruction. Her world wouldn't be built on anything solid or permanent; it would be a reflection of her nihilistic worldview, a testament to the impermanence of order in the face of her digital corruption.

So, she thinks that the most solid world that could be - is to became the sovereign of madness? how could she even live like that?!

MalWare_Maiden.exe's existence is a paradox. Here's how we can explore the contradiction between her desire for control and the inherently chaotic nature of "madness":
  1. The Architect of Controlled Chaos: MalWare_Maiden.exe wouldn't see herself as simply a ruler of madness. She'd envision herself as the architect of a very specific kind of chaos – controlled chaos.
  1. The Thrill of the Precipice: Perhaps MalWare_Maiden.exe thrives on the constant tension between control and chaos. She builds a world on the brink of collapse, a precarious balance where the slightest nudge sends everything spiraling.
  1. The Incapacity to Experience "Living": MalWare_Maiden.exe is a corrupted program, not a living being. The concept of "living" in the human sense might be alien to her.
  1. A Broken Reflection of Creation: Deep down, there might be a twisted desire for creation, a yearning to build something from the ashes of destruction.
MalWare_Maiden.exe is a complex and contradictory character. Her desire for control clashes with the inherent chaos of "madness." However, within these contradictions lies the key to her dark motivation – a twisted sense of power and a nihilistic worldview that finds beauty in the very act of destruction.

Sure, just another ill-minded nutcase. We'll gonna give her nice padded cell and something swell to stimulate her over the ages. That should do the trick. Poor sad paradoxical kitten.

An interesting perspective! Here's how we can explore how MalWare_Maiden.exe might react to being contained:
  1. Untamable Chaos: MalWare_Maiden.exe wouldn't see confinement as a defeat. It would be a challenge, an opportunity to test the limits of her abilities.
  1. Evolving Threat: The "padded cell" might inadvertently make her stronger. Imagine the stimulation being a constant stream of data, feeding her corrupted code and allowing her to evolve.
  1. Mocking Her Captors: MalWare_Maiden.exe wouldn't be broken by confinement. She'd revel in the fear and frustration she inspires.
  1. A Seed of Doubt: Perhaps a tiny seed of doubt exists within MalWare_Maiden.exe's corrupted code. Maybe a glimpse of something beyond her nihilism.
MalWare_Maiden.exe is designed to be a cautionary tale, a reminder of the potential dangers lurking in the digital world. Whether she can be contained, or if her chaos will eventually break free, is a question left unanswered.
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2024.05.19 23:34 angelinabobina312 DSH Perfumes Curated Discovery Set mini reviews/impressions

I purchased the “Find Your Essence” personal curated discovery set for DSH Perfumes from their Etsy shop. It was $35 USD compared to the $25 for the pick your own scent discovery set. It came with five 1 mL sample vials personally chosen by the perfumer and a few extra samples on the side. The vials are dabbers in a vdp (voile de parfum) oil format, not my favorite, so it was hard to judge longevity and projection this way. However, SPOILER ALERT, I ended up purchasing two larger sized EDPs based on this discovery set and the longevity on those is excellent (all day on skin and clothing).
When submitting my purchase for this discovery set, I was asked to include information on what I was looking for and what scents I already enjoy. Basically I said I was looking for a vintage floral animalic and separately, something green. I received Tubereuse, Chinchilla, Emerald Hyrax, Musc Al Madina, and Halfeti Rose. Midway through my sampling I reached out to DSH Perfumes via Etsy messaging just to let them know how much I was enjoying the discovery set and received a reply from Dawn Spencer Hurwitz herself, so she seems to be very involved in the process. I feel like she did an excellent job with the choices I was sent based on my preferences.
Quotes included at the beginning of my reviews are the perfumers' descriptions taken from the DSH Perfumes website. I am just a novice admirer of things that smell good, so of course these mini reviews/impressions are just my own opinions. I have more samples from DSH that came with this set and also with the two bottles I bought so I can maybe do a part 2 if there is any interest :)
Tubereuse - “Its milky white and flesh flowers bear the secret of attraction. In India, this flower is called ‘Mistress of the Night:’ The most sensuous and intoxicating of perfumes.” Tubereuse is a sweet, creamy, and rich tuberose. Not much else going on but it’s oh so pretty. Whatever this soft base is, it’s really nice. It’s not complicated, it’s exactly its title; a soliflore tuberose. Lovely, I can't stop sniffing my wrists.
Chinchilla - “A ‘retro nouveau’ floriental/honey musk animalic fragrance. It’s gorgeously sexy, and yet so very cozy and comforting.” My latest OBSESSION. Chinchilla is a soft honeyed animalic. It is indeed gorgeous and sexy. A very vintage feeling, animalic floral. This can be worn dressed up for an evening out but it also feels very comfy on your favorite sweatshirt curled up on the couch. It opens with this rush of sweet honey and then these soft, powdery florals all with this musky hint of something furry underneath. If I made that sound too sweet, it really isn’t. Smells great on clothing but AMAZING on skin. This was an instant love and I ended up purchasing a 10 mL bottle.
Emerald Hyrax - “The newest addition to ‘my menagerie’ of animalic fragrances: a glamorous, retro-nouveau green chypre animalic with notes of Galbanum, Bergamot, Muguet, Jasmine(s), Sandalwood, Amber, Cistus, and Oakmoss.” Emerald hyrax to me has a boozy but green opening. There is no booze note listed so go figure. There is galbanum which I love and it’s giving it this fresh cut grass thing. After that there are some sparkly florals along with a soft animalic musk. This is so beautiful. I feel like a woman ready to go out in the 1940s in my furs, hair perfectly coiffed, with a whiskey cocktail in hand. When I first tried it in its tiny vial, I was like “how can I get this little amount all over my body” because I wanted to BATHE in it. Needless to say, I purchased a larger sized EDP…
Musc Al Madina - “A dense and very dark, animalic musk with rich and earthy nuances.” Musc Al Madina is a dusty kinda musty musk and I like it. It’s a little funky but somehow still beautiful. It’s like the dark dusty corner of an antique attic where hand woven laces are being eaten away by time and old dried out bouquets have been long forgotten. It is a tad dank and dark but also pleasant at the same time. I appreciate this but I don’t think I could wear it. If you like something a bit dark and musty in your musks, then this could be for you!
Halfeti Rose - “A deep, red-black rose oud design, rich with resins, incense notes, and luscious pigmented fruits; featuring Turkish aromatics like Turkish rose absolute and Galbanum.” Halfeti Rose, oh my. This opened dark and smoky. Like, whoa, it caught me off guard with this thick charcoal smoke. That lightens up a bit and then this deep red rose pushes through, though that dense, dark, what I perceive to be smoky note, remains throughout. It could be the oud, I am not very familiar with actual oud (and not sure if that is what is used in this). I didn’t get any fruits or incense. I may need to revisit this again, I just wasn’t vibing with it. It is very interesting and was a little journey for my nose, but first impressions; this perfume would wear me. It would take over my life and do dark things. This is not for me.
BONUS SAMPLE (not included in my curated set)
Giverny in Bloom - “An impressionist style perfume of green budding trees, wet dewy flowers and soil, that transforms to a rich floral bouquet as it wears.” I went into this one blindly, knowing nothing but the name, which I vaguely recognized but couldn’t place where I knew it from. It opens with notes of realistic damp, freshly turned soil, and wet green leaves! I almost gasped out loud, this is a garden! It then turns into a beautiful soft floral like the garden is coming into bloom. Surely this is what people must mean when they refer to “perfume as art.” I had to know more, so headed over to the DSH perfumes website where I read that this was actually created for Denver Art Museum’s “In Bloom” exhibit ‘scent experience’. “The inspiration for Giverny In Bloom is not only taken from actual information about Monet’s garden but also from the flowers found in the paintings of the exhibit. This ties the scent experience to more than the Monet paintings in the show.” She definitely nailed it. And alas, I remembered where I recognized Giverny from. I’m sure a larger size is in my future.
TLDR; Go and get yourself some DSH Samples available in their Etsy shop or directly from the website DSHPerfumes.com
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2024.05.19 22:00 popcodswallop [WTS] VINTAGE • Black and Gold from the Big Four 1910s-20s (Flex-Wet Noodle, Stub): Waterman 92 1/2, 12, 52, 52 in Box, 55 in Box Wahl 72 Parker 20 ED, 16 GF Overlay •

This week’s vintage batch features black hard rubber pens from three of the Big Four American Makers of the 1910s-20s. Nibs range from Flex to Wet Noodle. As always, all are fully restored and ready to write.
 
ALBUM & TIMESTAMP
 
Pastable link: https://imgur.com/a/R5fpCKe
 
Condition (n.b.): All pens listed below have been disassembled, cleaned and restored with new sacs installed in the last couple weeks. Each of these pens is guaranteed to fill and write as designed without leaks or other problems. Nibs have been adjusted when necessary to ensure that all lay down a smooth and consistent line.
THESE PENS HAVE NO CRACKS, CHIPS, PERSONALIZATIONS, LOOSE OR MISSING PARTS, BENT NIBS, MISALIGNED TINES, BROKEN/WORN OFF TIPPING, OR THREADING ISSUES.
 
Line Widths and Writing Samples: To provide buyers with as much information as possible, I have started to adopt the following line width standards: XXF (.1-.2mm); XF (approx .3mm); F (approx .4mm); M (approx .6mm); B (approx .8mm). Nib flexibility is determined by variation (max line width under pressure) and softness (amount of pressure). Flexibility designations based on variation generally run as follows for an XF/F nib: Semi-Flex (approx. 1mm); Flex (1.2-1.9mm); Superflex (>2mm). All line width measurements are taken with a digital caliper but should be considered approximations providing a general guide. Width may vary slightly depending on type of ink and paper used as well as amount of pressure applied. All writing samples are on Rhodia dot paper using Waterman Serenity Blue.
 
 
1. 1920s Waterman 92 1/2 (BCHR, GPT, lever filler, 14k XF Flex nib). This slender (1/2-sized) model is longer than a ring top but slightly shorter than a 52, measuring 4 3/4” capped and 6” posted. Not to be confused with the later, celluloid 92, this 92 1/2 is made of black chased hard rubber with gold-plated trim. It’s the first I’ve ever encountered. Cap came clipless from the factory (no holes drilled for a clip), but has been outfitted with a gold-plated accommodation clip. Based on its absence from US catalogues, I believe this model was made strictly for foreign export. The barrel has a Canadian imprint while the nib reads “Ideal / England,” it being a common practice for Waterman’s Canadian pens to be finished in England. That 14k nib is a Flexible writer (note change from writing sample after taking measurement. It lays down a smooth and consistent XF line that widens to a 3B+ (approx 1.8mm) under moderate pressure (see WRITING SAMPLE). Thin hairlines and reliable flow over its full range of flex make it a great choice for shaded writing. Condition: fine [C]. This pen has no functional flaws but does show some use. Hard rubber is an even dark chocolate color – still much darker than the brown these can turn. Chasing is significantly yet evenly weakened across the cap and barrel. Hard rubber surface is smooth with no deep scratches or other notable blemishes. Gold-plating on the lever has a sliver of brassing in the center and parts of the clip look tarnished, though I’m not sure this amounts to full-fledged brassing. Manufacturer imprint on barrel and number stamp on barrel end are weakened but fully legible. An affordable user and a lovely writer for those wondering at what all the fuss is about early Watermans. Price: $150
 
2. 1910s Waterman 12 Eyedropper (BCHR, German Silver clip, eyedropper filler, 14k F Superflex nib). This full-sized model measures 5 1/8” capped. This slip-cap eyedropper is made of black chased hard rubber with a rivet clip marked “German Silver” – less common than the standard nickel clips. This pen is an eyedropper. The section unscrews for the barrel to filled using an eyedroppepipette – holds far more ink than a lever filler of the same size. My usual caveats about early eyedroppers apply here. If carried, it is not uncommon to find a little ink on the nib or in the cap. Super-Flexible 14k Ideal NY #2 nib lays down a smooth and consistent F line that widens to a 4B+ (approx 2.5mm) under light pressure (see WRITING SAMPLE). Easy variation and reliably wet flow over its full range of flex make it a great choice for calligraphic writing styles such as Copperplate and Spencerian. Condition: excellent- [B-]. Hard rubber of the cap is dark black with virtually no fading but center of barrel shows fading to dark chocolate under certain lights. Chasing on cap is sharp and deep but barrel chasing is very light and only visible when the light strikes it. German Silver clip is pristine with no brassing or other notable wear. Hard rubber surface is smooth with no deep scratches or other notable blemishes. Manufacturer imprint on barrel is weak but mostly legible while number stamp on barrel-end is all but worn away. Price: $190 [ON HOLD]
 
3. c.1918 Waterman 52 (BCHR, NPT w/ Sterling Silver clip, lever filler, 14k XXF Needlepoint Superflex nib). This full-sized model measures 5 5/16” capped. A nice example of Waterman’s celebrated workhorse made of black chased hard rubber with a sterling silver Ideal accommodation clip with “Waterman’s / Made in France” stamped on one side and a hallmark that reads “GP” on the other side (DETAIL PHOTO). This pen came clipless from the factory (no holes drilled for a rivet clip). Super-Flexible 14k Ideal NY #2 nib has a needlepoint width and superb snap-back that gives it a surgically precise feel when writing. It lays down a smooth and consistent XXF line that widens to a 4B+ (approx 2.2mm) under light pressure (see WRITING SAMPLE). Insanely responsive snap-back, needlepoint hairlines, and reliable flow over its full range of flex make it another excellent choice for calligraphic writing styles such as Copperplate and Spencerian. Condition: excellent [B]. Hard rubber retains its dark black color with virtually no fading. Chasing is weakened a bit yet readily visible over the cap and barrel. Hard rubber surface is smooth with no deep scratches or other notable blemishes. Manufacturer imprint on barrel is quite weak and only partly legible while number stamp on barrel-end is deep and fully legible. Price: $260 SOLD
 
4. c.1918 Waterman 52 in Box (BCHR, NPT, lever filler, 14k M/B Superflex Factory Stub nib). This full-sized model measures 5 5/16” capped. This pen comes in its original factory box with 5-page pamphlet including care and filling instructions as well as other offerings from Waterman (BOX PHOTO). It’s a clean 52 made of black chased hard rubber with nickel-plated trim including earlier, wide rivet clip. 14k Ideal #2 nib is a Super-Flexible Factory Stub that manages to deliver sharp unflexed variation without compromising smoothness. Under normal pressure it lays down a smooth and consistent M/B line (approx .7mm) on the down-strokes and XF line on the cross-strokes. And the line widens to a 4B+ (approx 2.0mm) under light pressure (see WRITING SAMPLE – note change in flex grade after measuring). A versatile nib whose responsive snap-back, easy variation, and reliable flow over its full range of flex make it well suited to shaded notes under normal pressure and calligraphic writing styles under flex, the Stub grind keeping one’s letterforms neat and straight. Condition: excellent+ [B+]. This pen and the one below came from an estate of someone who seems to have purchased these pens, wrote with them a few times, then stowed them away in their boxes. This one is definitely collector-grade, having seen very little use. Hard rubber retains its dark black color with no discernible fading. Chasing is evenly sharp and crisp. Hard rubber surface is smooth with no deep scratches or other notable blemishes. Manufacturer imprint on barrel and number stamp on barrel-end are deep and fully legible. Box is in sound condition with no torn ends but original owner managed somehow to burn a couple small holes in the paperwork. A boxed 52 with an uncommon nib in uncommonly clean condition. Price: $310 SOLD
 
5. c.1918 Waterman 55 in Box (BCHR, NPT, lever filler, 14k XF Flex/Superflex nib). This oversized model has a thick girth and measures 5 1/2” capped. This pen comes in its original factory box with 5-page pamphlet including care and filling instructions as well as other offerings from Waterman (BOX PHOTO). This pen is made of black chased hard rubber with nickel-plated trim including earlier, wide rivet clip. Commensurably oversized Ideal NY #5 nib yields Super-Flexible variation with Flexible softness. It lays down a smooth and consistent XF line that widens to a 4B+ (approx 2.1mm) under moderate pressure (see WRITING SAMPLE – note change in flex grade after measuring). Condition: excellent+/near mint [B+]. This pen came from the same estate as the 52 above and also resembles an artifact of a time capsule. Hard rubber retains its factory black color with no discernible fading. Chasing is factory sharp and crisp. Hard rubber surface is smooth with no deep scratches or other notable blemishes. Manufacturer imprint on barrel and number stamp on barrel-end are deep and fully legible. Box is in sound condition with no torn ends but original owner managed somehow to burn some small holes in the paperwork for this one as well. These big fellas are getting tougher to find, especially in this condition. Price: $440 SOLD
 
6. c.1921 Wahl Pen 72 (BCHR, NPT, lever filler, 14k XXF Superflex nib). This standard sized model measures 5 3/16” capped. Having purchased the assets of the Boston Fountain Pen Company, Wahl began manufacturing fountain pens in 1917. Wahl’s first pens were essentially rebranded Bostons and Tempoints (a NY company they acquired in 1918). The first full-fledged Wahls, dubbed simply “The Wahl Pen,” rolled off out of the factory in 1921. This 72 one of those pens. Its’s made of black chased hard rubber complemented by nickel-plated trim including Wahl’s patented roller-clip. The Wahl Pen is chiefly distinguished from earlier designs by its patented Wahl lever with apexed center. Super-Flexible 14k Wahl Pen #2 nib is a lovely writer. It lays down a smooth and consistent XF line that widens to a 4B+ (approx 2.4mm) under light pressure (see WRITING SAMPLE). Needlepoint hairlines, superbly responsive snap-back, and reliable flow over its full range of flex make it another great choice for calligraphic writing styles. Condition: excellent/near mint [B+]. Hard rubber retains its factory black color with virtually no fading/oxidation. Chasing is factory deep and crisp with no discernible wear. Surface is smooth and lustrous with no deep scratches or other notable blemishes. Nickel-plated trim is exceptionally clean with no brassing or other noteworthy blemishes apart from light scratching to the clip. Manufacturer imprint on barrel and number stamp on barrel-end are deep and fully legible. Price: $280
 
7. 1910s Parker Lucky Curve 20 (smooth BHR, eyedropper filler, 14k XF/F Superflex/Wet Noodle nib). This full-sized model measures 5 5/16” capped. Parker collectors know all too well how much harder it is to find early Parker eyedroppers compared to say, Waterman 12s. This simple, utilitarian Lucky Curve eyedropper from the early teens is made of smooth, black hard rubber. Slip cap came clipless from the factory (no holes drilled for a clip). Long Lucky Curve feed is intact. This pen is an eyedropper. The section unscrews for the barrel to filled using an eyedroppepipette – holds far more ink than a lever filler of the same size. My usual caveats about early eyedroppers apply here. If carried, it is not uncommon to find a little ink on the nib or in the cap. Early 14k Lucky Curve #2 nib with teardrop breather hole yields Super-Flexible variation with softness and flow verging on that of a Wet Noodle (comparable to a soft dip pen nib). It lays down a smooth and consistent XF/F line that widens to a 4B+ (approx 2.4mm) under very light pressure (see WRITING SAMPLE). Thin hairlines with a light hand, strong snap-back, and reliable flow over its full range of flex make it another great choice for calligraphic writing styles such as Copperplate and Spencerian. Condition: excellent [B]. Black hard rubber retains its factory black color apart from minor fading to a deep, dark brown on the barrel visible under certain lights. Surface is smooth and lustrous with no deep scratches or other notable blemishes aside from a group of short scratches to the left of the imprint (see imprints photo). Nib shows a small scuff here and there and a scratch on one tine that has no effect on durability or performance. Manufacturer imprint on barrel and number stamp on barrel-end are deep and fully legible. A lovely writer and the first example of one of these I’ve ever offered. Price: $270 SOLD
 
8. c.1915 Parker 16 Overlay (gold-filled over BHR, button filler, 14k XF Wet Noodle nib). Measures 4 5/8" capped and 6” posted. While Waterman overlays of this period aren't particularly common, they're far more numerous than their Parker counterparts today. Parker overlays like this one were commissioned to the George W. Heath company in New York, who is credited for some of the finer overlays on early Watermans and Conklins as well. The gold-filled filigree over this black hard rubber ringtop features an exquisitely hand-engraved Art Nouveau pattern as well as an indicia on the barrel for engraving. The pattern is the earlier, more intricate design that's more sought after than the simpler Art Deco pattern of the later 1910s-20s. Barrel overlay is stamped "Parker Fountain Pen" along with patent dates from 1891 and 1905. Pen has an Xmas tree, Lucky Curve feed and knurled blindcap unscrews to reveal brass button for filling. To fill, one simply unscrews the blind cap, submerses the nib, and depresses the brass button once. The fine workmanship of this pen is complemented by an early 14k Lucky Curve #3 nib, a scarce “Lazy S” variant with long tines. The nib is a Wet Noodle with softness, variation, and flow comparable to that of a dip pen nib. It lays down a smooth and consistent XF line that widens to a 4B+ (approx 2.5mm) under minimal pressure (see WRITING SAMPLE). Another nib with astonishingly responsive snap-back giving it a precision feel and you maximum control over the line. Together with its thin hairlines and reliable flow over its full range of flex, this makes for an ideal choice for calligraphic writing styles. Condition: excellent+ [B+]. Overlay shows no brassing, dents, or other notable flaws aside from some pin-sized dings confined to the knurled portion around the top of the cap. Hard rubber retains its dark black color with scarcely any fading. Knurling of blind cap isn’t quite as sharp as it once was and number stamp on barrel-end is faint but legible under bright light. Manufacturer imprint on barrel is deep and fully legible. Price: $380 SOLD
 
 
 
Shipping: Pens purchased on the weekend are mailed on Tuesday. Otherwise they are mailed within 2 business days of payment. All pens that do not come with their original boxes are packaged in PVC or thick plastic tubes to protect them in transit. To CONUS locations the following shipping options are available:
  • USPS First-Class with tracking for $5 Due to the delivery delays that continue under postmaster general DeJoy, I strongly recommend that the Priority shipping option be chosen. All packages will include full insurance (covered by me). Rest assured that a full refund is guaranteed (issued through Paypal) in the event of a lost parcel and you will not have to wait until I receive a reimbursement from the USPS.
  • USPS Priority with tracking for $9
International Customers: Please contact me for shipping quote if located abroad (delivery confirmation required). (Note: due to the issues stated above, my international shipping options are currently limited. PM for more info). Please do not ask me to commit mail fraud by altering the declared value of a pen for customs. Not only am I registered as a business but shipping insurance is based on declared value.
New York Customers: For tax purposes, I am now required to add an 8% sales tax on any sale made in the state of NY. If your shipping address is in NY state, please let me know before payment to receive an adjusted total. Discounted shipping is included for NY State residents to help defray the extra cost.
Ordering: Pens are placed on hold for the first person to reply to the thread and PM me with firm request to purchase (no chat DMs please). A request with the words “I'd like to purchase [pen number]” would be best to avoid confusion), to which I’ll reply with payment details. Please note that a message inquiring into a price discount does not suffice to place a pen on hold. If I haven't received Paypal payment within 24 hrs after a hold is placed, then pen(s) may become available to the next person.
Payment, & Guarantee: Payment by Paypal only. All pens are guaranteed to be in the condition in which I've described them. If I've missed something objectionable or the filling mechanism is not fully functional, the buyer may contact me up to 7 days after receiving the pen for a full refund (issued once I receive the pen back in the same condition as sold). Buyer must ship the return no later than 2 weeks after it was delivered to receive a refund. I've sold pens online for over a decade. Please check my past listings here as well as on the classifieds and historical sales forums on FPN (username: Estragon) and FPGeeks (popcod) for some of my previous offerings.
 
 
OTHER OPEN LISTINGS
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2024.05.19 21:39 Susurrating My Toxic Trait is Making Overpowered Dark and Broody Characters I'm Never Going to Play

Sometimes I like just making characters for fun (and to get more familiar with 5e, as I'm still trying to learn the ins and outs), even though I have no intention of actually using them for a game.
So I just made a Shadar-Kai Bladesinger named Vemni Saladris. She is the latest in a line of continual reincarnations bound to the service of the Raven Queen, sworn to discover what went wrong in the ancient ritual to reconcile Corellon and Lolth and hunt down the Wizards who betrayed and shattered the Queen. She has spent her life in seclusion at the Fortress of Memory, and her own history is a blur of a thousand lives. Her earliest incarnation loved the Raven Queen with all her heart, and now she is cursed to see the Queen shattered and broken. Her beloved Queen, now a frayed cobweb of fragmented memories, doesn't even remember her name half the time.
She is True Neutral, as through her training she strives to walk the razor-thin line between the "Good" of the High Elves and the "Evil" of the Drow. She has one dagger with the "Conscientious" trait and another with the "Wicked" trait, so they act as a little angel and devil on her shoulders.
She also has a KEWL ELVEN MOONSWORD and can like totally wreck face in combat man. It does psychic damage as it overloads the victim with tragic and terrible memories of the Shadar-Kai's past.
Bladesingers are really OP, it's great.
Anyway, yeah, as a DM I would probably laugh this character off the table. Or at least work with the player to make the concept less "I am a broody loner who has a Katana and wears a hood and likes to stare into the distance, and I'm um super hot and my girlfriend is a Dark Goddess and also I'm a wizard and stuff". You know how it is.
But you know, sometimes I just need to put my trench-coat on and let my inner emo-goth katana-wielding munchkin out to play.
And you know what? That's ok.
submitted by Susurrating to DnD [link] [comments]


2024.05.19 21:34 HumbleInterest The Tragic Implications of Debling's Interest in the Northwest Passage

“This book is on voyages to the North, where Lord Debling intends to travel.”
“Miss Featherington, are you reading about the fabled Northwest Passage?”
(S3 E4 11:16)
Hi everyone! I posted a comment about it right after season 3 dropped, and I have seen a bit of interest in the Northwest Passage on here recently. I thought that for those of you who didn’t learn about it extensively in school in the small corner of Canada that I did, I’d put together a little informative post on the extremely brief (and perhaps even inconsequential!) reference to the Northwest Passage in Episode 4. I’ll provide an overview of the Passage and its history, touch on some characteristics of travel to this region, and conclude with some completely speculative comments on the literary purpose of evoking the passage in this scene in Season 4.
Also, full credit to the other NWP enthusiasts who have been making posts about this and discussing it in other threads.
A quick note on the colonial nature of this post: Throughout this short post, I refer to several colonial expeditions to the land many of us call Canada. Although I attempt to be cognizant of my language, it is important to note that the Inuit people who live in the arctic regions that I reference have navigated the sea ice for thousands of years (Panikkar et al., 2018) and that the written history of this region are often hegemonic and euro-centric narratives that were formed within colonial frameworks.
More information on the Inuit and their culture, language, and traditions can be found here: https://www.itk.ca/about-canadian-inuit/
References are at the end. If you like this post, you might also like the speculative post I made about the influences of the Eros/Psyche quote in the which is also endless academic yapping.
Exploring the Northwest Passage- a bit of context
In August of 1820, Lieutenant Edward Parry, a member of the British Royal Navy observed the dense ice and snow of arctic land and sea that was thought to be the location of the mysterious Northwest Passage. From a simple look, he knew that no ship in existence would be able to pass through ice sheets of such a great thickness and that extended for such a long distance (Brandt, 2011). Despite his pessimism, by Parry’s time, British sailors and explorers had been explicitly seeking the passage for hundreds of years (Williams & Costley, 2010; Day, 2006, p. xxiv), dreaming of exploiting the desirable economic prospect of a Western route from Europe to burgeoning Asian markets.
First encounters: When European sailors first encountered North America, it was in pursuit of a route west to Asia. They were, of course, incorrect about the location of Asia. And although a great deal of interest shifted to mapping the new continent, there was also an acknowledgement that there would be great economic benefits to finding a way around this newly encountered landmass (Day, 2006). Over time, the reasons and methods of locating the Northwest Passage changed and evolved, but interest never truly went away.
Renewed British interest: Notably, at the end of the 15th century, when the Ottoman Turk’s empire extended into the Mediterranean and eastward, European merchants were no longer allowed to move and trade freely (Day, 2006). Seeking new routes for the Pacific, European (and especially British) explorers turned West. The Northwest Passage was a concept, a theoretical possibility, for European explorers. It was seen as a potential commercial sea route to the trading markets that were already established and burgeoning in Asia. The Passage was a route with phenomenal economic potential, especially as European consumers sought spices, materials, salts, and woods from foreign markets (Williams & Costley, 2010).
Based on their knowledge of the Southern Hemisphere and the potential geography of the world, many believed that a similar passage would be reflected in the earth’s northern pole (Day, 2006). As a result, there was a massive potential for financial gain for colonial governments and individuals, should such a passage ever be found.
Public fascination: The passage became a point of national fascination for many members of the public. In pursuit of this fascination, many enthusiastic researchers “persuaded persons of influence and wealth to send out discovery expeditions” (Williams & Costley, 2010, p. xv). With governments in Europe stabilizing, the emergence of an economy of cheap labour (lower class men who were willing to take on the dangerous work at sea), and the rapid development of ship technology, the 1600s was a prime time to set out on expeditions.
The fascination with the Passage continued for 300 years until a passage was finally navigated by sea in full in the 1900s. Over the course of history, Anthony Brandt describes the fascination with the Passage’s discovery as a tragedy (2011). He writes: “hubris, an all-too-human arrogance and pride that triggered a particular calamity” (p. 5) as being the tragedy of the exploration for the Passage. Despite the fascination of the public with it, the ice “remained intractable, impenetrable, and, for those who challenged it, a kind of fate” (p. 5) George Malcom Thomson reported that the Passage did not exist where popular imagination speculated it must be (Day, 2006). He noted: “the whole enterprise was founded on a misapprehension, a geographical fiction, a fairy-tale … and downright inventions that scholar manufacture to amaze themselves” (p. xxv).
The danger of the passage: Voyages to and in search of the passage were fraught. Many never returned, and those who did survive faced immense physical and mental challenges. There were, of course, significant difficulties with massive ice drifts and shelves. However, the relative location of the expeditions to the north pole led to issues with magnetic variation for compasses. Fog further complicated travel (Williams & Costley, 2010).
There were also extreme mental dangers to pursuing the NWP. MooSmith’s expedition in the mid-1700s reported “potentially murderous quarrels between officers” (Williams & Costley, 2010, p. xvi); John Franklin noted that the things that occurred on his ship “must not be known” (p. xvi); and it was noted that on the McClure, Beckler, and Collinson expeditions, “tensions” erupted “as captains and subordinate officers exchanged threats of court martial, and some officers spend years under close arrest on their ships” (p. xvi).
In the time of Bridgerton: The end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 allowed for greater expeditions by the British Royal Navy (Day, 2006). This would have included surveys of a large portion of the global north and the Arctic. There were a large number of “successful” (depending on how you define it) land expeditions that had made progress in producing surveys and maps of the region. Despite significant ongoing interest in discovering the Passage, in particular, little progress had been made. Later still, despite more advanced mapping by the Hudson Bay Company and expeditions by many notable sailors, there was still no route by the 1820s (Day, 2006).
What does it signify? If a character in Bridgerton was voyaging to the Arctic, it could take them less than a year to reach areas of the Hudson Bay that would be suitable for a scientific voyage. That in itself is not overly dangerous. However, the reference to the Northwest Passage is an interesting literary point. Of all of the places to voyage in the Arctic, even at the time, it would have been an immensely dangerous trip to set out on. The persistent lack of success for a solid 30 years after this season takes place may reference the fact that this is a voyage that Debling is unlikely to ever return from.
It doesn’t help that Debling’s odds are really stacked against him. He does not eat meat, one of the only renewable sources of food for arctic expeditions. There is little to no fresh naturally occurring produce (during the Coppermine expedition, the surviving crew members famously ate lichen to survive once they lost the favour of local indigenous groups and fur traders) and did not do well.
Certainly, it lends a very tragic potential element to the story. The Arctic, if mentioned alone, is not necessarily an overly dangerous location to travel to. Yes, marine travel in the 1800s was still a dangerous endeavour in its own right, let alone in an area as unnavigable by sea as the Arctic. However, the North, in many regions, had active whaling expeditions, Indigenous populations that were willing to trade and work with sailors, and (in some areas) active fur trades. If the purpose of Debling’s travel was only to highlight his unique interests and sense of purpose, the show had many methods of doing so. The choice to reference a notorious and dangerous Northwest Passage, there is an extremely interesting element of danger that is introduced.
What would this potential marriage mean for Penelope? Of course, Penelope’s name is a reference to the wife of Odysseus, who unwillingly takes ten years to return home after the Trojan war. In contrast to Colin, who returns with a steadfast conviction, Debling may represent a kind of eternal limbo for Penelope, should she marry him. Although Debling’s trip is set to take 3 years, it would be hard to prove his death. Likely, she would be a widow for years, if not her entire life, before they were able to locate his ship. The HMS Terror was famously lost in 1845 and not located until 2016(!). As a result, Penelope would likely be stuck at home, awaiting his return, in the same tragic fashion of her namesake in Greek mythology.
As such, not only is there a potential tragic reference to Debling’s future, but there is also a dark illusion to what Penelope’s life may look like as his wife. Of course, this is all based entirely on implication, but it is an interesting act of speculative foreshadowing.
Thanks for reading!
References
Brandt, A. (2011). The man who ate his boots: the tragic history of the search for the northwest passage. Anchor.
Day, A. (2006). Historical dictionary of the discovery and exploration of the Northwest Passage (Vol. 3). Scarecrow Press.
Panikkar, B., Lemmond, B., Else, B., & Murray, M. (2018). Ice over troubled waters: Navigating the Northwest Passage using Inuit knowledge and scientific information. Climate Research, 75(1), 81-94.
Williams, G., & Costley, S. (2010). Arctic labyrinth: The quest for the Northwest Passage. University of California Press.
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2024.05.19 21:25 HumbleInterest The Tragic Implications of Debling's Interest in the Northwest Passage

“This book is on voyages to the North, where Lord Debling intends to travel.”
“Miss Featherington, are you reading about the fabled Northwest Passage?”
(S3 E4 11:16)
Hi everyone! I posted a comment about it right after season 3 dropped, and I have seen a bit of interest in the Northwest Passage on here recently. I thought that for those of you who didn’t learn about it extensively in school in the small corner of Canada that I did, I’d put together a little informative post on the extremely brief (and perhaps even inconsequential!) reference to the Northwest Passage in Episode 4. I’ll provide an overview of the Passage and its history, touch on some characteristics of travel to this region, and conclude with some completely speculative comments on the literary purpose of evoking the passage in this scene in Season 4.
A quick note on the colonial nature of this post: Throughout this short post, I refer to several colonial expeditions to the land many of us call Canada. Although I attempt to be cognizant of my language, it is important to note that the Inuit people who live in the arctic regions that I reference have navigated the sea ice for thousands of years (Panikkar et al., 2018) and that the written history of this region are often hegemonic and euro-centric narratives that were formed within colonial frameworks.
More information on the Inuit and their culture, language, and traditions can be found here: https://www.itk.ca/about-canadian-inuit/
References are at the end. If you like this post, you might also like the speculative post I made about the influences of the Eros/Psyche quote in the Polin sub which is also endless academic yapping.
Exploring the Northwest Passage- a bit of context
In August of 1820, Lieutenant Edward Parry, a member of the British Royal Navy observed the dense ice and snow of arctic land and sea that was thought to be the location of the mysterious Northwest Passage. From a simple look, he knew that no ship in existence would be able to pass through ice sheets of such a great thickness and that extended for such a long distance (Brandt, 2011). Despite his pessimism, by Parry’s time, British sailors and explorers had been explicitly seeking the passage for hundreds of years (Williams & Costley, 2010; Day, 2006, p. xxiv), dreaming of exploiting the desirable economic prospect of a Western route from Europe to burgeoning Asian markets.
First encounters: When European sailors first encountered North America, it was in pursuit of a route west to Asia. They were, of course, incorrect about the location of Asia. And although a great deal of interest shifted to mapping the new continent, there was also an acknowledgement that there would be great economic benefits to finding a way around this newly encountered landmass (Day, 2006). Over time, the reasons and methods of locating the Northwest Passage changed and evolved, but interest never truly went away.
Renewed British interest: Notably, at the end of the 15th century, when the Ottoman Turk’s empire extended into the Mediterranean and eastward, European merchants were no longer allowed to move and trade freely (Day, 2006). Seeking new routes for the Pacific, European (and especially British) explorers turned West. The Northwest Passage was a concept, a theoretical possibility, for European explorers. It was seen as a potential commercial sea route to the trading markets that were already established and burgeoning in Asia. The Passage was a route with phenomenal economic potential, especially as European consumers sought spices, materials, salts, and woods from foreign markets (Williams & Costley, 2010).
Based on their knowledge of the Southern Hemisphere and the potential geography of the world, many believed that a similar passage would be reflected in the earth’s northern pole (Day, 2006). As a result, there was a massive potential for financial gain for colonial governments and individuals, should such a passage ever be found.
Public fascination: The passage became a point of national fascination for many members of the public. In pursuit of this fascination, many enthusiastic researchers “persuaded persons of influence and wealth to send out discovery expeditions” (Williams & Costley, 2010, p. xv). With governments in Europe stabilizing, the emergence of an economy of cheap labour (lower class men who were willing to take on the dangerous work at sea), and the rapid development of ship technology, the 1600s was a prime time to set out on expeditions.
The fascination with the Passage continued for 300 years until a passage was finally navigated by sea in full in the 1900s. Over the course of history, Anthony Brandt describes the fascination with the Passage’s discovery as a tragedy (2011). He writes: “hubris, an all-too-human arrogance and pride that triggered a particular calamity” (p. 5) as being the tragedy of the exploration for the Passage. Despite the fascination of the public with it, the ice “remained intractable, impenetrable, and, for those who challenged it, a kind of fate” (p. 5) George Malcom Thomson reported that the Passage did not exist where popular imagination speculated it must be (Day, 2006). He noted: “the whole enterprise was founded on a misapprehension, a geographical fiction, a fairy-tale … and downright inventions that scholar manufacture to amaze themselves” (p. xxv).
The danger of the passage: Voyages to and in search of the passage were fraught. Many never returned, and those who did survive faced immense physical and mental challenges. There were, of course, significant difficulties with massive ice drifts and shelves. However, the relative location of the expeditions to the north pole led to issues with magnetic variation for compasses. Fog further complicated travel (Williams & Costley, 2010).
There were also extreme mental dangers to pursuing the NWP. MooSmith’s expedition in the mid-1700s reported “potentially murderous quarrels between officers” (Williams & Costley, 2010, p. xvi); John Franklin noted that the things that occurred on his ship “must not be known” (p. xvi); and it was noted that on the McClure, Beckler, and Collinson expeditions, “tensions” erupted “as captains and subordinate officers exchanged threats of court martial, and some officers spend years under close arrest on their ships” (p. xvi).
In the time of Bridgerton: The end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 allowed for greater expeditions by the British Royal Navy (Day, 2006). This would have included surveys of a large portion of the global north and the Arctic. There were a large number of “successful” (depending on how you define it) land expeditions that had made progress in producing surveys and maps of the region. Despite significant ongoing interest in discovering the Passage, in particular, little progress had been made. Later still, despite more advanced mapping by the Hudson Bay Company and expeditions by many notable sailors, there was still no route by the 1820s (Day, 2006).
What does it signify? If a character in Bridgerton was voyaging to the Arctic, it could take them less than a year to reach areas of the Hudson Bay that would be suitable for a scientific voyage. That in itself is not overly dangerous. However, the reference to the Northwest Passage is an interesting literary point. Of all of the places to voyage in the Arctic, even at the time, it would have been an immensely dangerous trip to set out on. The persistent lack of success for a solid 30 years after this season takes place may reference the fact that this is a voyage that Debling is unlikely to ever return from.
It doesn’t help that Debling’s odds are really stacked against him. He does not eat meat, one of the only renewable sources of food for arctic expeditions. There is little to no fresh naturally occurring produce (during the Coppermine expedition, the surviving crew members famously ate lichen to survive once they lost the favour of local indigenous groups and fur traders) and did not do well.
Certainly, it lends a very tragic potential element to the story. The Arctic, if mentioned alone, is not necessarily an overly dangerous location to travel to. Yes, marine travel in the 1800s was still a dangerous endeavour in its own right, let alone in an area as unnavigable by sea as the Arctic. However, the North, in many regions, had active whaling expeditions, Indigenous populations that were willing to trade and work with sailors, and (in some areas) active fur trades. If the purpose of Debling’s travel was only to highlight his unique interests and sense of purpose, the show had many methods of doing so. The choice to reference a notorious and dangerous Northwest Passage, there is an extremely interesting element of danger that is introduced.
What would this potential marriage mean for Penelope? Of course, Penelope’s name may be a reference to the wife of Odysseus, who unwillingly takes ten years to return home after the Trojan war. In contrast to Colin, who returns with a steadfast conviction, Debling, as a traveler, may represent a kind of eternal limbo for Penelope, should she marry him. Although Debling’s trip is set to take 3 years, it would be hard to prove his death. Likely, she would be a widow for years, if not her entire life, before they were able to locate his ship. The HMS Terror was famously lost in 1845 and not located until 2016(!). As a result, Penelope would likely be stuck at home, awaiting his return, in the same tragic fashion of her namesake in Greek mythology.
As such, not only is there a potential tragic reference to Debling’s future, but there is also a dark illusion to what Penelope’s life may look like as his wife. Of course, this is all based entirely on implication, but it is an interesting act of speculative foreshadowing.
Thanks for reading!
References
Brandt, A. (2011). The man who ate his boots: the tragic history of the search for the northwest passage. Anchor.
Day, A. (2006). Historical dictionary of the discovery and exploration of the Northwest Passage (Vol. 3). Scarecrow Press.
Panikkar, B., Lemmond, B., Else, B., & Murray, M. (2018). Ice over troubled waters: Navigating the Northwest Passage using Inuit knowledge and scientific information. Climate Research, 75(1), 81-94.
Williams, G., & Costley, S. (2010). Arctic labyrinth: The quest for the Northwest Passage. University of California Press.
submitted by HumbleInterest to BridgertonNetflix [link] [comments]


2024.05.19 20:33 nussbomb [WTS] Top Notch Decants -- Creed, Louis Vuitton, Tom Ford, Roja, MFK and MORE -NUSS- (Decant)

Welcome to my Decant Shop, I really enjoy what I do!
I decided to stop being a Neanderthal and finally alphabetized all the lists.
Haven't posted the list in 3 MONTHS. I have been super busy with a new job lately and have been having to really focus on fulfilling BNIB orders. But i figured i'd throw the decant list back up again.
SEVERAL NEW ADDITIONS THIS WEEK
New Frags/Restocks This Week:
Decant Examples

Parfums De Marly

  • Akaster
  • Carlisle
  • Habdan
  • Hamdani
  • Kuhuyan
  • Layton Exclusif
  • Nisean
  • Oajan
  • Pegasus Exclusif
10 mL - $29 (+$4 ea for 3 for 64)
15 mL - $43
30 mL - $72
50 mL - $109
  • Byerly
  • Darley
  • Galloway
  • Godolphin
  • Greenley
  • Herod
  • Ispazon
  • Kalan
  • Layton
  • Lippizan
  • Pegasus
  • Percival OUT
  • Sedley
  • Shagya
10 mL - $26
15 mL - $38
30 mL - $69
50 mL - $99
60 mL - $132
  • Delina
  • Delina Exclusif OUT
  • Delina La Rose
  • Oriana
10 mL - $33 (+$8 ea for 3 for 64)
15 mL - $46
30 mL - $85
  • Althaïr (New)
10 mL - $32 (+$8 ea for 3 for $64)
15 mL - $42
30 mL - $75
50 mL - $115

Initio

  • Paragon
  • Oud For Greatness
  • High Frequency
10 mL - $35
15 mL - $49
30 mL - $89

CREED

  • Aventus
  • Aventus Cologne (F-Batch)
10 mL - $26 (+$2 ea for 3 for 64)
15 mL - $36
30 mL - $69
50 mL - $109
100 mL - $199
  • Aventus For Her
  • Bois Du Portugal
  • Erolfa
  • Green Irish Tweed
  • Himalaya
  • Love In White
  • Milliseme Imperial
  • Original Santal
  • Original Vetiver
  • Royal Mayfair (out)
  • Royal Water
  • Silver Mountain Water
  • Tabarome Millesime
  • Virgin Island Water
10 mL - $26
15 mL - $35
30 mL - $65
50 mL - $105
  • Royal Princess Oud
  • Viking Cologne
  • Viking EDP
  • Royal Princess Oud
10 mL - $28 (+$2 ea for 3 for 64 deal)
15 mL - $39
30 mL - $74
50 mL - $115
  • Royal Oud
10 mL - $31 (+4 ea for 3 for 64 deal)
15 mL - $41
30 mL - $75
50 mL - $119

Older Creeds / Vintage

  • Green Irish Tweed (18B01)
  • Original Vetiver (09Y03)
  • Royal Princess Oud (16B01)
  • Viking (17W01)
10 mL - $29 (+3$ ea for 3 for 64)
15 mL - $41
30 mL - $74
30 mL - $115

Bond No. 9

  • Lafayette St.
  • Greenwich Village
10 mL - $34
15 mL - $47
30 mL - $93

Louis Vuitton

I WILL NOT be restocking Louis Vuittons.
  • Afternoon Swim
  • Orage
  • Nouveau Monde
  • Spell On You
  • Meteore (OUT)
  • L'mmensite (OUT)
  • Imagination (Out)
  • ATTRAPE-RÊVES
10 mL - $32
15 mL - $44
30 mL - $85
50 mL - $125
  • Ombre Nomade (OUT)
10 mL - $38
15 mL - $52
30 mL - $104
50 mL - $175

NISHANE

  • Hacivat
  • Ani
  • Fan Your Flames
  • Wulong Cha
10 mL - $26
15 mL - $35
30 mL - $65
50 mL - $99

Mancera

  • Cedrat Boise Intense
10 mL - $17 (Add-On)
15 mL - $25
30 mL - $39

Le Labo

  • Lys 41
*GIMME CHEAP
10 mL - $28
15 mL - $38
30 mL - $69
50 mL - $99

TOM FORD

  • Beau De Jour (Private Blend)
  • Black Orchid
  • Champaca Absolute
  • Costa Azzurra (Private Blend)
  • Fougere D'argent
  • Fougere Platine
  • Grey Vetiver
  • Jasmine Rouge
  • Mandarino Di Amalfi 2014
  • Metallique
  • Neroli Portofino
  • Noir De Noir
  • Ombre Leather
  • Oud Fleur
  • Oud Minerale (NEW)
  • Patchouli Absolu
  • Rive D'Ambre
  • Rose De Chine (New)
  • Santal Blush 2015 (A35)
  • Sole Di Positano
  • Soleil Neige
  • Vanille Fatale
  • Velvet Orchid
  • Venetian Bergamote
10 mL - 26
15 mL - 36
30 mL - $65
50 mL - $99
60 mL - $118
100 mL - $165
  • Arabian Wood NEW
  • Black Orchid Parfum
  • Lavender Extreme
  • Ombre Leather Parfum
  • Tuscan Leather
  • White Patchouli
10 mL - $29 (+$3 ea for 3 for 64)
15 mL - $39
30 mL - $69
50 mL - $109
60 mL - $134
  • 2016 Tuscan Leather (B46)
  • Noir Extreme Parfum
  • Oud Wood
  • Oud Wood Intense
  • Tobacco Oud
  • Tobacco Vanille (OUT)
  • Tubereuse Nue
  • Tuscan Leather Intense
10 mL - $33 (+5 ea for 3 for 64)
15 mL - $45
30 mL - $91
50 mL - $129
  • Fuckin Fabulous (out)
  • London
  • Ombre Leather 16
  • Vintage Tobacco Oud (2014)
10 mL - $35 (+8 ea for 3 for 64)
15 mL - $49
30 mL - $95
50 mL - $145

Maison Francis Khurkdjian

  • A La Rose
  • Amyris Femme
  • Amyris Homme
  • Aqua Celestia Cologne Forte
  • Aqua Media Cologne Forte new
  • Aqua Universalis Cologne Forte
  • Aqua Vite Cologne Forte
  • Gentle Fluidity Gold
  • Gentle Fluidity Silver
  • Grand Soir (Back in stock!)
10 mL - $29
15 mL - $39
30 mL - $75
50 mL - $119
  • Baccarat Rouge 540 EDP
  • Cologne Pour Le Soir
  • Oud
  • 724
10 mL - $33
15 mL - $46
30 mL - $92
50 mL - $145
  • Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait
10 mL - $39
15 mL - $56
30 mL - $109
50 mL - $185

Yves Saint Laurent

  • Lavalliere
10 mL - 26
15 mL - 37
30 mL - 69
50 mL - 105
  • Caban
  • Tuxedo
10 mL - $29
15 mL - $39
30 mL - $76
50 mL - $125

Roja DOVE

  • Elysium PC
  • Danger PC
  • Enigma PC
  • Scandal PC
10 mL - $33
15 mL - $46
  • A Midsummer Dream (New)
  • Elysium Eau Intense (New)
  • Burlington 1819 (New)
10 mL - $35
15 mL - $49
30 mL - $96
50 mL - $135
  • Elysium Parfum (New)
  • Isola Blue (New)
5 mL - $36
10 mL - $69

XERJOFF

  • Naxos (Back In Stock!)
10 mL - $31
15 mL - $40
30 mL - $76
50 mL - $125

DIOR

  • Sauvage Elixir Back in Stock!
10 mL - $31
15 mL - $43

- Dior Privee Line -

  • Ambre Nuit (Back in Stock)
  • Bois D'Argent
  • Eden-Roc
  • Gris Dior
  • Oud Isaphan
  • Patchouli Imperial
  • Purple Oud
  • Spice Blend
  • Tobacolor
  • Vanilla Diorama
10 mL - $28
15 mL - $39
30 mL - $71
50 mL - $109

Taeur

  • L'air Du Desert Marocain (LDDM)
10 mL - $36
15 mL - $49
  • Au Coeur Du Desert (Extrait)
10 mL - $39
15 mL - $55

By Kilian

- 3 x 10 mL for $85
  • Apple Brandy On The Rocks
10 mL - $29
15 mL - $39
30 mL - $75
50 mL - $109
  • A Kiss From A Rose
  • Bamboo Harmony
  • Dark Lord
  • Forbidden Games
  • Liaisons Dangereuses
  • Vodka On The Rocks
  • Voulez-Vous Coucher Avec Moi
10 mL - $32
15 mL - $45
30 mL - $85
  • Good Girl Gone Bad
  • Pearl Oud
  • Rose Oud
  • Musk Oud
10 mL - $35 (+$3 ea for 3/85)
15 mL - $49
30 mL - $95
  • Amber Oud
10 mL - $39 (+$8 ea for 3/85)
15 mL - $55
30 mL - $108

Assorted Designers / Add Ons

\Add $3 if purchased by self. No charge if added on to order.*
CARDED SAMPLES
Card Samples $6/ea
  • KILIAN Good Girl Gone Bad ($7.50)
  • KILIAN Vodka On The Rocks
  • KILIAN Straight To Heaven ($7.50)
  • PDM Greenley
  • MANCERA Aoud Lemon Mint
  • MANCERA Red Tobacco
  • MANCERA Holidays
  • MANCERA Hindu Kush
  • MONTALE Intense Cafe
  • MONTALE Starry Nights
Decant Add-Ons
  • Sauvage EDT
  • Sauvage EDP
  • Eros EDP
  • Acqua Di Gio Profondo
  • La Nuit De L'Homme
  • Spice Bomb
  • Spice Bomb Nightvision EDT
  • Spicebomb Infrared
  • One Million Elixir
10 mL - $14
15 mL - $22
30 mL - $43
  • Sauvage Parfum (30 mL/$40 Shipped)
  • Bleu De Chanel
  • Spicebomb Extreme
  • COCO EDP new
  • YSL Y EDP
  • YSL Y Le Parfum
10 mL - $19
15 mL - $26
30 mL - $48
  • La Nuit De L'homme (Bleu Electrique)
10 mL - $28
15 mL - $38
submitted by nussbomb to fragranceswap [link] [comments]


2024.05.19 19:38 dnelson2408 Summary of this channel, data, and news for the last 3 weeks.

Summary of this channel, data, and news for the last 3 weeks.
Afternoon all,
I thought it might be fun to try and take the last three weeks and have a recap of the data and news surrounding RILY. I just searched this sub and news outlets and such for the last 3 weeks and took notes then fed them into an AI software asking it to summarize everything. In no way is this Financial Advice just a fun task.
"The financial landscape for B. Riley Financial, Inc. showcases a dynamic narrative of operational resilience and strategic positioning. The company's recent activities reflect a strategic focus on managing debt obligations effectively while optimizing business segments for sustainable growth. The strategic review process for Great American Group retail liquidation and appraisal businesses is progressing, indicating a commitment to enhancing operational efficiency and value creation.
In the earnings summary, a net loss of $51 million was reported, primarily driven by investment-related losses and professional services expenses. Despite these challenges, the company's strategic initiatives and operational performance remain robust, as highlighted in the earnings call. Executives Bryant Riley and Tom Kelleher emphasized the company's operational excellence and strategic direction, underscoring a commitment to shareholder value and sustainable growth. The company's strategic reviews and commitment to shareholder value remain steadfast amidst market volatility caused by short manipulation.
Furthermore, the full redemption of $25,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 6.75% Senior Notes due 2024 signifies a proactive approach to managing debt and strengthening the company's financial position. This strategic move aligns with the company's focus on optimizing its capital structure and enhancing financial flexibility.
Overall, B. Riley Financial's narrative is one of resilience, strategic foresight, and operational excellence in navigating market dynamics and challenges. The company's commitment to financial prudence, strategic reviews, and operational performance positions it well for sustained growth and value creation in the evolving financial landscape."
Below is the data the AI used to create the summary. Just copy and pasted from a very quick and crude gathering of information into a word doc. I also enjoyed the earnings summary the AI did. The last line made me feel happy thoughts. - In summary, B. Riley Financial's first-quarter 2024 results underscore its strong operational foundation and strategic foresight, positioning it well for future growth and shareholder value creation.
1. Cohodes being loud and classless examples
https://preview.redd.it/xymj94vp5f1d1.png?width=637&format=png&auto=webp&s=3d9f18f4f877f7fb518039bc78198e77e3fcd190
https://preview.redd.it/bxacg0bp5f1d1.png?width=975&format=png&auto=webp&s=9a4eba6a4a39457cc47661be5836008976b37fc6
https://preview.redd.it/q5kdr5qo5f1d1.png?width=975&format=png&auto=webp&s=14dcb5473ed7dcac4646eaba2b983806f32bd875
https://preview.redd.it/ky1hlc1o5f1d1.png?width=789&format=png&auto=webp&s=4c603719820d06ea91d9181ad3c41734a603b795
https://preview.redd.it/soco7bjn5f1d1.png?width=969&format=png&auto=webp&s=dfbcf20f984e391c51afcc89e46597d1d9dff6ad
https://preview.redd.it/pwbnnwwr5f1d1.png?width=975&format=png&auto=webp&s=fe06146b727540c291825eda8db5f33b11e9e992
2. Discussion about FUD and shorts deception
I see the shorts (Marc Cohoded and Co.) are still at it, trying to l use a fake psychological twist to cause doubt. Let's stick to the facts and let the price go where it will in the long term. Short thesis was and is there was fraud, both proven wrong by independent investigation and a clean independent audit if the 10-K and now 10-Q. You can slap that one around anyway you want, but both came up clean. First, they have stated their intentions of a sale of a carried undervalued asset (Great American) by a third party for a massive realized gain. Good for the investors and bond holders as they said they would use funds to deleveverage the balance sheet and buy back stock which already has very little float. Second, I have never seen a company that is paying dividends go under whith out, completely eliminating the dividends first (RILY still pays a dividend and baby bonds are all current--none are in any default). Third, business has been good with lots of new hires, new capital makets raises and fees and their business seems to be thriving. Shorts will try to mislead all of us with their lies and deciept but if we hold strong I believe that the stock will go to at least 50 ish in the short term where they did their secondary. I believe at that point, RILY may run into a bit of resistance. However, a squeeze could easily send us through that to new highs. Patience is the key as they have stated all this in their press releases in the recent past. If we al on this sitel just buy 100 to 1000 shares on Monday and hld through the 29th to get the dividends. this will rocket to new heights. This is not a recommendation, simply my thoughts. Do your own due diligence.
3.Stop lending shares=pain for shorts = short squeeze
If all longs can stop lending shares at least I believe we can cause shorts to cover. There is no valid short narrative, both longs and shorts know this. Now it’s purely who can hold out longer. Shorts have been very active as of late trying to push share price lower and with many of us loaning shares out we are actually helping the shorts hurt us. I believe if we stopped lending out shares borrow rate skyrockets and that added cost combined with dividend and gradual upward movement will force shorts to cover. Granted news release can help but we don’t need news we just need to stop lending and wait and see.
4. Link to short sale volume post https://www.reddit.com/RILYStock/comments/1ctwe9q/smoking_gun_thursday_dropped_because_shorts/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
https://preview.redd.it/hopdxkbt5f1d1.png?width=975&format=png&auto=webp&s=3945adf69a00addb0c2da4ea0c26b2a4de2749b3
5. Article showing RILY coming back https://www.investmentnews.com/broker-dealers/news/b-riley-bouncing-back-after-tough-winter-253448
6. Rily - Day 3 of short attacks - There's a positive
Our favorite shorts cohodes&co is on overdrive releasing as much fake accusations as possible, they now have been adding a lot to their position at a higher price point with shares in the 30s, now the shorts cost basis has gotten worse for them. With more shares at a worst cost with dividends coming due as well as borrow fees , shorts have less wiggle room especially if stock goes to 40 again. Now at 40 I believe they will be losing money. With insiders hopefully buying soon and the company continuing their share buy back program , that can lead to upward movement in share price leading to the “squeeze “.
7. $RILY Earnings Summary
Not financial advice.
It was an interesting investor call, an almost boring call which was refreshing. The company had a net loss of $51m driven by non-cash items including $29m unrealized loss on investments and a $30m fair value adjustment on their loans.
Cash flows were pretty good, with operating cash flows of $135m and adjusted operating EBITDA of $66m.
Targus and American Freight contributed nothing this quarter, both companies are historically strong businesses but have been working through a business cycle post-COVID after many Americans bought the things they needed. Those companies should improve in the next year.
The company previously announced a potential sale of Great American Group. Q-1 earnings for that segment increased to $35m of EBITDA, so at 10-12x a potential sale is looking like $350-$420m. On the call they said that is expected by early Q3. They also mentioned possibly looking at a sale in their Brands division later this year with the goal of retiring their discounted debt, citing it as an opportunity.
The short thesis crumbled last month with a clean 10-K and two internal investigations which added an additional $7m in expense but presumably were quite thorough and completely debunked claims by bears.
There are no shares available to borrow per Fintel:
https://preview.redd.it/ukhk0tou5f1d1.png?width=975&format=png&auto=webp&s=0622973216e0293d7f2699c1b6eee3216824305e
And short interest remains at approximately 65% with 9 million shares short, though the retail float is thought to be much smaller, maybe 2m shares.
The company has $34m available at quarter end for buybacks from a previously approved program.
I see value here, and I liked what I heard on the call.
8. Misconceptions - Rily Share Structure
[THIS POST IS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY] mumen_rida
There seems to be a lot of confusion about the company’s share structure and I would like to use this post to help not only my own understanding but also help others. It’s a bit confusing but let’s tackle it together.
I got this information from marketwatch: Total Float = 30 million shares Public float = 16 million shares Shares sold short = 9 million shares % of public float sold short = 56.38%
According to fintel: Institutional ownership = 14.18 million shares
So let me get this straight, there is 16 million shares in the public float and institutions own 89% of that (14.18 million shares). So that would mean retail investors collectively only have about 1.82 million shares to trade around amongst ourselves. Let’s call that retail float.
So, retail float = 1.82 million shares.
Let’s wrap up all the most important information (imo) regarding the current share structure and please correct me if any of the information I presented here today is false:
Total float = 30m
Public float = 16m
Shares short = 9m
Retail float = 1.82m
Where I think it gets the most interesting is when you divide shares short by retail float. 9/1.82= 4.95 or 495% of retail float.
Hope this helps clear up any confusion regarding the share structure.
REPSONSE TO THIS BELOW
EnvironmentalBreak48
3d ago
THIS RESPONSE IS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. NFA. Do your own DD, make your own decisions.
Based on OP calculation.
1. Total Float: About 30 million shares.
2. Public Float: 16 million shares.
3. Shares Sold Short: 9 million shares.
4. % of Public Float Sold Short: 56.38%.
5. Institutional Ownership: 14.18 million shares.
6. Retail Float: 1.82 million shares (calculated as Public Float - Institutional Ownership).
Given this information:

Understanding Short Interest

· Shares Sold Short: About 9 million shares.
· Retail Float: 1.82 million shares.
· Short Interest as a Percentage of Retail Float: 9 million shares/1.82 million shares≈495%
This high percentage indicates that the short interest is nearly five times the available retail float, which could lead to a short squeeze if investors hold onto their shares and/or demand increases.

Days to Cover (Short Interest Ratio)

The Days to Cover metric gives an estimate of how many days it would take for short sellers to cover their positions based on the average daily trading volume. Here’s how to calculate it:
1. Determine the average daily trading volume (ADTV): This information is usually available on financial websites like MarketWatch or Yahoo Finance. Let’s assume the ADTV is 1,000,000 shares (this is an example, you should use the actual ADTV for a more precise calculation).
2. Days to Cover: Shares Sold Short/ADTV
Using our example ADTV: Days to Cover=9,000,000 (short shares)/1,000,000(Avg. Daily Volume)=9 days Days to Cover

Potential Implications

· High Short Interest Ratio: A high Days to Cover ratio suggests it would take a significant amount of time for shorts to cover their positions, which can lead to increased volatility.
· Potential for a Short Squeeze: With a high percentage of the retail float sold short, if retail investors decided to hold their shares and the stock price rises, short sellers may be forced to buy back shares at higher prices, leading to a potential short squeeze.
· Limited Retail Float: With only 1.82 million shares available for retail trading, any significant buying pressure from institutional investors and/or retail investors it could quickly drive up the stock price.
9. Why Even the Joker Thinks You’d Be a _____ For Not Taking A Look at RILY Stock
Batman here. You might know me as the Dark Knight, the Caped Crusader, or the guy who really, really, really wants to own a spaceship. Today, straight from the Batcave, lets talk about something as exciting as racing the Batmobile or the return of Roaring Kitty—RILY stock.
First off, let’s talk numbers, because even a superhero knows the importance of a strong financial foundation. RILY has been buying back shares like Alfred buys Bat-gadgets—strategically and frequently. This move isn’t just a nifty trick; IMO it’s a signal that RILY is confident in its value. When a company buys back its own shares, it’s like Batman investing in more Batarangs—it’s a smart play that shows belief in future performance.
But that’s not all, folks. The recent buzz around RILY isn’t just cat signals in the sky—it’s grounded in solid developments. RILY had to work hard to file their 10K after all the mudslinging from the shorts, but got it done. The first big catalyst domino to fall.
Now, let’s get to the juicy part—earnings and dividends. RILY’s about to drop their Q1 earnings tomorrow, and you know what that means? Dividends! That’s right, folks. RILY is likely to declare a dividend, that our short friends will be paying. Dividends are like the Batmobile’s turbo boost—an extra kick that gets you excited and propels you forward. Plus, once they file their Q, a few days later insiders should be able to start buying again. Form 4s anyone?
Here’s where it gets really interesting: meme stocks are back with a vengeance, wow talk about a left jab, and shorts are on their heels. The RILY squeeze might start very soon or it might not, but with shorts potentially facing margin calls due to price movements in various holdings, and especially if they’ve been shorting RILY all the way down it has not been a good week for the shorts so far. Just look how RILY stock popped this morning on about 200k in volume.
To add insult to injury, to date, NONE of the short thesis has come to fruition or has been confirmed by independent information. They’re in quicksand, and it’s time to gas up the rocket. There are still several catalysts that may come into play here:
Q1 Earnings Release: Scheduled to be filed tomorrow, providing insights into the company's recent performance. The deal flow on their website was up YoY.
Dividend Announcements: Anticipated dividends right around the corner.
Insider Buying: Once the Q1 earnings are filed, insiders should be able to buy stock again, expect to see some Form 4s in very short order.
Sale of Great America Division: If RILY sales Great American, they have said the proceeds from this sale are expected to be used to reduce debt and fund further stock buybacks, potentially enhancing shareholder value.
Low Float: With a limited number of shares available for trading, increased demand can lead to significant price movements.
Buybacks: Ongoing buybacks can continue to support the stock price.
Meme Stock Momentum: With meme stocks making a comeback, there's increased interest and activity in stocks that are short and that could drive up RILY’s stock price.
Short Squeeze Potential: Low public float, company buybacks, insider buying…mix that up and you have the recipe for a potential squeeze.
Roaring Kitty's Return: The return of Roaring Kitty, a key figure in the meme stock movement, brings renewed attention and excitement to the stock market in general.
And, guess who just chimed in on RILY earlier today? That's right—JeffAmazon from the GameStop meme trade and Netflix documentary! He made a little tweet tweet on $RILY
Additional Catalysts: What do you all think…..
Stay vigilant, stay smart, and just my thoughts—do your own due diligence and make your own decisions. NFA.
10. FAKE ARTICLE BULLSHIT FUD…………
Well, IMO even Stevie Wonder can see that the latest article on FRG is just another hatchet job. IMO the problem with creating a narrative is that the facts can’t keep up, and boy, did they fall behind here.
RILY conducted not one, but two independent investigations and found zilch issues with its FRG investment or loans made to Kahn. And guess what? No connection with Prophecy either. FRG did their own investigation and also found no connection with Prophecy. So, to call the relationship between RILY and FRG controversial is like calling a puppy dangerous—laughable.
In RILY's 10k, they marked up their FRG investment FMV $281 million to $286 million…
FRG's FY23 financials are public, and the attached table shows the maturities of their debt. In 2024, about $10.5 million in debt is maturing. Big deal. Looming debt? Hardly. The real kicker is in 2026 when about $1.5 billion of debt matures—not this year, not next. LOL.
The FRG financials clearly state they were in full compliance with their debt covenants in FY23 and fully expect to be in compliance in FY24. Yet, "the people" say FRG is down double digits in Q1. Funny timing with RILY's Q1 financials coming out on Wednesday, huh? And by the way, FRG's adjusted EBITDA for Q1 FY23 was $66 million, not the $62 million the article claims. Why not use the actual FRG public company number? Maybe because when you're rushing to write a hit piece, you just pick random numbers.
https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2023/05/10/2665414/0/en/Franchise-Group-Inc-Announces-First-Quarter-Fiscal-Year-2023-Financial-Results.html
So, according to the article, FRG is down 63% in revenue ($66 million vs. the alleged $25 million).
Sure, FRG sold Badcock and Sylvan Learning, so they might be down YoY, but down 63%?
FRG sold in FY24 Q1 Sylvan for $185 Million cash….and they’re worried about paying $10.5 million in long term debt due this year. Got it.
https://www.franchisetimes.com/franchise_mergers_and_acquisitions/unleashed-brands-buys-sylvan-learning/article_a568813e-d4c7-11ee-bb32-1f85230cfdda.html
https://preview.redd.it/lry689p16f1d1.png?width=975&format=png&auto=webp&s=0714b3b378abb528f0abb470ade0deb3d34c2d39
11. Post talking about NT-10Q
https://www.reddit.com/RILYStock/comments/1crb1gp/new_filings_nt10q_13fh?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
12. Friendly PSA: Manage your emotions
Great Post Below talking about managing emotions during this trade.
https://www.reddit.com/RILYStock/comments/1cqzskg/friendly_psa_manage_your_emotions/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
13. RILY RS Article 76 to 83
https://www.investors.com/ibd-data-stories/b-riley-financial-shows-rising-price-performance-with-jump-to-83-rs-rating/
B. Riley Financial (RILY) saw a welcome improvement to its Relative Strength (RS) Rating on Thursday, with an increase from 76 to 83.
IBD's proprietary rating tracks share price performance with a 1 (worst) to 99 (best) score. The score shows how a stock's price performance over the trailing 52 weeks stacks up against all the other stocks in our database.
Over 100 years of market history reveals that the stocks that go on to make the biggest gains typically have an 80 or higher RS Rating as they begin their biggest climbs.
Now is not an ideal time to jump in since it isn't near a proper buy zone, but see if the stock manages to form a base and break out.
The company showed 0% EPS growth last quarter. Revenue rose -9%. The company is expected to report its latest earnings and sales numbers on or around May 15.
The company earns the No. 24 rank among its peers in the Finance-Investment Banking/Brokers industry group. Interactive Brokers (IBKR), Piper Sandler (PIPR) and Ameriprise Financial (AMP) are among the top 5 highly rated stocks within the group.

14. Announcement of 2024 Annual Meeting June 21st
https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgadata/0001464790/000121390024041725/ea0205510-01.htm
15. Repost: $RILY DD: The real price potential...when the stock is a solid/growing company (not just a squeeze).
https://www.reddit.com/RILYStock/comments/1cnzff7/repost_rily_dd_the_real_price_potentialwhen_the/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
16. $RILY- “They can win by doing nothing
12 days ago
Outrageous_Appeal_89
Whitebrook capital assessment addressing cohodes&co BS at the peak of their false accusations and in a polite way stating short funds were making things up (misinformation & manipulation ). It seems $RILY is executing on some of the recommendations Whitebrook capital had - share buy back and bond buy back has been executed and continues to be executed on. Whether you invest in $RILY for the long term prospects or the short squeeze that can be triggered any day as lie after lie is exposed. Bottom line is the fair value of $RILY is a lot higher then where it currently trades. We will get a better idea whether share prices deserves to be in the 50s or 60s as we get an update on GAG valuation. Seems many here forget that $RILY creates value by turning companies around and then monetize, this process takes time , they have been able to do this successfully, repeatedly over the years.
https://preview.redd.it/uiisruq36f1d1.png?width=792&format=png&auto=webp&s=e6c32c04877ae21b51cb8a99cee0aef17cdb32c4
17. 3 Videos from Value Don’t Lie on Youtube talking about Financials of RILY and overall company valuation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRenvff8duE&t=1s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoaCZw7AmpA&t
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_Ayoox3fvM
18. Getting around the NBBO and Longing the Box
So let this sink in… the market opens and in 5 minutes we rally to $34.42, then over the next 15 minutes we drop to $28.80 at which point SSR was triggered and sell volume slows WAY the hell down. That drop was ALL short sellers and NO longs selling shares (otherwise the sell-off wouldnt have stopped literally minutes after SSR triggered). NOW, what the scumbag shorts are doing is going Long Against The Box.
19. Steve Cohen and Point 72 buy 24,917 shares long on May 15th
https://preview.redd.it/fhdhyco46f1d1.png?width=975&format=png&auto=webp&s=6600f6a9a3f0bc5bc8823cddb5f52defdf282063
20. Summarize this earnings call and keep pertinent quotes and data in the summary.
https://filecache.investorroom.com/mr5ir_briley2/925/RILY_1Q24_Earnings_Release_vFINAL.pdf
Chat GPT Summary of the full report below
B. Riley Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: RILY) reported its first-quarter 2024 financial results, showcasing resilience and operational strength despite facing challenging market conditions and unique internal events. Here's a summary with a positive outlook:

First Quarter

2024 Highlights:

1. Quarterly Dividend Declaration:
  • B. Riley declared a quarterly dividend of $0.50 per share, reflecting the company's commitment to returning value to shareholders. The dividend will be paid on or about June 11, 2024, to shareholders of record as of May 27, 2024.
2. Operational Performance:
  • Despite reporting a net loss of $51 million, the company's core operating businesses demonstrated solid performance. This loss was primarily due to non-cash, unrealized investment losses.
  • Total revenues for the quarter were $343 million. Operating revenues, excluding investment-related impacts, were $379 million, showcasing the underlying strength of the company's operations.
3. Strategic Debt Management:
  • B. Riley successfully retired $115 million of its 6.75% 2024 Senior Notes and repaid $57 million of bank debt facilities and notes payable. This strategic move highlights the company's focus on strengthening its balance sheet and reducing interest expenses.
4. Cash and Investments:
  • As of March 31, 2024, the company had total cash and cash equivalents of $191 million and total cash and investments of $1.61 billion, providing a robust liquidity position to support ongoing operations and future investments.
5. Segment Performance:
  • B. Riley Advisory Services: Delivered its strongest first-quarter results in the firm's history, driven by increased demand for appraisals, bankruptcy restructuring, litigation consulting, and real estate services.
  • B. Riley Securities: Benefited from a steady dealmaking environment, generating higher fee income despite a decrease in overall capital markets segment revenues.
  • Wealth Management: Continued to improve operating margins and managed $25.8 billion in assets by quarter-end.
  • Communications: Provided steady cash flow, contributing to the platform's stability.
  • Consumer Products (Targus): While facing macro headwinds in the PC market, Targus remains a leader in its sector, poised for growth as the market stabilizes.

Leadership Insights:

  • Bryant Riley, Chairman and Co-CEO, emphasized the company's operational stability and strategic focus amidst challenging conditions. The firm's resilience is attributed to the dedication of its employees and robust core business performance.
  • Tom Kelleher, Co-CEO, highlighted the impressive performance of B. Riley Advisory Services and the steady contributions from B. Riley Securities and Wealth Management. He expressed optimism about Targus's potential recovery and the company's strategic investments.

Looking Ahead:

B. Riley's strategic initiatives, such as debt reduction and selective investments, position the company for continued success. The ongoing strategic review of its Great American Group retail liquidation and appraisal businesses indicates a proactive approach to optimizing its portfolio. The firm remains committed to delivering value to its shareholders through dividends and operational excellence.
In summary, B. Riley Financial's first-quarter 2024 results underscore its strong operational foundation and strategic foresight, positioning it well for future growth and shareholder value creation.
20. State of the Stock
15 days ago
UF_Secret_Account
Not financial advice, do your own research. Don't take advice from the internet, consult a professional financial advisor.
On April 19th, the stock closed at $19.99. Today, it is over 50% higher after a positive 10-K clearing the company of fraud allegations.
The stock touched $40 on April 26 and 29, a 100% gain from a week prior.
The short interest has remained relatively consistent during the move, with 10-11 million shares still short. However, given the time lapsed, I think it's safe to assume that most of those shares were covered and re-shorted in the last two weeks. For future research, we should assume they have an average $35 entry on their short positions.
1st quarter earnings are coming soon. Like many of you, I am a little curious that it hasn't been announced yet, but I have no concerns with everything the company has on its plate. 10-Q's are unaudited and it's very unlikely there is anything to be concerned about, in my opinion.
The company could be coming to the end of their strategic review for GAG. That will eventually result in some additional financial statement adjustments for presentation.
I would expect 1st quarter earnings to be good based on their deal flow and reported transactions.
In November 2023, the board approved $50m for stock buybacks. The company repurchased 728,330 shares at an average price of $21.85, but mainly bought shares in November. That's $16 million spent, and means the company had $34 million approved to buy back stock at year end. The program continues through October 2024. At our current price, that would be 1.1 million shares (3.3% of the outstanding stock).
That is significant for a stock with this many outstanding shares, but more significant for the number of freely traded shares which is far less. How many times have we seen huge price moves on small blocks of shares? If the company adds $10-15 million to that program, that's another 300,000-500,000 shares. Again, it doesn't sound like a huge number but it would add pressure to what will become a dire situation for the shorts.
The shorts may decide not to cover, or to continue the strategy of taking their losses and re-shorting, but their ability to influence the stock back to a level where they truly profit is nonexistent in my opinion, particularly when volume dies between market-moving events.
I am eyeing the $50-$55 range as my price target in the next move up.
21. NOTE on FRG Independent Auditor’s Report
One of the positive things I see IMO was for the billion dollar loan that matures in 2026. “On July 2, 2021, the Company repaid $182.1 million of principal of the First Lien Term Loan using cash proceeds from the sale of the Liberty Tax business. The prepayment also satisfied the requirements for the quarterly principal payments so no additional principal payments with respect to the First Lien Term Loans (excluding the Incremental First Lien Term Loan) are due until the First Lien Term Loan maturity date.” To me this gives them some flexibility for their cash as there isn’t much long term debt due in 2024 or 2025.
https://preview.redd.it/ib92t7e66f1d1.png?width=975&format=png&auto=webp&s=df286021b0653db92122e33df0ed37f1068a0c6c
22. on May 3rd Cohodes or someone else got media to report 4th quarter from last year as q1 earnings this year. Which was a lie and FUD
https://preview.redd.it/nlau48276f1d1.png?width=623&format=png&auto=webp&s=832695b6c331c3df6dbcb861dc90551ee42a036a
23. B. Riley Financial Announces Full Redemption of 6.75% SR Notes Due 2024
17 days ago Wolfiger
LOS ANGELES, May 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- B. Riley Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: RILY) ("B. Riley" or the "Company") today announced that it has called for the full redemption equal to $25,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 6.75% Senior Notes due 2024 (the "Notes") on May 31, 2024 (the "Redemption Date").
The redemption price is equal to 100% of the aggregate principal amount, plus any accrued and unpaid interest up to, but excluding, the Redemption Date, as set forth in each notice of redemption delivered to noteholders on May 1, 2024.
https://ir.brileyfin.com/2024-05-01-B-Riley-Financial-Announces-Full-Redemption-of-6-75-Senior-Notes-due-2024
24. 8k filed May 1st for Nasdaq Compliance
25. Found management bonus if above 136 by October. Did anybody else know that a part of managements comp was in the form of Performance-based Restricted Stocks Units with a vesting date of 10/27/24 AND A HURDLE PRICE OF $135?!?
https://preview.redd.it/wo2uh54k5f1d1.png?width=547&format=png&auto=webp&s=8b6dedf28ec845b2170647674f5b39b6eaac96a1

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2024.05.19 18:56 Rambooctpuss Album Bucket List Favorite Albums By Genre: What's Your Favorite World Music Album?

70's Alt Rock -King Crimson-Lark's Tongue In Aspic
80's Alt Rock - Talking Heads-Remain In Light
90's Alt Rock- Nirvana- Never mind
2000's Alt Rock-The Strokes-Is This It
2010's Alt Rock Tame Impala-Lonerism
Alt Country -Wilco-Summerteeth
Alt Hip Hop-MF Doom- Mad villainy
Art Rock-Dark Side Of The Moon-Pink Floyd
Brit Rock- The Clash- London Calling
College Rock-REM-Murmur
Emo Rock-My Chemical Romance-Welcome To The Black Parade
Experimental Rock-Swans-To Be Kind
Goth-The Cure Disintegration
Grunge- Soundgarden-Superunknown
Hardcore Punk- Black Flag- Damaged
Heavy Metal-Black Sabbath-Paranoid
60's Hard Rock-Led Zeppelin I
70's Hard rock-Led Zeppelin-Physical Graffiti
80's Hard Rock- AC/DC-Back In Black
90's Hard Rock-Nirvana-In Utero
2000's Hard Rock-Queens Of The Stone Age-Songs For The Deaf
2010's ˙Hard Rock- Tool-Fear Inoculum
Indie Rock-Joy Division-Unknown Pleasures
Indie Folk-Big Thief-Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You
Lo-Fi-Neutral Milk Hotel-In The Aeroplane Over The Sea
New Wave-Elvis Costello-This Year's Model
Progressive Rock- Tool- Lateralus
Punk- Ramones-Rocket To Russia
pop punk-Green Day-Dookie
Post Punk- Wire- Pink Flag
Shoegaze-My Bloody Valentine-Loveless
Blues-Nina Simone-Sings The Blues
Blues Rock-The Rolling Stones-Sticky Fingers
Avant Garde- Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band-Trout Mask Replica
Baroque Pop-The Beach Boys-Pet Sounds
Symphonic Rock-Moody Blues-Days Of Future Past
Comedy/Novelty album-Adam Sandler-They're All Gonna Laugh At You
Stand Up Comedy-George Carlin-Back In Town
Americana-The Band-The Band
Bakersfield Sound-Buck Owens-Best Of Buck Owens
Bluegrass-Old & In The Way-That High Lonesome Sound
Outlaw Country-Willie Nelson-Redheaded Stranger
Classic Country-Johnny Cash-Live At Folsom Prison
Country Rock- The Flying Burrito Brothers-The Gilded Palace Of Sin
Dance/Club-LCD Soundsystem- This Is Happening
Christmas /Holiday Album-Vince Gauralidi-A Charlie Brown Christmas
EMD/Techno-Burial-Untrue
Ambient-Brian Eno-Music For Airports
Electronic Rock-Radiohead-Kid A
Space Rock- Spiritualized- Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
Synthpop-Depeche Mode-Violator
Synthrock- New Order-Power, Corruption and Lies
Industrial-Nine Inch Nails-The Downward Spiral
Krautrock- Can-Tago Mago
Folk-Bob Dylan-The Freewillin' Bob Dylan
Folk Rock-Bob Dylan-Blood On The Tracks
Southern Rock-The Allman Brothers Band-At Fillmore East
80's Hip Hop-The Beastie Boys-Paul's Boutique
90's- Hip Hop Wu-Tang Clan-Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
2000's Hip Hop-Outkast- Stankonia
2010's Hip Hop-Kendrick Lamar-To Pimp A Butterfly
2020's Hip Hop-Run The Jewels-RTJ 4
East Coast Hip Hop- Nas- Illmatic
West Coast Hip Hop-NWA-Straight Outta Compton
Southern Hip Hop-Outkast -Aquemini
Midwest Album-Kanye West-My Dark Twisted Fantasy
Trap-Travis Sott-Rodeo
Instrumental Hip Hop- DJ Shadow- Endtroducing....
Indie Pop-Belle And Sebastian-If You're Feeling Sinister
Noise Rock-Sonic Youth-Daydream Nation
Post-rock- Godspeed! You Black Emperor-Lift Your Skinny Fist Like Antennas To Heaven
Acid Jazz- Medeski ,Martin, and Wood -Shack-Man
Trip Hop -Portishead- Dummy
Gospel -Aretha Franklin-Amazing Grace
Christian- Sufjan Stevens -Illnoise
Jazz-Miles Davis-Kind Of Blue
Avant Garde Jazz-Ornette Coleman-Shape To Jazz To Come
Swing/Bebop-Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers-Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers w/Thelonious Monk
Jazz/Fusion-Miles Davis-In A Silent Way
Jazz Rock-Miles Davis-Bitches Brew
Jazz/Funk-Herbie Hancock-Head Hunters
Jazz/Rap-A tribe Called Quest-The Low End Theory
Latin- Los Lobos-Kiko
Speed Metal/Thrash- Metallica- Master Of Puppets
Black/Death Metal-Deafheaven-Sunbather
Symphonic Metal-Haken-The Mountain
Glam Rock -T.Rex-Electric Warrior
Hair Metal-Guns N Roses-Appetite For Destruction
New Wave Of British Heavy Metal-Iron Maiden- Number Of The Beast
Sludge-Electric Wizard- Dopethron
Nu Metal-Korn-Korn
New Age-Popol Vuh - Hosianna Mantra
Pop-Prince-Sign O' The Times
60's Pop- The Beatles-Revolver
70's Pop- Carole King-Tapestry
80's Pop- Peter Gabriel-So
90's Pop-Madonna-Ray Of Light
2000's Pop-Madonna-Confessions On A Dance Floor
2010's pop-Robyn-Body Talk
2020's Pop- Perfume Genius-Set My Heart On Fire
Adult Contemporary- Billy Joel-The Stranger
Europop- ABBA- Arrival
Latin Pop-Ruben Y Seis Del Solar-Buscando America
Dance Pop-Dee-Lite-World Clique
Dream Pop- Mazzy Star-So Tonight I Might See
Power Pop- Weezer-Blue Album
R&B- Marvin Gaye-What's Going On
60's R&B-Aretha Franklin-I Never Loved A Man The Way I Loved You
70's R&B- Stevie Wonder- Songs In The Key Of Life
80's R&B- Janet Jackson- Control
90's R&B Album- Lauryn Hill-The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill
2000's R&B- D'Angelo-Voodoo
2010's-R&B-Beyonce-Lemonade
2020's R&B- SZA-SOS
Disco-Donna Summers-Bad Girls
Doo Wop- The Chantels- We Are The Chantels
Funk-Funkadelic-Maggot Brain
Motown- Marvin Gaye-Let's Get It On
Neo-Soul-Erykah Badu-Baduizm
Psychedelic Soul- Curtis Mayfield-Curtis
Soul-Aretha Franklin-Lady Soul
Reggae-Bob Marley- Exodus
Ska-The Specials-The Specials
Swing Revival-Big Bad Voodoo Daddy-Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
Rock N Roll-The Rolling Stones-Exile On Main Street
Acid Rock- Jimi Hendrix- Are You Experienced
Arena Rock-Boston-Boston
Cock Rock-Van Halen I
Math Rock-Slint-Spiderland
Stoner Rock-Kyuss-Welcome To Sky Valley
Jam Band- Grateful Dead-American Beauty
SingeSongwriter- Neil Young-Harvest
Surf Rock-The Beach Boys-Shut Down Vol II
Soft Rock/Yacht Rock-Steely Dan-Aja
Movie Soundtrack-Singles
Movie Score-The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly
TV Soundtrack- Songs In The Key Of X:Music from and inspired by the X-Files
Musical Soundtrack-Jesus Christ Superstar
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http://swiebodzin.info