The book report sandwich

Previous part
I stood in my doorway, frozen to the spot as Shaoni walked past me, into my house.
“Weren’t you going to invite me in?”
Shaoni cooed at me, somehow making the arbitrary question sound like a threat.
“I uh… what can I get you.”
I stammered out, automatically reverting to subservient. I know it sounds bad but when you’ve seen what I’ve seen her do you listen first, ask questions later.
“Is water alright? It’s all I’ve got since I only just moved here because… well I guess you know why already.”
I said, wanting to keep the orange juice I was currently hiding behind me in the fridge for myself.
“The visions? Yes I do know about them. It’s what drew all of you here, just like I wanted. Though you weren’t supposed to see the stage yet, none of you were.”
She said, narrowing her eyes at me, presumably because of my earlier expedition into the mine.
“Why do you keep saying “you” like there’s more than one of me?”
I asked, finally working up the confidence to question her.
“Because there is, do you really think you’re the only one I marked? Keith your a special case yes, but not that special.”
“Special case? What do you..”
“If you let me finish I’m getting to that.”
Shaoni cracked back at me, I could feel the pressure in the room rise with her temper.
“Sorry ma’am… it just slipped out.”
She seemed to find my knee-jerk formal apology amusing and the pressure in the room returned to normal.
“I offered several people the same deal I offered you, most accepted. These are the others I refer to, all of which are here or on their way here now. That’s what the dreams, visions, whatever you’d like to call them, were for.”
“So you wanted us here, all together in this one specific town, why?”
“The trials of course, if you remember you agreed to take a burden from me. I guess I would describe it more accurately as a gift but it has become a burden for me.”
“What is it?”
“Now where’s the fun in telling you now? Besides your smart enough, I’m sure you’ll figure it out on your own.”
She answered, smiling devilishly at me and sending little pin pricks of ice down my spine. I let the conversation fall silent for a bit, watching Shaoni sip absentmindedly at the glass of water I’d given her before I asked another question.
“So what exactly are these trials for?”
“I want to use them as a selection process, it separates the wheat from the chaff as the saying goes. Only one of you will take on my burden and I want to make sure its the right one.”
“Ok, that makes sense but I’ve still got one more thing. Why did you say I was special before?”
I inquired, as Shaoni got up and started to leave.
“Well, because this is all new to you, you have no idea of the forces really at play in the world, the “supernatural” is what you’d call it. You’re at a particular disadvantage because you didn’t know what you were getting into so I figured I’d help out of the kindness of my heart. In addition to that, many of those I’ve chosen came from my own followers. You are one of the few I found on my travels that accepted my deal. I believe in keeping things fair, and so I came to warn you of what’s to come.”
Shaoni told me as she walked out the door without so much as a goodbye. The storm that had been brewing outside left with her, dropping bits of cracked branches and loose leaves to the ground as she got further and further away. I finally realized I was still standing at my front door, glued in place watching her. Once I closed and locked the door I heard a shrill screech pierce the night as Shaoni shed her human appearance and took to the skies as I saw a single shiny grey feather flutter to the ground.
I didn’t get much sleep that night, I didn’t even try. After something like Shaoni waltzing into my home like she owned the place and telling me I’m about to be part of some kind of “trials”, I just gave up on sleep that night. What I was worried about more than anything was the fact that I didn’t have a choice. Sure, she had never said that out right but if she showed up to tell me the trials were starting and I said no, that wouldn’t go well. I’d probably end up like those men in Imalone, just ashes on the wind. There was something she wasn’t saying as well. Shaoni wanted to flaunt that there was some sort of reward at the end of this, that the whole process would help her select a “worthy candidate”. But the reward was also the burden I had agreed to take. If whatever it was was something she wanted to get rid of why would anyone look at it as a reward? Something just wasn’t adding up in my head so I decided not to think about it for a bit. I instead I threw on some clothes as the sun finally rose and made my way over to Bianca’s house to pick up my backpack that she still had.
“Hey there Frank. Where’s Stein I wanted to ask how that research was coming, and has anyone seen Bianca?”
I said as soon as I’d walked in the front door. Rocco was eating something out of a bowl on the counter top and shot to attention as he saw me.
“What do you just live here now?”
He remarked, whirling around to face me. Frank looked up from the paper he’d been reading at the counter and gave me a half hearted wave.
“Stein’s in the basement testing a few samples of thunderbird feathers Tuck brought in.”
“You know Tuck? The mountain that just so happens to run a bar in town, that Tuck?”
“Yes of course, he’s helped us immensely with developing a suppressant for lycanthropy.”
“I… we’ll unpack that one later I guess but I’ve got too find Bianca first, she still has something of mine. Let Stein know I’m looking for him if he comes back up.”
I told Frank as he nodded in acknowledgment and I made my way over to the stairs leading up to the second floor.
“Oh god dammit, I just got that!”
I yelled to no-one in particular as I knocked on Bianca’s bedroom door. I heard a crash behind it as Bianca came flying towards me, throwing open the door and almost smacking me in the process.
“What the hell is going on why are you here! And what did you just get?!”
She belted out at me, apparently startled by my outburst. She had a long loose t-shirt on and maybe something on underneath that, I wasn’t going to check. I must’ve turned crab red as I saw her but it didn’t stop me from telling her what I just pieced together.
“Their names, Frank and Stein, Frankenstein. They did that on purpose didn’t they? I can’t believe I didn’t pick up on that sooner!”
“What are you… oooh, OOOH! I’ve been around them how many years and I’m just picking up on that too.”
She said, sounding a little disappointed and smacking herself in the head with the palm of her hand.
“So what’re you doing here anyways Keith?”
“You still have my backpack from yesterday and I could use that back.”
“Oh sure I forgot about that, come in.”
She said holding open the door for me and causing her shirt to hike up a bit, She did not in fact have anything other than what you’d expect on under it.
“Ummm… do you maybe want to get dressed first?”
Bianca turned redder than I’d ever seen anyone get in an instant. Her eyes Immediately started glowing and she slammed the door shut, apparently just realizing she had answered the door in nothing but a T-shirt and underwear. I heard of muffled groan of embarrassment from the other side of the door and decided to leave her to it.
When I came back downstairs into the living room Frank and Stein where waiting for me on the couch. It was a sight to see, two old scientists sitting in the middle of a lavish black leather couch that wrapped the outer edge of the room. The two looked out of place, like a time traveler trying desperately to look normal in a society they knew nothing about.
“Before you guys start I’ve got to know, did you do that intentionally?”
“Did we do what, what are you talking about?”
They both asked in unison.
“The names, Frank and Stein, did you do that on purpose?”
Frank smiled at this and looked toward Stein who seemed to be fuming.
“It’s been 60 years since I’ve heard that question and no, its purely coincidental. We just so happen to share similar names with this Frankenstein”
Stein replied, actually shaking with anger. Frank on the other hand, seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself. In light of this I decided to push my luck just a little further.
“Ok, but I’m still going to call Rocco Frankenstein’s monster from now on, I can’t just pass up that opportunity.”
Frank laughed at this and Stein shook his head in disappointment.
“Children, both you.”
“Oh come now Stein, even you have to admit its a little humorous.”
“I will not be compared to some fantasy doctor and their failed facsimile of life! Rocco is a proper experiment with guidelines and uses that monster from the story is just a harebrained pet project!”
Stein fumed, seemingly offended at the concept of being compared to doctor Frankenstein. After a short tirade, none of which I really want to repeat here, we got Stein calmed down. Then the two got me seated and asked a question I wasn’t expecting.
“Do you know why we decided to settle down in this town in the first place?”
The question took me by surprise, I had assumed they just ended up here for no particular reason. Like a tumble weed being blown across the desert. They were here now caught on a fence or something but I always got the sense the wind would blow them along to somewhere else eventually. I hadn’t given much thought as to why they would be here at all. My vacant stare must’ve clued them into the fact that I had no idea how to answer the question.
“Let me rephrase, do you have any idea why things like Bianca or Tuck or even us seem to be concentrated here?”
Stein asked again, a calm tone to his voice like he was explaining something to a child.
“Tuck? What does Tuck have to do with this? I get you two are supernatural researchers and Bianca is a succubus but Tuck is just a really, really string guy right?”
I shakily asked, slowly drawing a connection to what Frank said about Tuck and lycanthropy when I came in.
“Tuck is a werewolf, a repentant one but a werewolf nonetheless.”
“That… actually would check out, It would definitely explain why the guy is built like the Rock’s bigger cousin. But what exactly are you getting at?”
“This town Keith, There’s a reason it attracts people like us and the Thunderbird is a big part of that. It had been sleeping in the mines as far as Frank was able to tell, once it woke up it caused the collapse and it made a huge stir. Obviously reports came out about this massive thing coming out of the ground and talking flight but you’ll never find any of them. The government stepped in to help Eagles peak cover up its existence, if people knew about the Thunderbird there would be uproars and questions as to what else was out there, questions no-one really would’ve had answers too. Instead they buried it and tried to bury most records of this town, turning it into a haven for the supernatural, especially those who would rather be left alone.”
Stein’s lecture made sense, if the town was basically wiped off the map as far as recent information goes it would explain its small size. I really hadn’t seen anyone in town besides those people getting off the bus the day I met Tuck and a few employees at local stores I went to. But not all of them could’ve been supernatural beings right?
“So are you trying to say everyone in town is some kind of what… supernatural entity?”
“Nothing as grand as that but there’s certainly more supernatural beings than usual concentrated in this town. Even some of the normal people have ties to the supernatural here. It’s a place were people who know about these things can pass through without to much scrutiny. What’s more interesting though is the other Thunderbird sightings we were able to dig up. Almost all of them lead to a town like this, taken off the usual map with a barley visible digital presence. Tiny little nowhere places that aren’t known for much and never show up on the news. The Thunderbird seems to be making these sanctuary’s for the supernatural throughout the world. It doesn’t seem to monitor these places afterwards but they certainly never recover from the coverups after the Thunderbird makes an appearance.”
Stein continued to lecture, speaking just as much with his hands as he did with his words.
“Has she ever come back to any of these sanctuaries she’s created.”
“She!? You don’t mean the woman you saw in Imalone? I had chalked her up to a stress induced hallucination.”
I had to briefly explain to Stein that I had not in fact hallucinated the naked woman that ultimately turned out to be Shaoni, to his displeasure.
“So you saw this woman then?”
“Yeah, in the cave attached to what I’d have to guess were the mines. She even showed up at my house last night.”
“It… she, talked to you?”
“She said that there was going to be some sort of trials to see who takes on this burden of her’s. The whole thing was really unclear if I’m honest.”
“So she’s coming back then, not only that but she’s in the town or the forest right now. I don’t get to say this often but I really don’t know what’s going to happen with this Keith. Frank and I will keep an eye on what we can but we’re researchers, if she decides to pull you into these trials we won’t be much help.”
Stein said, growing concerning on his face. I don’t think seeing Stein in this state did anything to assure me. This is someone who worked on the wrong side of world war 2 and he seemed scared by the thought of what Shaoni might be up to. It was at least nice to know someone would be monitoring the situation when I got myself killed.
“I could go with him.”
An unexpected voice cut through the silence of the room, Bianca’s voice. She had wandered down from her room wearing a black leather jacket paired with a tight red shirt and ratty jeans, my ratty jeans I noticed. She had the backpack she owed me in one hand and her eyes locked on us.
“What?”
We all said, in shock of what Bianca had just offered.
“I could go, watch your back and see what’s going on with these trials. I’m familiar enough with the supernatural, not as much as Frank or Stein but I could help.”
She said with raw unfiltered confidence that was unusual for her.
“I couldn’t ask you to do that, I told you the story, you know what Shaoni is capable of.”
I bargained, hoping to keep her out of the line of fire for some reason. I knew it would probably be smarter to bring her with me if I did get forced into these trials but some protective instinct kicked in. I’d seen her barley able to keep herself together just talking about her past and shut down when someone grabbed her. I didn’t want to see her get hurt trying to look out for me. Her past obviously still effected her in a big way. Another part of me wanted to bring her with me just to see her fight against the power her past still held over her. When we were on the way to that mine yesterday she finally seemed alive. Bianca wasn’t just this this scared person living in a gilded cage with two people who took her in like a kicked puppy. Yesterday she was her own person again, if only for a little bit.
“Look I can’t stay here doing nothing forever, besides you helped me out watching the house way back when you first got into town. You didn’t hold the fact I manipulated you into it against me and you never really cared about what I was. I at least owe you this Keith, please.”
Bianca begged, I didn’t feel like she was trying to pul me one way or another this time, the choice was my own. I could also tell it was hard for her to give me a choice, her nature was to just use her power and make me agree with her. That single fact meant more to me than whatever fight was going on in my head, I nodded to tell her I agreed.
Frank and Stein weren’t particularly thrilled with the idea of Bianca watching out for me. They were worried it put her in too much danger. Despite the situation surrounding those three I could tell Frank and Stein really did care for her, or at the very least worried about her. She may not realize it but she was like a daughter to them, anyone could see that, anyone but her apparently. Or maybe she had closed herself off from the world so much to try and survive on her own that she just couldn’t bring herself to realize it anymore. I think that’s the more likely option but it begged the question. Why exactly does she keep going out of her way for me?
Bianca managed to convince them to let her keep an eye on me. Thanks in no small part to the fact that she claimed living anywhere near Rocco for prolonged periods of time was hazardous to her health. At which point almost as if on cue, Rocco shot out of a wall. Not off of it or out from around, no straight out of the wall sending plaster flying like shrapnel. Right after this we smelled the beginnings of an electrical fire. Rocco ran back into the room and jumped back through the hole in the wall with a fire extinguisher. Frank and Stein lost their minds at this point and went to find the proper equipment to deal with that. They agreed with Bianca on the spot after that one. Rocco claimed he was “trying to update the wiring in the house”, whatever that meant but you could never tell with him. Once everything had calmed down I headed over to the kitchen to make lunch for myself. I settled for a bologna and mustard sandwich and sat down to eat. As soon as I took a bite of the sandwich my phone rang with a number I didn’t expect a call from, Mom.
“Hi, what’s going on?”
“Are you ok, You never call, I just got your message.”
My mother Carla said, in that worried but angry tone only mothers can pull off.
“I’m fine mom I just wanted to let you know what was going on with me, I don’t think I ever told you I was moving and I didn’t want you to worry.”
Bianca walked into the kitchen at this point in the conversation and looked at me. I put my finger to my lips and shushed her. She just sat down across from me and took a bite out of MY sandwich.
“You didn’t, I know I don’t see you much and your fine on your own but I still worry. We were never the closest but that doesn’t mean I don’t wan to know If you’re moving halfway across the country on a whim.”
“I know mom, I know. A lot of things happened at once and it was such short notice I just… forgot.”
“I understand… just call me next time alright, and if you ever just want to talk I’m here. Just because we weren’t all that close doesn’t mean I don’t want to hear from you now and then. Anyways I have to get back to work.”
“Oh, ok Just… how’s dad doing?”
I sighed knowing the answer to my question already.
“He’s… he’s the same Keith, Love you.”
And with that Carla hung up.
Bianca eyed me with a mildly stunned look on her face. Like she just realized I was born not raised in a test tube somewhere.
“That was your mom?”
She asked, pointing at the phone in my hand and still eating the sandwich I had made for myself.
“Yes, Oh come on give me that!”
I yelled, reaching for the sandwich in her hand. She laughed and pulled it away, finishing it. She tried to speak with a mouthful of sandwich but I couldn’t make out a thing till she gave herself a minute to chew.
“I haven’t talked to my mom since the whole thing with Brooke. She never approved and that was that, I went my way and she went her’s.”
“What about your dad?”
I asked her, suddenly not as mad about her stealing my food.
“I never really knew him. Apparently he left when I was really young but that’s about all I know.”
“Is there a single question I can ask about you that won’t just leave me feeling sorry I had a moderately normal life before this? Really I just… that’s terrible.”
Bianca looked a little sullen as she thought about her family, her real family. I realized that as strange as this whole relationship with Frank and Stein was it was the closest thing she had to something stable. Hell, I might be the first real friend she’s had outside of the house in years.
“Tell you what, I’m suddenly hungry for some reason so why don’t we head down to the Eagle’s Roost and get something to eat?”
I glared at her just a little bit as I said that first part.
“It’s like 1o’clock now I don’t think Tuck opens up till 5 or so.”
“Well I’ve got a few questions for him now, besides last time I went down there early too and he was just hanging out behind the bar, didn’t seem to mind either. Wait, you know him? He didn’t really look at you when he saved us yesterday, come to think of it he barley mentioned you.”
“Yeah I’ve seen him coming in and out of the house when he helps Stein with his experiments, giving blood and tissue samples to him, that sort of thing. I don’t know why he didn’t say anything to me. Maybe cause he thought Frank and Stein didn’t know I was out there so he just didn’t want to stick his toe in that situation?”
She had to think for a second about that last part, furrowing her brow and shrugging when she couldn’t come up with anything better.
“Could be it, anyways its just one more thing I can ask him. So are you coming with me or what?”
“Yeah sure, just let me pack a few things.”
“Pack a few things? What do you mean it’s just…”
But Bianca was already running up the stairs back towards her room.

I don't wanna get too deep with this, but I am reading a biography by Joan Haslip and, although I like the subject, the author's sexism & aphobia are just persistently annoying.
The subject of the bio did not have much interest in sex. It just scared her. The biographer casually calls her repressed (without explanation). Also "not passionate" (which is the opposite of true in all other areas of life). Also repeatedly calls the husband a "normal hot-blooded man" and adopts this utterly archaic, judgemental tone over the fact that her subject sometimes set sexual boundaries (after having 3 children). The wife was miserable, ill and in an arranged marriage, the husband permitted as many affairs as he wanted, but it's all 'poor him.' Oh, and consummation is referenced as their "true marriage."
These are all little asides in a book that is not at all about sexuality. I'm not even convinced this person was straight. I get that heterosexism and compulsory sexuality and, in general, treating women lile baby factories was how monarchy rolled in the 19th c., but if the historian is just going to buy into all those ideas, it makes me regret starting the book. And since I'm 140 pages in, I'll definitely finish it.
I can block & report like mad online, but I can't not read dated books. Why do non-fiction writers have to be so irritating?
Thank you for listening to this rant.

DAY: May 18 2024

• 5-18-2024 HAVE SMARTPHONES KILLED THE ART OF CONVERSATION? Once upon a time, human relationships unfolded without smartphones. The reality may be hard to recall, so profoundly have these devices transformed the way we relate to the world and others in fifteen years or so. As an anthropologist interested in modernity, I am particularly preoccupied by the impact of these devices on our conversations. In my book, “The End of the Conversation? Words in a Spectral Society” (French original: “La fin de la conversation? La parole dans une société spectrale”), I investigate the pernicious effects of this technology
• 5-18-2024 HOW TO REWARD EMPLOYEES FAIRLY AND IMPROVE TEAM DYNAMICS A recent study has shed light on how to reward employees more fairly and improve team dynamics. The study found that when less skilled employees report their performance voluntarily, they often exaggerate their achievements and ask for higher bonuses. These employees also tend to put in less effort and are less concerned about fairness when sharing their contributions voluntarily. Interestingly, the researchers discovered that requiring employees to explain their contributions leads to fairer decisions about bonus allocation and improves
• 5-19-2024 BILLIONS ARE SPENT ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY, BUT WE DON’T KNOW IF IT WORKS During the COVID lockdowns, schools and universities worldwide relied on education technology—edtech—to keep students learning. They used online platforms to give lessons, mark work and send feedback, used apps to teach and introduced students to programs that let them work together on projects. In the aftermath of school closures, the market for edtech has kept on growing. The value of the sector is projected to rise to US$132.4 billion globally by 2032. The problem is that we don’t know very much about how effective many edtech apps or programs
• 5-19-2024 STUDY FINDS CONSUMERS WILLING TO PAY MORE FOR NATURALLY COLORED COTTON CLOTHING Research has looked at consumer attitudes toward naturally colored cotton clothing. The study found that amid increasing concerns over the environmental impact of conventional cotton processing, consumers are willing to pay more for a greener T-shirt.
• 5-18-2024 HOW AI IS SHAPING THE FUTURE OF SALES STRATEGIES In the fast-evolving business landscape, artificial intelligence, or AI, is taking center stage in transforming sales processes, making them more efficient and responsive to the dynamic market demands. A new University of Alabama at Birmingham study titled “AI in Sales: Laying the Foundations for Future Research” highlights the pivotal role AI is playing in reshaping the sales sector.
• 5-18-2024 WHEN CONSUMERS WOULD PREFER A CHATBOT OVER A PERSON Actually, sometimes consumers don’t want to talk to a real person when they’re shopping online, a new study suggests. In fact, what they really want is a chatbot that makes it clear that it is not human at all. In a new study, researchers found that people preferred interacting with chatbots when they felt embarrassed about what they were buying online—items like antidiarrheal medicine or, for some people, skin care products. “In general, research shows people would rather interact with a human customer service agent
• 5-18-2024 NEW STUDY REVEALS THE POTENTIAL OF COACHING EMPLOYEES TO DRIVE NEW STRATEGIC IDEAS In the landscape of modern business, inclusion isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a strategic imperative. Companies like IBM, Volkswagen and Starbucks are moving to more participative strategy development approaches that reflect a growing understanding of the importance of diversity in fostering innovative and creative strategic ideas. Yet the outcomes of inclusive strategy processes often fall short of expectations. A new study in the Strategic Management Journal sheds light on why that may be. In their study of an inclusive strategy process in a large insurance company, Violetta Splitter, along with co-authors
• 5-18-2024 RESEARCHERS SHOW WAYS TO PROPEL PRODUCT SUCCESS New research explores the key strategies that firms should adopt when launching a new product. The researchers say that these strategies depend on the current market view of the product and the firm. Employing the correct one, which might sometimes be collaborating with overtly demanding reviewers or instituting rather challenging pilot tests, ensures that the product launch will go as successfully as possible.
• 5-18-2024 RESEARCHERS DEVELOP ALGORITHMS TO UNDERSTAND HOW HUMANS FORM BODY PART VOCABULARIES An example of the study’s language sample and the words for arm/hand and leg/foot in English and Wolof. Human bodies have similar designs. However, languages differ in the way they divide the body into parts and name them. For example, English speakers have two words for foot and leg, whereas other languages express the concepts foot and leg in one word.
• 5-18-2024 STUDY FINDS AVOIDING SOCIAL MEDIA BEFORE AN ELECTION HAS LITTLE TO NO EFFECT ON PEOPLE’S POLITICAL VIEWS In the weeks before and after the 2020 presidential election, researchers ran a number of tests to try to understand how much Facebook and its corporate cousin, Instagram, may be contributing to the nation’s political divide. One of those experiments—led by Matthew Gentzkow and Hunt Allcott, economics professors at Stanford University—centered on more than 35,000 Facebook and Instagram users who were paid to stay off the platforms in the run-up to Election Day. There’s a lot that researchers could glean from the social media hiatus, including whether people’s political attitudes
• 5-18-2024 USING COMPUTER MODELS TO UNDERSTAND THE DEBATE ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE Different types of noise and how they act inside or outside the social interaction process. Cognitive biases are among the most important factors that prevent people from changing their minds. Climate change deniers and climate activists often tend to accept only information that confirms their respective opinions on the matter. However, opinion dynamics are also influenced by a factor that the researchers call “ambiguity noise.” Unlike biases, ambiguity noise is variable, depends on many random factors, and leads to inconsistent judgment.
• 5-18-2024 FOR SOME INDIGENOUS SOUTHERN PLAINS TRIBES, AN ORIGINAL FLUTE SONG IS THE FIRST STEP TOWARD MARRIAGE “Warrior with flute” by Timothy Tate Nevaquaya. Used with permission. Credit: Timothy Tate Nevaquaya Every love story is unique, and in traditional Indigenous Southern Plains culture, it begins with an original ballad performed on the flute. In order to win a lover’s affection, and respect among the tribe, each pursuer must compose one good flute serenade. Paula Conlon, a former music professor at the University of Oklahoma, has researched the history and cultural significance of the Indigenous flute since the 1980s. Conlon presents her work Tuesday, May 14, at 9:45
• 5-18-2024 WANT TO BE AN INFLUENCER? OUR RESEARCH SHOWS WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FIRST You’re hard at work, lying in a hammock, composing the perfect selfie on the beach. The turquoise sea sets off the idyllic sunset, and just visible though the fronds of a palm tree is the logo of the hotel which is paying you to promote it to your millions of followers on Instagram. Click. The perfect shot. And another typically perfect day in the life of an influencer. Or is it? Certainly a career as an influencer can seem appealing. The work generally involves promoting products or services through sponsored
• 5-18-2024 WHY STUDENTS CHEAT IN ONLINE EXAMS Media psychologists at the University of Cologne have studied how students’ individual needs, conceptions and reasons relate to cheating behavior in online exams. Online exams have become a more common type of exam at universities, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. They are advantageous because they save time and offer flexibility. However, cheating attempts present a big challenge for lecturers. This is why universities have been working on ways to thwart cheating in online exams by putting organizational and technical measures into place.
• 5-18-2024 WHY STUDENTS CHEAT IN ONLINE EXAMS Trust and distrust in social media coexisted in the study participants. Credit: Emmaline Nelsen Are anti-misinformation interventions on social media working as intended? It depends, according to a new study surveyed over 1,700 participants in the United States, revealing that anti-misinformation features increased users’ awareness of misinformation in social media; but did not make them more likely to share information on social media
• 5-18-2024 MOST CRIME HAS FALLEN BY 90% IN 30 YEARS—SO WHY DOES THE PUBLIC THINK IT’S INCREASED? Seventy-eight percent of people in England and Wales think that crime has gone up in the last few years, according to the latest survey. But the data on actual crime shows the exact opposite. As of 2024, violence, burglary and car crime have been declining for 30 years and by close to 90%, according to the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW)—our best indicator of true crime levels. Unlike police data, the CSEW is not subject to variations in reporting and recording. The drop in violence includes domestic violence
• 5-18-2024 MOST CRIME HAS FALLEN BY 90% IN 30 YEARS—SO WHY DOES THE PUBLIC THINK IT’S INCREASED? Can we truly assess whether someone finds us attractive? Cognitive psychologist Iliana Samara discovered that men, in particular, tend to overestimate the interest of their date. She explains why this may be. “Imagine you walk into a packed bar, looking for a date. Your eyes are naturally drawn to attractive faces. If you’re a man and find someone attractive, you’re more likely to assume they’re also interested in you. “Then, when you approach them, whether you’re a man or woman
• 5-18-2024 MOST CRIME HAS FALLEN BY 90% IN 30 YEARS—SO WHY DOES THE PUBLIC THINK IT’S INCREASED? Having more education has long been linked to better individual health. But those benefits are also contagious, say the co-authors of a new working paper. “It’s not just that the individuals who have more years of education are in better health,” said David M. Cutler, Otto Eckstein Professor of Applied Economics. “It’s that even people with fewer years of education—for example, people with just a high school degree—are in better health when they live around
• 5-18-2024 MOST CRIME HAS FALLEN BY 90% IN 30 YEARS—SO WHY DOES THE PUBLIC THINK IT’S INCREASED? Our research on children in early primary years, show they are better are writing with a pen or pencil than a keyboard. Children today are growing up surrounded by technology. So it’s easy to assume they will be able to write effectively using a keyboard. But our research suggests this is not necessarily true. We need to actively teach students to be able to type as well as write using paper and pen or pencil. Our research Our research team has published two recent
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• 5-18-2024 HOW ENTERTAINMENT BRANDS ARE ADAPTING TO GENERATION ALPHA Growing up, did you play with hyper-sexualized Barbie dolls, boys-only Thomas the Tank Engine trains, or slim, white Disney princesses? If so, you’re not alone, but this is no longer the case for Generation Alpha. Brands like Mattel, once criticized for promoting unrealistic body standards and gender stereotypes, now portray themselves as feminist and progressive. The recent Barbie movie serves as a prime example of this shift. Millennial parents are actively seeking out toys, books and movies to educate their children about life and teach them values that align
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• 5-18-2024 NEW RESEARCH REVEALS JUST HOW FEW LGBTQI+ PEOPLE PLAY SPORTS The topic of homophobia in sport has recently made headlines in Australia, with a series of homophobic incidents involving men’s AFL players. These homophobic incidents are usually well-reported in news media, but research has rarely explored the impact on participation for LGBTQI+ people. Fresh research into the problem Our new research is one of the first pieces of academic research in Australia to document how many LGBTQI+ people play and engage with sport. We also explored current levels of discrimination across sport in Australia, and the barriers and enablers
• 5-18-2024 SWIPE RIGHT OR LEFT? HOW DATING APPS ARE IMPACTING MODERN MASCULINITY What it means to be a man is changing. Critical men or masculinity studies is an emerging robust research field that explores how men and masculinity are being transformed by shifting socio-economic, sexual and political conditions in our post-industrial world. Fascinating new male-identifying sub-cultures and communities have emerged, like mushroomcore and dandies. Yet heteronormative masculinity is typically framed as threatening, toxic or maladaptive, as in the case of fragile masculinity. In my years of swiping on dating apps, I encountered different kinds of masculinities, as well as some very offensive
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• 5-18-2024 HOW ‘ETHICAL INFLUENCERS’ ENGAGE THEIR AUDIENCES ABOUT SAVING THE PLANET Have a quick think back to the last time you scrolled through social media. Maybe it was this morning, last night or a few minutes ago. What do you recall? One thing you’re bound to remember is the continuous stream of influencers showing off their latest content. These could be videos of influencers discussing the latest skin-care products, the trendiest places to eat, their latest shopping haul or the PR packages they received from various brands. Much of social media influencing is about getting consumers to buy more products.
• 5-18-2024 ALLYSHIP IS ESSENTIAL TO NEW MOTHERS RETURNING TO WORK, SAYS STUDY Returning to work after parental leave can be one of the most challenging experiences for any parents, especially mothers, to navigate. Fortunately, there are simple, kind and thoughtful ways in which organizational members—regardless of formal status, parental identity or gender identity—can help mothers feel supported as they return to work, which can also benefit job satisfaction and maternal well-being.
• 5-18-2024 STUDY FINDS SAYING ‘PLEASE’ MAY NOT BE SO POLITE IN EVERYDAY REQUESTS By kindergarten age, most children have been taught that “please” is a magic word. “Please” is an expression of politeness that shows courtesy and respect, turning a potential demand into a request that will—poof!—magically be granted. But a new study on the ways people make requests of one another suggests that “please” might not be an all-purpose marker of politeness, but rather a more focused, strategic tool to manage frictions or obstacles among family members, friends and even coworkers.
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I have had a chronic undiagnosed illness for a few years now. By the grace of God, I’m starting to get some answers. Not long ago my mother in law asked if I’d be open to seeing an energy healer. I quickly and pretty adamantly said absolutely not and told her that type of stuff is demonic, self promoting, and doesn’t give glory to God.
She is asking me for further explanation and Bible verses. I am not very good with quoting scripture or explaining scripture to others. I was always that person in school who did awful on book reports because I just have a very hard time forming my own words about things I read, even though in my head I understand them perfectly fine.
What I really want to tell her is to study her Bible for answers like I do (she’s a Christian, but her discernment isn’t very sharp), but that’s probably not the most loving approach. I want to guide her and help her to see what scripture says.
How would you explain this to her? What verses or accounts would best support this topic?

First_Previous
Chapter 5 halfway to first little milestone.
Foul language warning keeping strong! Still hope you enjoy.
_____________________________________________________________________
°So, what now?° The human asked.
°Now I´m going to sleep, today was a lot.° Mor yawned. °Good night°
°Good night, sleep well.° The human answered and began to slowly wander the compounds of Mor´s mind just looking. Which for Mor was somehow soothing and let him quickly drift off into sleep. But as sleep took him, so did the nightmares, and while he tossed and turned in subconscious movement, the human watched. Watched the nightmares, watched the boy, who will be his other self from now on, watched what the four bullies did to him, and felt a protective rage. °Those asshats will pay. This ends, right now.° the human promised the sleeping Mor.
The next morning Mor acquired some writing implements and got to write his punishment essay. While the Human was backseat writing or more backseat questioning.
°Ah, so if you use a spell, where your magic is insufficient you could die, because the missing magic energy will be subsidized with a thing you call "live energy", but those energies are more or less the same, just that the "live energy" is the magic energy getting held back for your basic functions. But wouldn´t that mean, if you trained your basic strength and endurance that your magic energy would also get stronger? But then why do the elderly have more energy than someone in their prime?°
°Could you please shut up, I need to concentrate. I don´t want to write it again. And I told you that is not how it works! Also, why would training your strength do anything? You have your body and that's it. What would you even do, to "train" a body? It´s stupid.° Mor complained.
°Wait! Is that why everyone I saw is so scrawny? You have no concept of training your body? It´s just "I have to be born right, or I can´t use the fancy pants spells I read in a book", for all of you?! How did your kin survive until now? What about hunting for food or gathering, what about natural predators?° The human exclaimed.
°What stupid question is this now, we grow our crops and everything here on our floating islands, why should we hunt or whatever? You cast a spell and all the fruits get neatly gathered where you want them. This has always been that way.° Mor explained while continuing to write.
°That´s idiotic.° The human interrupted.
°Shut it!° Mor shushed the human.
The rest of the evening was spent in silence, but just before lights out the human spoke up again.
°Got an idea how we will deal with those bullies of yours?°
°No... I don´t even want to think about that.° Mor confessed. °But it probably can´t be avoided, best get to it then. The biggest problem is Zaletha, with her illusion magic, but the last time it somehow failed. Maybe it has something to do with you? Because you have no fear of her, I was also protected? Illusion magic is strange like that, you need some kind of emotional power over your target, or it has a big chance of failing. If that is the case, then it will not take long for Ranbor to escalate their abuse. He somehow really hates me.°
°Yeah, seemed like it. Any idea why? Well, it doesn´t really matter. Still, then we need a good plan to deal with them it´s four against two, and I can´t talk to anyone but you. So more like four against one and a half? But if this girl needs to have some kind of hold against me, she will be shit out of luck. The problem then is they may do something else to keep you in line. Maybe trying to intimidate you with more physical means.° Human mused.
°Then they would get into a problem with the school because attacking another student with magic is against the rules.° Mor interjected.
°But what would stop them from claiming it was an accident while helping you train? The best thing we could do would probably ignore them and if they don´t get the hint we just loudly declare, that we don´t want to have anything to do with them.° This got Mor thoughtful. °That might work, but most might not understand, why we would not want to have anything to do with them, because it would be helpful for my social standing to liaise with the nobility.° And the human agreed. °Yes, let´s try this. What could go wrong?°
Agreeing on this plan of action, their talk went to other subjects until Mor decided it was time to sleep and rest. They would resume talking the next day, and it would again be Human to ask the first question.
°Could we use the time, while we are stuck here, for you to explain to me how exactly this magic is working?°
°Yes of course.° Mor answered. °Firstly as you already know, to cast a spell you need magic energy, but that is only the first step, you have to afterward concentrate on guiding those energies or the spell can fail. Secondly, while there are some continuous spells they are hard to upkeep, for you have to concentrate on the energy continuously. Because of that spells like body enhancement or elemental puppet spells are almost impossible for single mages.
Body enhancement more so, because a flesh and blood body is more complicated to move, by the limits of how the energy can flow. Therefore most mage teams would fall back on an elemental puppet if they needed someone to keep their enemy at a distance. But those are last option things, best to deal with anything at range of your instantaneous spells.° He explained.
°It would be really cool if we could pull something like that off, it would be something like a secret trump card.° Human joked.
°Yes it would, but how could we even start to pull something like that off, firstly the energy cost would be far too much for me and you would somehow be able to control the body or guide the magic energy and that is impossible. In the stories, the bound elemental only supplied the mage with more energy and affinities.° Mor retorted.
°That´s why I meant it as a joke. But still, the surprise on the faces of the other mages probably would be really funny. If it is true it is impossible for a single mage. Still, I think I got it, it is best to use those instantaneous spells, because you can just fire and forget them, or start casting the next one. How much concentration is required to keep a spell up?° The human asked.
°It depends on the spell, but it ranges from, almost nothing to completely occupying your attention. For example, letting a fire spell go on, would be on the lowest distraction level, while guiding an elemental puppet would be the highest.° Mor explained.
°Ok, got it.° But still the human got thinking because for them something felt off.
Mor used the time of quiet to finish his punishment report and catch up on the stuff from the missed lessons. So while the human brooded over the pieces of information, Mor got himself back on track with his studies with sporadic help from Miss Amethyne. Like this two more days have gone by and Mor was finally released from the infirmary, as good as new, according to the healing adept. But only Mor and his new partner knew, how close "new" was to the truth. Still, Mor had this bad feeling about the almost inevitable confrontation with his tormenters he would with almost perfect certainty end up in. He hoped with all his heart, that the strategy of himself and the human would work as they planned.
The next morning on the way to class, of course, it happened and he heard the call from behind him. "Hey peasant, finally up again, you have to make up for your laziness now." "Ranbor..." Mor sighed.
"Hey you worthless pawn, what kind of reaction is this? Is this how your parents raised you? Seems someone has to teach you respect of your betters again." Ranbor exclaimed and slowly Mor turned around. "Excuse me, your lordship, I believe the presence of someone of so lowly standing is no fitting company for someone as illustrious as yourself. But where sire is your noble retinue? It does not do for someone as royally important as yourself to be without them. Should I go and tell someone to summon them for you?" Mor replied trying to keep the sarcasm out of his voice, as the human in his mind giggled.
°Good one!° They not so helpfully added.
"You´re going too far this time!" Ranbor furiously stated, his ruby eyes glowing balefully with magic energy. But Mor just shrugged, turned around, and left. °Are your eyes also this creepy? It looks to me that you only have a black pupil and the rest is in whatever colour.° The human questioned Mor. °Is that different where you are from? In most cases the color fits the family, so Ranbor of course has ruby red, and mine would be of more an agate green-blue disposition.° Mor answered. °Nope, we have white, then a colored ring around the pupil.° The answer came back until they heard Ranbor behind them raising his voice. "Don´t turn your back on me, you worthless peasant!"
Which in turn led the human to giggle again °He is really creative with his curses. I diagnose a lack of intelligence.° That in turn was too much for Mor as he could not suppress an amused snort. "You´re not laughing at me!" Ranbor raged and as Mor turned around to address that pompous ass, he only saw the red and yellow of a fireball that was flying right toward him.
He felt the heat lick his skin, and the shock of the force and fury of the attack let his mind blackout. While the enclosing darkness would protect him from the pain of burning, he knew that this was too much and his end. The last thing he heard was the voice of his partner going. °Holy shit! OK, that´s interes....°

The Good Trouble Show with Matt Ford featured astronomer Beatriz Villarroel on May 19, 2024.
She displayed two slides, side by side, showing starlike points. "Here you see things that are really weird." The image shows three "stars" that are visible on one slide, but missing on the second slide. It was captured by a telescope on July 27, 1952. On the exact date, Washington D.C. was caught in a phenomenon that can be described as a UFO panic. A wave of flying saucers were seen over the Capitol and in outlying areas, galvanizing the press and public. The USAF sent jets to hunt them. As phone calls flooded police switchboards and gawkers filled the streets, the level of excitement was unlike anything seen, even with the Phoenix Lights.
So let's focus on the image. The points of light line up like a string of satellites. Why do they disappear? Where did they go? If they were not starlike bodies, as they would appear to the astronomer, but satellites, they would need to be far closer than the stars, in fact positioned inside of earth's orbit. The size of ordinary satellites is roughly the same as the common dimensions reported for UFOs. And the fact is, no satellites were hanging in the sky in the year 1952.
Sputnik didn't launch from Russia until October 1957. "There were no satellites or space debris." The finding lit Beatriz Villarroel with a strong interest in UAP, one she continues to pursue today, aided by highly placed scientific colleagues.
Granted, there are ambiguities with the data; the images may have been some kind of plate defect, but she doesn't think so. Another oddity is that the plates were destroyed, at a time when the head of the Harvard Observatory was Dr. Donald Menzel. Menzel was a professional skeptic and a government contractor. "He was probably the top UFO debunker in the 1950s." A constant foil to J. Allen Hynek, he would publish articles, books and make media appearances bashing UFOs. One of the first things he did when taking over the observatory was getting rid of the plates by moving them to the basement, where moisture did the job.
"They were doomed, these plates," said Villarroel. Possibility of a coverup? It cannot be dismissed.
They can't be stars, because stars don't vanish, and they can't be satellites, for the records were made well before the launch of the first manmade satellite. By deduction, the objects were not stars or satellites--but UAP. Since they appear to line up like a string of satellites, they may be traveling in formation. We may in fact be looking at the UFOs that created the flying saucer wave of July 27 and 28, 1952, lining up for a coordinated blitz on Washington, D.C.
Why do so few astronomers report UFOs and UAP? Is the stigma not only present in astronomy, but possibly more powerful than in military circles? But all that is changing, she reported. "I don't want to keep the mystery, I want a solution." Equipped with a Masters in physics and a position in the Black Hole Group at ETH Zurich in Switzerland, Dr. Villarroel continues to explore astronomical imaging with a keen interest in analyzing "UAP cases." Her "most important project" currently involves setting up an array of telescopes in New Mexico to look for flying saucers, triangles and other UFOs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnugxvUWsXI

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Hey everyone, hope all is well! It's my first time selling here! Tried to put together some really dope stuff so I hope y'all enjoy! Get at me for more info or if looking for something specific!
All Records Individually Priced And Graded Below. Please Message Or Comment To Purchase.
$6 Unlimited Shipping USPS Media Mail
-Graded Vinyl/Cover-
Cannonball Adderley And His Orchestra - African Waltz 1961 OG Sealed M/NM $40
Dorothy Ashby - Afro-Harping 2022 RE Sealed M/M $65
Louis Armstrong - Louis Armstrong Meets Oscar Peterson 1960 OG NM/NM $80
Azymuth - Telecommunication 2022 RE Sealed M/M $28
Ron Carter - All Blues 1974 OG Sealed M/M $48
Bobby Caldwell - Bobby Caldwell 1978 OG EX/SVG $42
Miles Davis - Porgy And Bess 1977 RE NM/NM $16
Miles Davis - In Person, At The Blackhawk 1973 RE VG+/NM $16
Miles Davis Sextet - Someday My Prince Will Come 1961 OG VG+/NM $100
Miles Davis - Seven Steps To Heaven 1963 OG SVG/VG+ $28
Alain Goraguer - La Planète Sauvage (Fantastic Planet OST) 2014 EX/NM $48
Johnny Hammond - The Prophet 1973 OG NM/VG+ $10
Al Hirt - Soul In The Horn 1967 OG $22
Steve Marshall - Do What You Will 1978 VG+/VG- $850
Jimmy McGriff - Black And Blues 1972 OG Sealed M/M $48
The Randy Weston Trio - Get Happy With The Randy Weston Trio 1956 VG-/G+ $10
Chet Baker - Baker's Holiday 1965 OG Looks VG- Plays VG/VG+ Cover $45
Chet BakeChristopher Mason - Silent Nights 1986 OG VG+/VG $58
Tony Bennett - The Tony Bennett Bill Evans Album 1975 OG EX/VG+ $16
Miles Davis - Kind Of Blue 2017 EU Blue Vinyl Sealed M/M $18
Paul Desmond - Summertime 1969 OG NM/VG+ $12
The Gil Evans Orchestra - Into The Hot 1974 RE VG+/VG+ $15
Gil Evans And His Orchestra - America's #1 Arranger 1961 RE NM/G+ $7
The Gil Evans Orchestra - Little Wing (Live In Germany) 1982 RE VG+/SVG $5
Buddy DeFranco Quintet - Cooking The Blues 1958 OG VG+/VG $20
Grant Green - Easy 1978 OG VG/SVG $5
Bobby Hutcherson - Now! 1970 OG Looks G+ Plays VG-/VG+ Cover $36
Thelonious Monk - Monk's Moods 2016 EU Sealed M/M $18
Gary McFarland /Gabor Szabo - Simpático G+/VG+ $8
Joe Pass - Virtuoso #2 1977 OG G+/VG+ $5
Lonnie Smith - Think! 1968 OG G+/SVG $10
Gabor Szabo - The Best Of Gabor Szabo 1968 OG EX/EX $12
B.B. King - The Electric B.B. King 1968 OG VG+/VG+ $15
B.B. King - B.B. King In London 1971 OG EX/EX $20
Lil Green - Romance In The Dark 1971 OG VG/G+ $3
John Lee Hooker - The Best Of John Lee Hooker 1962 RE VG+/VG+ $20
Taj Mahal - The Natch'l Blues 1970 RE NM/NM $18
Taj Mahal - Recycling The Blues & Other Related Stuff 1972 OG EX/EX $15
Taj Mahal - Mo' Roots 1974 OG VG+/VG+ $10
Taj Mahal - Music Keeps Me Together 1975 Canada OG NM/EX $15
Various - The Mike Raven Blues Show 1966 UK OG NM/EX $10
Jimmy Reed - T'aint No Big Thing But He Is... 1963 OG G+/VG+ $4
Johnny Guitar Watson - A Real Mother For Ya 1977 OG VG/VG+ $5
Muddy Waters - The Best Of Muddy Waters 2015 RE Europe VG+/NM $18
Muddy Waters - The London Muddy Waters Sessions 2016 RE NM/NM $24
The Bluesmen Of The Muddy Waters Chicago Blues Band - Volume 2 1968 OG VG/G $15
Muddy Waters - Muddy Mississippi Waters Live 1979 OG Looks VG Plays SVG/VG+ Cover $12
Muddy Waters - Hard Again 1977 OG NM/EX $25
Brian Auger's Oblivion Express - Second Wind 1972 Germany VG/VG+ $12
David Buckland & Blackjack Davey - This One's For You 1981 OG EX/NM $28
The Dean Davis Company - IInd Time Around 1969 OG SVG/SVG (Signed) $90
Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade - Live Frogs Set 1 & 2 2020 RE Green Splatter Vinyl NM/NM $45
Faces - Ohh La La 1973 OG SVG/VG+ $15
Phil Flowers - Alpha And Omega 1973 OG VG+/VG+ $80
Franciscan Sisters - Joy 1962 VG+/VG+ $24
Harumi - Harumi 1968 OG VG/VG+ $50
José José - Vive 1974 OG VG+/VG+ $20
Elias Rahbani - Mosaic Of The Orient (Näi, Buzuk & Guitar) 1972 Lebanon OG VG+/NM $150
Middle Tennessee State University- Rimusic III NM/NM 1983 $78
Peanut Butter Conspiracy - For Children Of All Ages 1969 OG VG+/NM $29
Primus - Sailing The Seas Of Cheese 2013 RE M/NM $38
Primus - Pork Soda 2009 RE NM/NM $48
Primus - Antipop 2019 RE Clear Blue Vinyl NM/NM $58
Primus - Primus & The Chocolate Factory With The Fungi Ensemble 2014 Brown Vinyl EX/NM $20
Big L - The Big Picture 2019 2LP RE Clear w White Smoke NM/NM $90
D.I.T.C. - The Official Version 2000 Sealed OG M/M $42
De La Soul - 3 Feet High And Rising 2023 RE Magenta Vinyl Sealed $22
Ben Harper - Fight For Your Mind 2015 RE Red/Green 2LP EX/NM $45
Evelyn "Champagne" King - Smooth Talk 1977 RE VG+/VG+ $5
Kool And The Gang - The Force 1977 OG NM/VG $8
Kool & The Gang - Celebrate! 1980 VG+/EX $6
Kool & The Gang - Emergency 1984 OG EX/VG+ $4
Gloria Jones - Windstorm 1978 OG NM/SVG Signed $28
Al Kooper / Shuggie Otis - Kooper Session 1969 OG VG/VG $14
Method Man/Redman - Blackout! 1999 Europe OG Disc 1: VG+ Disc 2: VG / VG+ Cover $45
The New York Community Choir - Reachin' Out 1982 OG EX/NM $20
Malo - Malo 1972 OG VG/VG+ $10
Malo - Evolution 1973 OG Looks VG- Plays VG / VG+ Cover $6
Malo - Dos 1972 OG VG+/VG+ $7
Sun Ra - Astro Black 1973 OG VG+/VG+ SOLD
Anita Baker - Rapture 1986 OG NM/VG+ $20
D. J. Rogers - It's Good To Be Alive 1975 OG VG-/VG+ $5
Al Gee - Rap N' Rhythm (Programs #233 - 236) 1975 OG VG+/VG+ $15
The Hesitations - The New Born Free 1968 OG NM/NM $12
Syl Johnson - Back For A Taste Of Your Love 1973 OG SVG/SVG $14
Syl Johnson - Total Explosion 1975 OG VG+/VG+ $14
Various - Rosko's Evergreens Back On The Scene 1964 VG/VG+ $4
The Stylistics - Round 2 1972 OG VG+/NM $8
Johnnie Taylor - Super Taylor 1974 OG EX/VG+ $7
Johnnie Taylor - Rated Extraordinaire 1977 OG VG+/NM $6
Johnnie Taylor - Ever Ready 1978 OG EX/NM $7
The Temptations - Live At The Copa 1968 OG VG/VG+ $4
The Temptations - Wish It Would Rain 1968 OG VG+/VG+ $10
Stevie Wonder - Talking Book 1981 Spain RE NM/VG+ $15
Stevie Wonder - Talking Book 1973 OG EX/VG+ $24
Stevie Wonder - Original Musiquarium 1982 White Label Promo VG/SVG $18
Clarence Carter - The Dynamic Clarence Carter 1969 Sealed M/EX $20
Ray Charles - From The Pages Of My Mind 1986 OG VG+/NM $6
Sammy Davis Jr. - Sings What Kind Of Fool Am I And Other Show-Stoppers 1962 RE M/NM $12
Sammy Davis Jr. - Salutes The Stars Of The London Palladium 1964 OG VG/EX $4
Cat Anderson - Ellingtonia 1962 VG-/VG $2
Duke Ellington - Ellington Indigos 1989 RE NM/NM $12
Duke Ellington - The Early Duke Ellington 1968 OG Sealed M/NM $6
Duke Ellington - This Is Duke Ellington 1971 OG Sealed M/NM $8
Duke Ellington & Teresa Brewer - It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing 1981 RE NM/VG+ $5
Louis Armstrong - Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington 1965 RE VG+/VG+ $8
Dizzy Gillespie - 16 Rare Performances 1966 RE VG+/EX $8
Billie Holiday - The Billie Holiday Story 1972 2LP VG+/VG+ $14
Baby Ray - Where Soul Lives 1967 OG Sealed M/NM $10
Django Reinhardt - Django Reinhardt 1967 OG VG+/VG $7
Don Redman And His Orchestra - For Europeans Only 1983 Denmark NM/NM $12
Charlie Parker And His Orchestra - Night And Day 1960 RE VG/VG $8
Ernestine Anderson - When The Sun Goes Down 1985 OG NM/EX $8
George Benson - Breezin' 1976 VG+/VG+ $5
Art Blakey - Gretsch Drum Night At Birdland 1960 OG VG/VG $10
The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Bossa Nova U.S.A. 1963 OG SVG/VG+ $7
Kenny Burrell - Handcrafted 1978 OG VG/VG+ SOLD
The Eddie Costa Quartet - Guys And Dolls Like Vibes 1958 OG VG/VG+ $5
Keith Jarrett - The Köln Concert 1975 OG VG/VG+ $10
John Klemmer - All The Children Cried VG+/VG+ $8
Les McCann Ltd. - Live At Shelly's Manne-Hole RE NM/VG+ $5
The Modern Jazz Quartet - The Last Concert 1975 OG EX/VG+ $6
The Modern Jazz Quartet - The Atlantic Years 1973 VG+/VG+ $6
Johnny Smith - Phase II 1968 OG Sealed M/M $20
Carlos Santana / Alice Coltrane - Illuminations 1974 OG NM/EX $12
Weather Report - Mr. Gone 1978 OG VG+/VG+ $9
Weather Report - Heavy Weather 1977 OG EX/EX $12
Weather Report - Night Passage 1980 OG EX/VG+ $6
AC/DC - Back In Black 1980 OG VG/VG $14
The Beatles - The Beatles (White Album) 2018 RE New $25
Alice Cooper - Alice Cooper's Greatest Hits 2018 EU New $16
The Doors - The Doors 2009 RE New $20
Eagles - Hotel California 2017 EU RE New $18
Eagles - One Of These Nights 1975 OG VG/G+ $4
The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced? 1980s RE VG+/VG- $15
Jimi Hendrix - The Cry Of Love 2014 RE New $16
The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Smash Hits 2016 RE New $16
Led Zeppelin - Untitled IV 2023 RE New Clear Vinyl New $19
Led Zeppelin - Houses Of The Holy 1977 RE VG+/G+ $16
Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti 2015 RE New $24
The Rolling Stones - Flowers 1967 Taiwan Unofficial Red Vinyl VG/VG $20
The Rolling Stones - Their Satanic Majesties Request 1968 Taiwan Unofficial Red Vinyl G+/VG $8
The Rolling Stones - Some Girls 1978 OG VG/VG+ $10
The Rolling Stones - Emotional Rescue 1980 OG SVG/VG- $5
The Rolling Stones - Aftermath Taiwan Unofficial Red Vinyl VG/VG $20
Depeche Mode - Memento Mori 2023 New $22
Bob Dylan - New Morning 1970 OG VG+/VG+ $8
Molly Hatchet - Flirtin' With Disaster 1979 OG VG+/VG+ $6
Heart - Bad Animals 1987 OG NM/NM $8
Jerry Lee Lewis - Southern Roots 1973 OG Sealed M/M $10
The Oak Ridge Boys - Fancy Free Signed 1981 OG VG+/VG+ $8
Dolly Parton - Heartbreaker 1978 OG Sealed M/NM $14
Dolly Parton - Just Because I'm A Woman 1976 OG Sealed M/NM $12
Iron Butterfly - Sun And Steel 1975 OG EX/VG+ $7
Uriah Heep - Salisbury 1971 Germany RE VG/VG+ $7
Jefferson Airplane - The Worst Of Jefferson Airplane 1970 OG VG/VG+ $3
Steely Dan - Can't Buy A Thrill 1972 White Label Promo VG/G $50
The Smashing Pumpkins - Cyr 2020 OG Purple Vinyl New $20
Bruce Springsteen - Chapter And Verse 2016 OG New M/NM $12
Robin Trower - Caravan To Midnight 1978 OG SVG/SVG $5
(Not Pictured)
Obituary - Slowly We Rot 2019 RE France Red Vinyl NM/NM $18
Showbiz & A.G. - Soul Clap EP Promo VG/GEN $28
Earth, Wind & Fire - The Best Of Earth, Wind & Fire Vol. 1 2017 EX/EX $12
Le Pamplemousse - Le Spank 1977 OG (Signed) VG+/VG $18
Ultimate Spinach - Ultimate Spinach 1968 Taiwan Red Vinyl VG/VG+ $16
100 Proof Aged In Soul - 100 Proof VG/VG $12
Peter Brown - Do Ya Wanna Get Funky With Me? 1977 RE EX/EX $8
Lamont Dozier - Black Bach 1974 OG SVG/NM $9
Lonnie Liston Smith - Love Is The Answer 1980 OG VG+/VG+ $18
Lonnie Liston Smith - A Song For The Children 1979 OG VG+/VG+ $8
Stan Getz - Captain Marvel 1975 OG White Label Promo EX/SVG $14
Stan Getz - The Melodic Stan Getz 1965 OG NM/VG+ $5
Stan Getz - What The World Needs Now - Plays Bacharach And David 1968 OG EX/NM $8
Stan Getz - Another World 1978 OG NM/VG+ $10
Wes Montgomery - The Best Of Wes Montgomery 1967 OG VG/VG+ $5
Charli Persip And Superband - In Case You Missed It 1985 Italy OG NM/NM $8
Oscar Peterson - Oscar Peterson 1965 OG SVG/NM $4
Oscar Peterson - Stéphane Grappelli Quartet Vol. 1 1973 France OG NM/EX $8
Don Shirley - Tonal Expressions 1955 OG SVG/VG+ $8

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“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 15^th 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.

Hey yall,
I recently totaled my car and have been looking for my dream vehicle. I want a Denim Blue Volkswagen Beetle, preferably 2012 and up. This car has been difficult to locate and when I do, it often gets sold that day or the next. I found one that is the closest too me, about an hour away. I'm going to look at it on Monday and i want to know if I'm prepared or not. Being a woman who looks very feminine I know ill be subject to upsells and false information by any dealership, and I don't know cars like at all, so I've been reading up about the specific car I'm going to see. I already scheduled check up at a local mechanic in town so they can do the full run down while i have it for my test drive, and since it has been in 2 accidents, one of them listed as 'unknown', to ensure everything checks out. I have notified the dealership that i will be taking it to a mechanic and they seemed to have no problem with that (I'm more so nervous about engine troubles, as some reviews from this dealership state that they bought the vehicle and when they brought it home the engine went out)
Anyway, I was able to talk them down a couple grand in price already, although it still is priced a little above market value (I will be bringing a copy of my Kelley Blue Book market price of the exact vehicle) I have a whole document of questions printed out, as well as the car report they provided me. In my document, I ask for a service history, what they paid for it, what would be my OTD price, if they've done a pre inspection and if so what they found, when was the oil last changed, when were the tires last changed, etc. I am already pre approved for my loan so I would not be financing though the dealership, and my insurance is already figured out. I'm not letting them run my credit since I've been pre approved. I know to not leave my keys or license with them when test driving the vehicle, I plan on bringing my spare keys and I have a printed copy of my drivers license if they want that.
I will only be going with this vehicle if the mechanic gives me a clean bill of health. No one has jumped on this car in 2 months and it may be bc of their bad reviews or that it was priced 5k above market value, which makes me a little nervous as these types of cars go quick. I have been reading up about lemon laws as well, just in case. Now, my current car is being totaled out by insurance, so if i decide to go with this car, I will have to drive my car back home, sign my power of attorney forms and tow the car, then i will get my check from my insurance. I will be asking them if they do holds on vehicles, for how long and what price. I've been reading up online how not to get taken advantage of for the past couple days so I'm hoping i have all the info I need. Please let me know if im doing this correctly or what i should look out for. Also, I will be bringing my boyfriend, who went to school for mechanics.
The last time i bought through a dealership, i had the worst experience ever, so i am a little scared but I will walk away if I get even a hint of uneasiness.

🌿 Detailed Overview:
Critically examines how modern society is increasingly dominated by superficiality and illusion, at the expense of literacy and genuine knowledge. Hedges argues that the pervasive influence of spectacle in media, politics, and culture is leading to the erosion of critical thinking, undermining democracy and creating a populace more susceptible to manipulation and control.
🔍 Key Themes and Insights:
Triumph of Spectacle: Hedges explores how contemporary culture prioritizes spectacle over substance. He illustrates this with examples from reality television, celebrity culture, and sensationalist news, showing how these forms of entertainment overshadow meaningful discourse and critical thought.
Decline of Literacy: The book discusses the decline of literacy and intellectual engagement, attributing this to the dominance of visual media. Hedges argues that the ability to read and think critically is being replaced by passive consumption of entertainment, leading to a more ignorant and easily controlled society.
Illusion of Happiness: Hedges critiques the culture of instant gratification and consumerism, suggesting that it creates an illusion of happiness while masking deeper social and personal issues. He discusses how this illusion is perpetuated by advertising and mass media, promoting superficial values over genuine well-being.
Corporate and Political Manipulation: Examines how corporations and political elites use spectacle to manipulate public perception and maintain power. Hedges argues that by focusing on trivial distractions, these entities divert attention from significant social, economic, and political issues.
Impact on Democracy: Warns that the triumph of spectacle undermines democracy by eroding the informed citizenry necessary for its functioning. He discusses how the media's focus on entertainment over substantive reporting weakens public debate and accountability.
Culture of Illusion: Delves into the creation of a culture of illusion, where the distinction between reality and appearance is blurred. Hedges explores how this affects various aspects of life, including education, relationships, and personal identity.
Resistance and Hope: Despite his bleak assessment, Hedges offers insights into how individuals can resist the culture of illusion. He emphasizes the importance of fostering literacy, critical thinking, and authentic human connections as ways to combat the pervasive influence of spectacle.
Philosophical and Historical Context: Hedges situates his critique within a broader philosophical and historical context, drawing on thinkers like Aldous Huxley and Neil Postman to highlight the longstanding concerns about the impact of media and technology on society.
Audience Takeaway:
"Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle" is a powerful and provocative critique of contemporary culture. Chris Hedges' analysis provides a compelling argument for the need to prioritize literacy and critical thinking in an age dominated by spectacle and superficiality. This book is essential for readers interested in media studies, cultural criticism, and the defense of democratic values.
💌 Your Experiences and Reflections:
Have you observed the impact of spectacle on public discourse and personal life? How has Chris Hedges' analysis in "Empire of Illusion" influenced your perspective on the role of media and culture in shaping society? Share your reflections on the challenges and opportunities for fostering literacy and critical thinking in an age of spectacle. Let’s discuss the insights and actions necessary to resist the culture of illusion and promote a more informed and engaged citizenry.
​

• Purchase

“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 15^th 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.

My girl and I were in VIP section in “ KINETIC Field”

1. I noticed 1 small Asian dude with a black backpack looked like phones sticking out. He was in all black no vip wrist band walking around not fitting in. It looked like phones sticking out of his zipped backpack. He was 4 ft.10-4ft11.
   
2. After I started telling people they obv didn’t care then I noticed another little Asian girl 4ft10. All black, black scarf over her head, with a hat, no wristband. Didn’t fit in. Then her dumbass I caught her red handed trying to steal my girls phone and I put her in her place and told her to get the fuck out before things get serious. She smiled like an idiot.
   

• Both small Asian cholo looking

1. Then the real shit got exposed, second we turned away I quickly looked back and she threw her hand up and reported back to 2 white females. Super sexy, blonde hair with red mesh outfit & the second one with a black leather outfit. I confronted them and told them telling them I’m going to report them. They told me they were friends, like idiots that was insane! 2 insanely gorgeous girls calling a phone stealer that reported back to them her friend - no way possible and they had no wristbands. Than one of them was shaking scared and they all booked it.
   
2. How the hell did they get through the scanner? Inside mother fuckin job.
   They didn’t have vip wristbands either. Total inside job, good job insomniac well done keep giving your “workers” that freedom and leverage. I told them the petty ones in ga is just a distraction to your well organized phone crime. They probably are at every vip section: 2 females potentially more watching. Hired little people almost looked like children stealing phones and reporting back. Stay safe only one insomniac person cared.
   

The ones that get caught are a distraction compared to this one they most likely have a “different exit” or they are not assuming they are female based. - How do you let that slide or enter?
You see anything like that call them out, because I’ll sure as hell put them in a full Nelson or in a embarrassing wrestling move next time and carry their ass to the police. This was at 3:00-3:45am. Trust me they will not be able to get out of it. Watch out fam!

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I never believed in monsters, but the events of last week made me question those beliefs to a great extent.
The job seemed pretty simple at first: some people saw a strange creature in the woods and the mayor of their little no name town was willing to pay me for taking it down. He offered me 5000 dollars for shooting what was probably just a mangy bear, I’d be a fool for turning him down. Besides, he even paid me half of it in advance AND offered to lend me the keys to a private bungalow near the forest, to make my stay more comfortable. It took some time for the keys to arrive (postal services be damned), but after about a week it was time for me to head out. I packed my rifle, ammunition and some clothes and got in my truck. This would be the job of a lifetime.
When I arrived at the town, there were no signs of life. I chalked it up to it being 11 PM on a Tuesday, but even so, you’d expect at least a few lights to be on, right? Nevertheless, I continued driving until I reached my “home” for the coming few days.
The bungalow was small, it looked more like a cabin. Then again, I wasn’t here for a vacation anyways, I was here to work. As I tried unlocking the front door, I noticed it was already open. Strange, I thought to myself, but nothing unusual. It’s not like you’d have to worry about people breaking into your house in a small town in bumfuck nowhere.
Once inside, I threw my bag on the floor and plopped down onto a chair. It was a long drive, and I was tired. After grabbing a beer from my bag I began to mentally prepare for the days to come. Tomorrow, I would visit the mayor and ask for any leads of their “creature’s” whereabouts, after which I would spend the remainder of the day scouring the forest for any tracks. If my hunt wasn’t successful by then I would simply try again the day after. Easy job, easy plan and easy money. I finished my beer and decided to go to bed.
That night, I was awoken by my stomach’s inability to digest alcohol. I rushed to the bathroom while vomit started to work its way up my throat. Sadly, I was too late, and now the bathroom door was covered in beer and the half-digested sandwiches I had the day before. I cussed for a while, thinking about how stupid this whole situation was. Sure, my body had not been the same since the accident, but I never had trouble drinking before. After sitting there for a while I went searching for something to clean up my work of art. A thorough inspection of the bungalow led me to a closet, where I finally found a mop and went to town on my stomach’s content.
I was humming a little song to help lighten up my mood, but when I heard someone humming back to me from outside my whole demeanor changed. I quit cleaning immediately and snuck over to my backpack. As soon as I did that, the humming stopped and was replaced by a man’s voice.
“Sorry… Didn’t want to startle you there… Buddy!” the mysterious man said, with no discernable emotion in his voice.
I sat in silence, loading my rifle while I listened to the man outside. Sure, it was no bear, but random people hanging around your place in the middle of the night rarely spell good news. I waited for him to start speaking again, but he did not resume talking, no matter how long I sat there in silence. An hour had passed and still he had not said a word. I figured it was probably just a local drunk that found his way to the cabin, heard me hum, hummed along like a merry drunk guy would and then left because why not. Drunk guys do what drunk guys do. After coming up with this rational explanation, I went to sleep again, thinking about how weird that whole situation had been.
When I woke up in the morning my stomach pain was gone. I got out of bed, packed my stuff and headed to my truck. I noticed the scratches on the truck almost immediately. I remember thinking that it must have been that drunk guy from the night before and that I would make him pay for this if I ever saw him again. Angrily, I got in the car and drove over to the town hall. On my way there, I once again noticed the lack of people in the street. The road being empty on a Tuesday night made perfect sense, but not even one person having to drive to work on a Wednesday morning? That’s suspicious, and it should have been one of the many things that should’ve made me reconsider the job. My car needed a new paint job though, and even then, I’ve always been a stubborn bastard. As I drove, I thought I saw someone move behind a building in my rear view mirror, but I didn’t get a clear view of the person. I felt happy to see that there actually were people in this town, so I continued my drive.
When I got to the town hall the first thing I noticed was the broken window. That drunk guy must’ve vandalized more than just my truck, I thought at the moment. I got out of my car and walked up to the front door, which was open, and entered the building. Upon walking into the entrance hall I was met by a rotten smell. My vomit would’ve been all over the floor if it hadn’t been for my little adventure yesterday, that’s how bad it was. It smelled like a mixture of dead animals, fermenting plants and rotting milk. I considered turning around and leaving right then and there, but I decided to at least try to talk to the mayor, to find out what was going on. Curiosity killed the cat, I thought, but I was no cat. Stupid as I was, I didn’t bother going back to the car to get my rifle. What was the worst thing that could happen? Against better judgment, I went to search for the mayor.
When I found him, his body was lying on the floor, completely dead. He was missing an arm and his face. His torso had been ripped to shreds. His office had been completely ruined too, with random office supplies and some antique vases lying scattered on the floor, along with a picture of the mayor and his wife. Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, I heard a familiar voice coming from the hallway: the drunk guy from last night.
“Hey… I know you’re in here somewhere… Dude,” he said, his voice still as monotone as before.
His footsteps were heavy, growing louder with every step as he got closer and closer. Along with his footsteps, the sound of something being dragged across the floor could be heard. I even heard his breathing, heavy and labored, as he neared the mayor’s office. Suddenly, all of the sounds stopped. I knew he was right outside the door, waiting for me to make a move. I just sat there, regretting my choice of not taking my rifle with me. Then I realized something. I realized that I’m a 6’3 foot man who weighs 250 pounds and also used to be a boxer in his younger years. I got up with my fists ready to throw some punches and decided to make this man regret screwing with my car. I could hear the man scratching at the wall as I neared the door.
“Found you!” he yelled, his voice sounding more guttural than before.
I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder as my aggressor knocked me to the floor, followed by the warm sensation of blood flowing out of my wound. I remember thinking that the bastard had stabbed me.
The man jumped at me before I was able to regain my balance, forcing me to roll to the side to avoid him. That’s when I noticed that this “man” wasn’t a person at all. At the moment, all I could see was something vaguely bipedal, hunched over a bit and covered in long black fur. What I thought had been a knife were actually a set of long claws on each hand.
The creature began to turn towards me, and I took this as my sign to move. I picked up a vase that was lying next to me and threw it at the monster, hitting it straight in the head. Then I got up in an instant and booked it. As I was running, I could hear the creature following me closely behind. Its roars became more and more animalistic with each passing second, clearly enraged from my attempt to fight back. I practically jumped down the stairs, nearly breaking my legs in the process, after which I continued my sprint towards the door. Without thinking twice I just busted through the surprisingly weak door.
Once outside, I noticed more creatures coming at me in the corner of my eyes. Filled with adrenaline, I ran to my truck, got inside and started the engine. That’s when the creature from earlier came falling down in the parking space right next to me. The bastard had jumped through the first floor’s window. When it got up, I finally got a good look at the thing. The thing that I heard it drag across the floor was its tail, and the things that stabbed me and scratched my car were the massive claws on its hands. Yet the thing that got me the most, the thing that will forever haunt my dreams, was its face. Or, to put it in better words, the contorted face of a man, plastered over its head. It was the same face I saw on the mayor’s picture.
I stepped on the gas and floored it. While driving, I noticed more and more creatures started to give chase, each one wearing a different face. I drove as fast as I could until they were all out of sight and I had left the town. Even then, I did not drop my speed, probably committing multiple traffic violations as I drove. But I did not care. The stuff I saw there was way above my paygrade, and I wanted to get as far away from it as possible. I drove for hours, only stopping to tank my car.
This incident happened a few days ago. Currently, I’m still in the hospital, waiting for the wound in my shoulder to heal. The doctors say I’m lucky that I can still move my arm. Sure, I’m happy to be alive, but life isn’t all sunshine and rainbows for me. I’ve racked up more debt than the 2500 dollars can pay and as if that wasn’t enough, men in black suits have been interviewing me ever since I got here. So if you’re reading this, please just remember one thing: if some guy offers you 5000 dollars just to shoot a bear, stay away. Because there’s no way in hell those things were bears.

I never believed in monsters, but the events of last week made me question those beliefs to a great extent.
The job seemed pretty simple at first: some people saw a strange creature in the woods and the mayor of their little no name town was willing to pay me for taking it down. He offered me 5000 dollars for shooting what was probably just a mangy bear, I’d be a fool for turning him down. Besides, he even paid me half of it in advance AND offered to lend me the keys to a private bungalow near the forest, to make my stay more comfortable. It took some time for the keys to arrive (postal services be damned), but after about a week it was time for me to head out. I packed my rifle, ammunition and some clothes and got in my truck. This would be the job of a lifetime.
When I arrived at the town, there were no signs of life. I chalked it up to it being 11 PM on a Tuesday, but even so, you’d expect at least a few lights to be on, right? Nevertheless, I continued driving until I reached my “home” for the coming few days.
The bungalow was small, it looked more like a cabin. Then again, I wasn’t here for a vacation anyways, I was here to work. As I tried unlocking the front door, I noticed it was already open. Strange, I thought to myself, but nothing unusual. It’s not like you’d have to worry about people breaking into your house in a small town in bumfuck nowhere.
Once inside, I threw my bag on the floor and plopped down onto a chair. It was a long drive, and I was tired. After grabbing a beer from my bag I began to mentally prepare for the days to come. Tomorrow, I would visit the mayor and ask for any leads of their “creature’s” whereabouts, after which I would spend the remainder of the day scouring the forest for any tracks. If my hunt wasn’t successful by then I would simply try again the day after. Easy job, easy plan and easy money. I finished my beer and decided to go to bed.
That night, I was awoken by my stomach’s inability to digest alcohol. I rushed to the bathroom while vomit started to work its way up my throat. Sadly, I was too late, and now the bathroom door was covered in beer and the half-digested sandwiches I had the day before. I cussed for a while, thinking about how stupid this whole situation was. Sure, my body had not been the same since the accident, but I never had trouble drinking before. After sitting there for a while I went searching for something to clean up my work of art. A thorough inspection of the bungalow led me to a closet, where I finally found a mop and went to town on my stomach’s content.
I was humming a little song to help lighten up my mood, but when I heard someone humming back to me from outside my whole demeanor changed. I quit cleaning immediately and snuck over to my backpack. As soon as I did that, the humming stopped and was replaced by a man’s voice.
“Sorry… Didn’t want to startle you there… Buddy!” the mysterious man said, with no discernable emotion in his voice.
I sat in silence, loading my rifle while I listened to the man outside. Sure, it was no bear, but random people hanging around your place in the middle of the night rarely spell good news. I waited for him to start speaking again, but he did not resume talking, no matter how long I sat there in silence. An hour had passed and still he had not said a word. I figured it was probably just a local drunk that found his way to the cabin, heard me hum, hummed along like a merry drunk guy would and then left because why not. Drunk guys do what drunk guys do. After coming up with this rational explanation, I went to sleep again, thinking about how weird that whole situation had been.
When I woke up in the morning my stomach pain was gone. I got out of bed, packed my stuff and headed to my truck. I noticed the scratches on the truck almost immediately. I remember thinking that it must have been that drunk guy from the night before and that I would make him pay for this if I ever saw him again. Angrily, I got in the car and drove over to the town hall. On my way there, I once again noticed the lack of people in the street. The road being empty on a Tuesday night made perfect sense, but not even one person having to drive to work on a Wednesday morning? That’s suspicious, and it should have been one of the many things that should’ve made me reconsider the job. My car needed a new paint job though, and even then, I’ve always been a stubborn bastard. As I drove, I thought I saw someone move behind a building in my rear view mirror, but I didn’t get a clear view of the person. I felt happy to see that there actually were people in this town, so I continued my drive.
When I got to the town hall the first thing I noticed was the broken window. That drunk guy must’ve vandalized more than just my truck, I thought at the moment. I got out of my car and walked up to the front door, which was open, and entered the building. Upon walking into the entrance hall I was met by a rotten smell. My vomit would’ve been all over the floor if it hadn’t been for my little adventure yesterday, that’s how bad it was. It smelled like a mixture of dead animals, fermenting plants and rotting milk. I considered turning around and leaving right then and there, but I decided to at least try to talk to the mayor, to find out what was going on. Curiosity killed the cat, I thought, but I was no cat. Stupid as I was, I didn’t bother going back to the car to get my rifle. What was the worst thing that could happen? Against better judgment, I went to search for the mayor.
When I found him, his body was lying on the floor, completely dead. He was missing an arm and his face. His torso had been ripped to shreds. His office had been completely ruined too, with random office supplies and some antique vases lying scattered on the floor, along with a picture of the mayor and his wife. Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, I heard a familiar voice coming from the hallway: the drunk guy from last night.
“Hey… I know you’re in here somewhere… Dude,” he said, his voice still as monotone as before.
His footsteps were heavy, growing louder with every step as he got closer and closer. Along with his footsteps, the sound of something being dragged across the floor could be heard. I even heard his breathing, heavy and labored, as he neared the mayor’s office. Suddenly, all of the sounds stopped. I knew he was right outside the door, waiting for me to make a move. I just sat there, regretting my choice of not taking my rifle with me. Then I realized something. I realized that I’m a 6’3 foot man who weighs 250 pounds and also used to be a boxer in his younger years. I got up with my fists ready to throw some punches and decided to make this man regret screwing with my car. I could hear the man scratching at the wall as I neared the door.
“Found you!” he yelled, his voice sounding more guttural than before.
I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder as my aggressor knocked me to the floor, followed by the warm sensation of blood flowing out of my wound. I remember thinking that the bastard had stabbed me.
The man jumped at me before I was able to regain my balance, forcing me to roll to the side to avoid him. That’s when I noticed that this “man” wasn’t a person at all. At the moment, all I could see was something vaguely bipedal, hunched over a bit and covered in long black fur. What I thought had been a knife were actually a set of long claws on each hand.
The creature began to turn towards me, and I took this as my sign to move. I picked up a vase that was lying next to me and threw it at the monster, hitting it straight in the head. Then I got up in an instant and booked it. As I was running, I could hear the creature following me closely behind. Its roars became more and more animalistic with each passing second, clearly enraged from my attempt to fight back. I practically jumped down the stairs, nearly breaking my legs in the process, after which I continued my sprint towards the door. Without thinking twice I just busted through the surprisingly weak door.
Once outside, I noticed more creatures coming at me in the corner of my eyes. Filled with adrenaline, I ran to my truck, got inside and started the engine. That’s when the creature from earlier came falling down in the parking space right next to me. The bastard had jumped through the first floor’s window. When it got up, I finally got a good look at the thing. The thing that I heard it drag across the floor was its tail, and the things that stabbed me and scratched my car were the massive claws on its hands. Yet the thing that got me the most, the thing that will forever haunt my dreams, was its face. Or, to put it in better words, the contorted face of a man, plastered over its head. It was the same face I saw on the mayor’s picture.
I stepped on the gas and floored it. While driving, I noticed more and more creatures started to give chase, each one wearing a different face. I drove as fast as I could until they were all out of sight and I had left the town. Even then, I did not drop my speed, probably committing multiple traffic violations as I drove. But I did not care. The stuff I saw there was way above my paygrade, and I wanted to get as far away from it as possible. I drove for hours, only stopping to tank my car.
This incident happened a few days ago. Currently, I’m still in the hospital, waiting for the wound in my shoulder to heal. The doctors say I’m lucky that I can still move my arm. Sure, I’m happy to be alive, but life isn’t all sunshine and rainbows for me. I’ve racked up more debt than the 2500 dollars can pay and as if that wasn’t enough, men in black suits have been interviewing me ever since I got here. So if you’re reading this, please just remember one thing: if some guy offers you 5000 dollars just to shoot a bear, stay away. Because there’s no way in hell those things were bears.