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exorciseyourspirit · 4 years

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Backroom Business|| Natalia and Rebecca

Everything comes with a cost.

Rebecca was running out of time. He was coming to take control of her, and she hadn't made any progress on finding whatever it was he'd come to town for. Then again, it was hard to know. All she knew is that it could help stop him, and whatever it was he was trying to do. She had some ideas about what he might be up to, or be trying to do, but she, admittedly, needed help. And she was desperate. That's what had led her to Castillo's Crafts. She'd heard that this was the place to go for information on the more...dark underside of White Crest. When she stepped in, she could already feel the dark energy wafting around the place-- or maybe that was just her normal sense going off. She slunk up to the counter, glancing around. "Hello?" she called out, a bit tentative, but keeping herself closed off and attentive. If there were going to be answers here, then she was going to get them.

Natalia had been busy. With the string of stranger than usual events going on around town, her business had been booming. Keeping supply up had meant cutting corners on the efficacy of certain ingredients - but her no refund policy had kept her mostly immune from angry customers. They got what they paid for, as far as she was concerned. Her counter was littered with receipts and account books, illuminated with the soft glow of candles and small lamps scattered through the store. She liked to keep it dark, so people couldn't scrutinize the items too hard. It was important to know what was selling quickly so she could restock as fast as possible. So absorbed in her work, she hardly noticed the quiet 'Hello?' from the front of the shop. Natalia gave a polite nod in response, gesturing around the whole store. "Have a look around, let me know if you need any help."

The woman who answered was hidden among stacks of papers and candles, books and lamps obscuring her from the full view of the front of the shop. Rebecca was not a shy one, but something about this place made her spine chill. Still, she moved forward through the aisles and over to the counter, holding herself up. Show no fear, and all that. "I do need help, actually," she said as she approached the counter. There was no one else in the shop, and she would stoop to lowering her voice as if she suspected someone might out her. Her eyes wandered the counters. Nothing too out of the ordinary or obvious up here, of course. Steeling herself, she looked back at the woman behind the counter, before pulling out the small vial of phoenix ash she'd brought as a bargaining chip. It had been in his stuff, and Rebecca hadn't bothered to ask him where he'd gotten it from-- and if he was going to play dirty, well, so was she. "I need information that I've heard someone like you might...know more about. Something more..." she glanced behind the woman, "black market."

Natalia was instantly peeved at the immediate request for help. The annoyed look flitted across her face for a brief moment, replaced with her calm and serene customer service smile. "Of course, what can I do for you?" She replied, turning her full attention away from work. The woman seemed out of place - well-to-do, straight laced...not the type that she would expect to see on Amity Road. Interesting. Natalia saw the vial she pulled out and couldn't hide the intrigued gleam in her eye. Along with her request for "black market" information it was very interesting indeed. "Are you looking for information on that substance you have there?" Natalia wanted to play it coy, and test the waters before jumping in for an actual illegal deal. The last thing she needed was some scribe or witch hunter on her ass.

"No," Rebecca said back immediately, giving the woman an even glare. "I know what this is. It's Phoenix ash. And it's a bribe." The words left her mouth easily, but her soul rattled. Something like a deep chuckle inside her head went off. She couldn't think about that now. She needed all the help she could get, and if this place didn't have answers, then she'd find them elsewhere. "I need information on a very powerful magical object that may be here in White Crest." She drew in a breath. "I can pay. But I need to find it fast." Because time was running out. Rebecca shifted from foot to foot, hoping that this wasn't just a dead end. That maybe someone here actually knew what a Dybbuk, an old demon, thousands of years old, could possibly be afraid of. Because she didn't know, and she'd been 'round the world twice.

Natalia smiled in response, a bit taken aback but pleasantly so. "That's an incredibly generous bribe. I usually take a simple cash or credit payment." She sat up a bit straighter, listening more intently as the woman outlined what she was actually looking for. The woman seemed on edge, clearly agitated. Was this a matter of immediate emergency? If so, she'd be disappointed by what Natalia had to offer. "There's many magical objects in this town, many of those quite valuable or powerful. I'm afraid you'll have to be more specific." Her thoughts immediately jumped to mysterious chest that had washed up on shore several weeks ago, but that had been quite the public event - surely she would have heard about and already ruled that out?

Rebecca withdrew the bottle. She wasn't going to give it up if the woman in question didn't have good enough answers. "Yes, well," she gave a tight-lipped smile, "I'm nothing if not generous." She didn't enjoy being here, talking to someone who clearly ran in the same circles as the thing inside of her. But that's what last ditch efforts were about, right? At least it wasn't some Scribe. "This one would be...old. Older than this town, this country, even. It's likely from Israel or the Middle-East." She felt something stir inside of her. Could he hear them? She paused a moment, waited-- let out a breath. "I wish I knew more about it. All I know is that someone powerful and old is looking for it. It may have something to do with either binding souls or...the nature of Dybbuks."

Natalia leaned forward, propping up her chin on her hand as she listened. She couldn't help the surprised eyebrow raise as her guest laid all the cards on the table. "A dybbuk?" She repeated, thoroughly intrigued. "There's a dybbuk in town?" The barely disguised hint of greed in her voice betrayed her worse intentions, but she doubted it would matter. Natalia thought she could dangle the barest bit of information she had, get the ashes, and keep the woman on the line for updates about the Dybbuk. "I'm not sure how recently you've come to town, but there was a chest that washed up on shore a few weeks ago. It clearly caused some large scale mayhem and general curses, and it did seem ancient. I tend to avoid things that reek of evil curses so I've never seen it person, but I do know someone who actually opened it." She made a pointed look at the vial of ashes in her hand, before continuing, "I could send you their way."

Rebecca's brow furrowed. "I know about the chest, and I know that it was opened, but I'm not interested in that," she said sharply, standing up a little straighter. If this witch didn't have any information, then she was worthless to Rebecca, and her contact had once again led her astray. "Whatever this thing is looking for, it was here long before that chest was. May have even first showed up a couple years ago?" Two, specifically, but the words felt almost painful to think, let alone say. Two years since her lover had been killed. Two years since her life had gone to pieces. Rebecca shook her head. "Do you know anyone or anything that has to do with dybbuks in town or not? I can take my business elsewhere." By which she meant, her ash and her money.

Natalia frowned at the turn in the conversation, sure she was about to lose the sale and the ash. Fine, so she did know about the chest. That was a softball anyway. "A dybbuk would be looking to finish some business left unattended, as I'm sure you know. If you were able to tell me more about the dybbuk in question, I'm sure I could be more help." She looked over at the darkened windows, as dark as midnight at 6pm. "Obviously, a lot of weird and mysterious events go on in this town, it would be difficult to narrow it down for you." Natalia wasn't necessarily desperate for this sale, but if she could snag it she would like to. What's one little white lie to get the phoenix ash and then do some research to get back to her with? "Yes, fine," She gave an exasperated sigh as if she was giving up sensitive information. "I do have an exorcist I use from time to time when I need the service, he's local and very well versed in heinous spirits of the area. I can give you his contact info."

Rebecca furrowed her brow. "He's old. Very old and very powerful. I think he's looking for something regarding...souls, possibly." She steadied herself, looking at the other woman with a stern eye. "If you're talking about Nigel Walsh, I already know him. But if not, then no. I don't want any other exorcists getting involved in this. It's--" she stopped herself. Too dangerous revealed too much. "My business." She held up the ash once again. It was looking more and more like this woman didn't have any information Rebecca could use, but her desperation was growing. "I just need a lead. Anything. One thing."

"Souls..." Natalia mulled the small tidbit over in her head. That was interesting - a dybbuk looking for a soul? She was finding herself more and more intrigued by the woman the further they went down the line of questioning. "Very well, you're covered on the exorcist front." She knew of Walsh, though he wasn't her contact, but she wasn't going to push buttons on an already flighty mark. "Of course, your business is yours." Natalia was a consummate professional, of course. "I have heard some chatter." She leaned forward, conspiratorially, dropping her voice. "Just rumor, but reliable sources. An object floating around the black market - passed around as collateral for arms deals or dangerous creature sales. It must be worth a lot for so much blood to be shed over it. Last I heard, the Ring was involved, trying to procure a chupucabra."

The look on the other woman's face sent a slight chill up Rebecca's spine. She wasn't sure she quite like the way her intrigue grew the more they talked. She'd known coming in that whoever was waiting for her in this shop wasn't exactly the most...kosher of people, but taking an interest in a Dybbuk's business was a dark line to cross. There was a small relief in the promise of discretion, though Rebecca was sure it would only extend as far as her wallet could make it. Rebecca leaned forward when the other woman did, her heart beginning to pick up its pace. Was this a lead? Was this going to actually pay off? "The Ring? That place is still--" she paused, shook her head. That wasn't her focus right now. She needed to solve this before she could let herself worry about the affairs of the rest of the world. "So, someone at the ring might have this something? You're sure? How can I get in?"

"As far as I know, it hasn't moved since the deal at the Ring." Natalia was blindly poking holes at rumors and heresy she'd heard about town, with little to no factual evidence to back her story up. But, if she wasn't the best damn liar on Amity Road, what was she still doing in business, really? "Easy enough to get in, if you wave things like that around." She motioned to the vial of ash the woman was still clutching. If she had access to bits and bobs like that, she could easily get VIP at the Ring. "Just lead the owner on that you may have 'something' they want, get yourself a tour of the place, ask all your questions." Nat shrugged, it would be easy. "They're always looking for new blood, if you catch my drift..."

The Ring wasn't a place that anyone really wanted to just "end up", but if someone there had what Rebecca needed, then this would be a necessary trip. She stood back, finally, satisfied though tentative, with the answers this witch had provided. Slowly, she set the vial down on the counter in front of her and gave her a stern look. "Thank you," she said after a moment. "I appreciate your discretion, as well," she added on, knowing that neither of them had spoken about discretion, but knowing that the words, though not an outright threat, would show the other woman that she was serious. "If I find myself in this sort of position again, I'll make sure to come here first." She felt a shiver run through her, unsure if it was the promise of the words that chilled her bones, or the thing inside of her wanting to get out, before turning to head for the door.

Natalia grabbed up the vial quickly, inspecting under the light with all the scrutiny of a jeweler assessing a diamond. "Of course." She responded, satisfied with her payment, and pleased with the direction this exchange had ultimately gone in. "Client confidentiality is valued highly here, rest assured." The deal was done, Nat gave a small wave as the woman left. She'd be waiting for this one to return, and doing some research on her own for whatever mystery object she was looking for. It must be valuable for her to go to such lengths. How could she pass that up?

#chatzy #chatzy: natalia #natalia #dr jekyll #backroom business

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korkrunchcereal · 6 years

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The Red Dahlia

(Find the previous part here)

It took the better part of that afternoon to find even a scrap of information on the Red Dahlia. Valkorius’ recommended inns and brothels from ten thousand years ago had proved to be almost entirely dated. Very few still remained, far less than either Valkorius or Aurelian had hoped for. It was nearly a dozen such establishments until a clue was finally given from one particularly garrulous innkeeper who had insisted Aurelian and Valkorius stay for the house wine. It nearly made Aurelian gag, though he stomached it well enough to satisfy the innkeeper.

The information on the Red Dahlia had cost the two the wine’s price, which was undoubtedly overpriced and was something Aurelian begrudgingly paid for using the few gold coins he had on his clothing. He was near penniless here in Suramar save for three gold coins, but he had a lead. The Red Dahlia used to frequent a brothel known as the Bountiful Boudoir which was according to the innkeeper nearby. Indeed, several frequent stayers of the inn often visited the brothel to partake in its ‘selections’. With mutters of overpriced swill Aurelian left with Valkorius in tow, stepping out into a chill wind. Aurelian shuddered, stifling a yawn as he realized it was nearing dusk.

“Do you know where we’re going?” Aurelian said aloud as his yawn ended, looking to Valkorius as he exited the dimly lit inn. So far the Indaris progenitor had been mostly silent, his silver eyes narrowed in thought. The man nodded, waving a hand down the street from where they had originally come from.

“It is a short walk from here, though we must be wary.”

“Wary? What for? The street is deserted.”

“Precisely. We saw quite a large number of guards and demons nearer to the palace, but here on the outskirt? Deserted of guard forces save a few scattered patrols here or there. They’ve abandoned it to the rebel forces, which means more dangerous elements may be prowling.”

“Well I don’t have a weapon, so it doesn’t matter if we’re attacked or not anyways. Plus, my shoulder still aches from the damn bolt. There’s not much I am able to do apart from some quick spells.” Valkorius simply stared at Aurelian before moving rapidly, forcing Aurelian to jog briefly to catch up.

“Has my lineage really weaned out the magical prowess of our people to such a degree that it cannot defend itself unarmed?” Aurelian curled his lip in annoyance at the perceived insult.

“Seven thousand years can do that. Unfortunately, my father was not so magically inclined, nor his father before him. It grew weaker in our blood shortly after the Troll Wars; marriages with lesser nobles amongst some of my ancestors will do that.”

“The Troll Wars…was that not a few thousand years ago?” Aurelian gave him an incredulous look, until he remembered Valkorius had not actually lived in Quel’thalas in seven millennia. He was more surprised Valkorius had heard of the event, though surmised it was due to either supposed rebel contacts or his rescuers on the Isle.

“Yes, but our family began marrying light practitioners over those of the arcane. The former was reportedly of ‘lesser men’, but that may be simply altered history. Either way, it was eventually bred out with knowledge of the light replacing it. We still hold our inherent gift with the arcane, but-“

“But my family is no longer masters of it.” Aurelian went silent for a moment, before nodding.

“Correct. It is an unfortunate imperfection on our house. Now, as for being unable to defend myself I will be perfectly fine. It’s not the first time I’ve been unarmed.”

“I suppose we shall see. Look, there.” Valkorius pointed ahead to a rather plain building. “Our brothel, if the innkeeper’s words are to be believed.”

“For the price I paid, they better be believed. “ The two walked ahead, Aurelian looking u pat the sign hanging from the door. Sure enough in faded gold letters it said The Bountiful Boudoir, with the image of a winking Nightborne woman’s face right below. Already Aurelian could hear raised voices inside, and as Valkorius opened the door which creaked in the motion, he saw why it was so loud. Aurelian gave Valkorius a hard look, whispering to him. “Abandoned hmm?”

The brothel was full of Nightborne, at least ten in total. Among them were both beautiful women and men offering their ‘unique’ services, a rather dour looking bouncer who eyed the two as they entered with a wary look, and what looked to be four guards chatting with themselves as they drank, or trying to buy the services of the brothel’s workers. Strangely there was a tension in the air, as if the brothel occupants feared every guards movements. Judging from the glances they gave to the guards, that was certainly the case.

“Aurelian,” Valkorius muttered as they made their way in, ignoring the looks the guards gave, “We have to play this carefully. These guards complicate matters…if they overhear us looking for the Red Dahlia they may interfere.”

“They’re here to escape conflict and the horrors of life, or in this case perhaps escaping duty. If we don’t interrupt their pleasure, we should be fine. Let’s just make our way to the desk and ask a few questions.” Valkorius did not respond, simply sliding his way past a woman dressed in little more than a string of silk around her ‘assets’. The woman mumbled something to Valkorius but he ignored it as he approached the desk.

“Can I help you gentlemen.” A rather dry, feminine voice called from a door behind the desk. An eldery woman stepped out from the doorframe, sauntering slowly. Aurelian looked down at the desk, noticing a leather book. “Please, feel free to browse. If you wish the services of one of our courtesans tonight, do let me know.”

Aurelian flipped open the book casually, feigning interest. There was artistic renditions of the courtesans, undoubtedly accentuating certain attributes. All of the individuals were of course beautiful, their names labelled beneath. He paused over one woman’s image, tilting his head. He turned around, looking at the courtesans present. This one wasn’t there.

“Ah yes, miss Cyrenia is currently…unavailable.” There was a slight pause that both Aurelian and Valkorius caught, though they did not press the issue.

“Actually, I have a question concerning someone that’s not a courtesan.” Valkorius stated. Aurelian closed the book then softly, tilting his head back to see if the guards were paying attention. They weren’t, instead now being led up a flight of stairs by the hand by both male and female courtesans. The woman that had tried to get Valkorius attention was the only one remaining, who now eyed Aurelian with a hungry look.

“Oh? What can Madam Elanor help you with, my lord?” The elderly woman placed both hands on the desk, tapping long, fake fingernails against the wood.

“I am looking for a woman; a friend if you will. She has gone missing and I’ve started to grow worried.” Madam Elanor had a strange look for a moment, her tapping stopping. “I was told by another innkeeper she used to frequent here. Aldronya, if you’ve heard the name.”

“Lots of men and women frequent this establishment, my lord. To remember the name would be somewhat impossible.” Aurelian noticed one of her hands was moving behind the desk now, ears perking as he heard the sounds of the guards ‘rigorous’ activities occurring above. Valkorius also noticed it, though did not react.

“Perhaps a physical description is in order. My friend here can describe her much better than I can. Lord Woodborne?” Aurelian blinked in surprise, though quickly collected himself.

“Yes, she has dark brunette hair, a scar across her nose; quite tall of course, and rather gifted in…certain regards.” Aurelian spotted the flat look Valkorius gave from the corner of his eyes. “And has a tattoo around her wrist. Red lines, leading to a flower.” He had guessed that last bit; he never saw the tattoo, though assumed with a name like the Red Dahlia it was the flower of her namesake. It seemed the description brought some form of recognition, for the madam narrowed her eyes.

“I am afraid I must ask you both to leave my establishment.” She looked behind Valkorius, giving a nod towards someone. Aurelian turned, sighing as the bouncer pushed himself off the wall he was leaning, drawing forward with fists clenched. Valkorius did not turn however, instead leaning against the desk.

“Madam, I can make it worth the information for our friend.”

“Don’t make me repeat myself sir. If you do not leave willingly, Erasmus will make you leave by force.” Aurelian heard the bouncer crack his knuckles, turning his body fully to face him. The courtesan that had remained behind had vanished undoubtedly to some side room to avoid any potential violence about to break out.

“Since you do know something, I suppose it’ll be force. Woodborne, take care of Erasmus please.” Aurelian whipped his head to Valkorius, giving him a blank look.

“Are you serious.” Aurelian turned, eyes widening as he ducked under Erasmus’ meaty fist that sailed through the air. Another wild punch was thrown as Aurelian weaved around it. He didn’t hear whatever Valkorius was saying to the madam now as he pushed himself off the desk right into the bouncer, shoving him back several steps. Annoyed now, Erasmus grabbed Aurelian and tossed him to one of the walls, the elf hitting the wall with a loud crash.

“Leave now.” The bouncer uttered, voice deep and booming. “Or the next toss is out the door on your ass.” Aurelian groaned as he got up, winding his right arm and wincing from the bolt wound still there.

“Try me, brute.” The bouncer sighed, moving forward to grab Aurelian. Aurelian pushed himself off the wall into the bouncer, sending a right hook that smashed against his cheek. The bouncer stumbled back, having no time to recover as Aurelian sent another punch against his chin. Two blows were all it took for the man to fall back slowly, slamming onto the ground with a resounding thud.

Aurelian winced as he pulled back his arm, looking at his hand to see if it was scratched in any way. He briefly glanced up at Valkorius and the madam with an annoyed look. The madam by that point had drawn a knife, pointing it at Valkorius with bristling anger. She looked over at the commotion of her bouncer falling, rolling her eyes in disappointment. That brief distraction was all it took however as Valkorius brought up his hand, waving it. The dagger’s tip began to glow with a sickly green hue, before the metal of the blade began to melt. The madam hissed as she dropped the dagger’s hilt, stepping back.

“Fel magic.”

“Yes, and do you know what fel magic does.” Valkorius asked. When she did not answer, he continued. “Just as it can corrode metal it can dissolve skin, muscle and bone in mere moments. You can watch every agonizing second of your body turn to a sizzling puddle. That is just one of the many fun things I can do with fel magic.”

“What do you want.” The madam finally muttered, composing herself as she realized Valkorius was not about to attack.

“Information on the Red Dahlia. I want to know why she’s working against the rebels.”

“If you were her friend you’d know she has no love for the demons or loyalist forces, stranger.”

“Then why did she kill four nobles, including a rebel sympathizer.” At that the madam paused, tilting her head in confusion.

“What?” When Valkorius nodded the woman sighed, leaning against the desk with her hands. Aurelian noticed the previous courtesan enter the room from one of the side doors, cautiously eyeing the fallen bouncer then Aurelian.

“Lady Stargrove was aiding the rebels by providing information on patrols, as well as aiding their escape from the city. She was murdered by the Red Dahlia.”

“Damn; I was hoping that wasn’t her.” She paused for a moment , as if contemplating whether she should talk. “I suppose then you’re rebel supporters.” Valkorius nodded, motioning for the madam to continue. “Aldronya used to be a frequent customer here, fancied one of our courtesans. They became lovers, I believe. About three fortnights ago, some huffed up man and his men came in asking about Aldronya’s lover, wondering if they could buy her for the evening. All three were cloaked. I had an uneasy feeling about them, and told them she was unavailable.”

“Did you get their names?” Valkorius asked, waving a hand for Aurelian to join him. Aurelian’s brow narrowed at the mention of a lover, eyes falling on the leather book still resting on the desk.

“Cyrenia was her lover I’m presuming?” Aurelian questioned, folding his hands together as he leaned on the desk.

“Yes, she was. As for their names, I did not catch them. They simply left without further word. The next night though…more came back. There were seven of them, all guards of course, as well as one of their demonic enforcers. They demanded I hand over Cyrenia on suspicion of rebel activity, and if I did not comply they would arrest everyone who worked in The Bountiful Boudoir or give them to the demon. Cyrenia gave herself over to them. Since then, I haven’t seen Cyrenia or Aldronya, though I’ve seen enough of the damn guards for a lifetime here.”

“So they took Cyrenia as leverage against Aldronya.” Aurelian muttered over to Valkorius, who nodded in response. “They wouldn’t have killed her or Aldronya wouldn’t be a puppet on their string.” He turned his attention back to the madam, eyes narrowing. “And you have no idea who took her?”

“None. I didn’t get a good look at them, and the guards who took her were normal guards like the idiots upstairs.”

“Damn. Thank you for the information, madam.” Valkorius turned to leave, pausing mid-step. “And if you could not let the guards know anything about us, I’d be most appreciative.”

“Not a word will leave my lips. Gentlemen, a good evening.” Both Valkorius and Aurelian left as the bouncer was just waking up, groaning. As they exited the brothel, night had already fallen on the city. The streets remained abandoned, leaving the two alone to contemplate.

“What’s our next step?” Aurelian asked, turning to Valkorius. “I can only assume the lord was Corvayon, but we have no idea where he may have taken Cyrenia.”

“I’m not sure,” Valkorius confessed. “Our options are limited. We ca-“ he paused, ears perking as he turned around back towards the brothel. Aurelian raised a brow, following where he was looking. The brothel door swung open, the barely dressed courtesan all but leaping out.

“Wait!” She shouted, blinking as she realized they were still right outside. “Oh, I thought you had wandered off already.”

“No. Can we help you miss…?”

“Saris, my lords. You said you were lookin’ for Aldronya?” Both Aurelian and Valkorius shared a look before nodding. “I don’t know where her or Cyrenia are, but I can tell you about the man that questioned for Cyren.”

“Oh? What can you tell us.” Valkorius placed his hands together, eyes focused on the woman. She seemed to shrink under his gaze but continued.

“He was a rather important sounding man, rolled his r’s all dramatically. When him and his men passed by I smelled juniper and ginger, neither of which is cheap here. They wore red cloaks with a golden dragon on them and-“

“A golden dragon?” Valkorius interrupted. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, on a red background. I tried to offer the man a good time when the madam told him Cyrenia was unavailable, but he called me a whore and left. Bastard.” Valkorius looked at Aurelian, giving a nod before turning his attention back to the girl.

“You’ve been most helpful miss Saris. I appreciate the information.” The woman gave a curtsey in response.

“Of course, my lords. Cyrenia was a friend, and all the girls liked Aldronya. If you can help them, id be thankful.” She turned to leave as Aurelian was reaching into one of his pockets.

“Wait.” He called out. The girl paused, eyeing Aurelian. Her eyes widened as he withdrew two gold coins, gratefully taking the money that Aurelian offered out. “For the information.”

“T-thank you, my lord! If you ever find yourself in the area again, I can show you the most wonderful evening you’ll ever have.” She gave a wink, before leaving the two alone.

“That was awfully kind of you.” Valkorius stated as he watched the woman return to the brothel.

“That had nothing to do with kindness. She offered a service, albeit one she probably wasn’t used to. Plus, if the guards or anyone question her about us, she hopefully won’t rat us out. Now, a gold dragon? Is that not the sigil of Erimonte?”

“As is the crimson clothing. Looks like it wasn’t my son that took the girl. It would seem Erimonte is indeed in league with Illuria. I knew he had been supporting the Legion, but I had figured his political goals clashed with Illuria. I say it’s time we pay Erimonte a visit and find out where he imprisoned Cyrenia.”

“Isn’t Erimonte’s estate on the opposite side of the city?” Valkorius didn’t answer, instead breaking into a run towards a side alley. Aurelian rolled his eyes, muttering a curse as he took off after him.

#World of Warcraft #Aurelian Indaris #Skullcrusha writing #Tales of the Gilded Lands

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gettzapped · 4 years

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This message is for anyone it reaches.

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Namaste.

You know you’re climbin’ the hill when yer having your morning coffee & you look up & see Bob Marley’s grown grandson jammin’ on Good Morning America. At age 16, I literally drove up & down all the back roads of my neighborhood, just to smoke weed & sing along to the entire Bob Marley box set word for word. I would totally crush that category on Jeopardy right now. Bob had it right, from the get go. Bob to me then… was this super awesome human that ruled the world.

He was young-ish to me, even though he had already passed away by then via a sudden death, & would have been around 45, my age now. Back in the 90s he was this bold & beautiful teacher & preacher who was & is one of my most cherished & significant life-altering mentors to date.💯 He was the dude who taught me the real meaning of God & love, going way beyond the antiquated & limiting, many times hypocritical, beliefs of the Catholic church, with all due respect.

Everything I was taught to believe growing up via the Catholic curriculum, was tainted with guilt & repetitive prayers that underhandedly belittled our beings as if our duty was to grovel at the foot of a holier than thou God Man in the sky. Bob Marley was a pure channel of the most high without the filter of man. He told the TRUTH, not the bent or twisted truth version. Looking back in retrospect, what a special soul, nothing short of a GIFT to this world. Fast forward… THIRTY years later…

Times, they are ‘a’ changin’.

Here we are, circa 2020. Is it me? Or, does being alive right now, in this strange day & age feel just a wee bit kinda heavy, too serious, a small drag even, & not very sweet or free spirited? Travel is either banned or limited, stay at home orders are either being encouraged or enforced. Mask wearing has us all hidden from each other. Not to mention, events, celebrations, Sunday Funday, Date Night or Girls Night Out… are just not the same with a mask on. Ya think? Masks, the Corona Virus itself, a giant dense dust cloud aptly named Godzilla, & recently banned choke holds, are literally limiting our ability to breathe in not just fresh oxygen, but also Prana life-force. What a sad state of affairs.

Massive locust swarms are ravaging Africa, the Middle East & India in record numbers causing all kinds of serious problems. There is such a thing as a murder hornet, & you might have one in your back yard. The impending election is more like an impending knock down drag out street fight to the death. Can you picture it?

Trump Vs Biden>>>

Calling the cops right now for regular community concerns is debatable. Law enforcement folks everywhere are either getting hemmed up or resigning. Skeletons are coming out of high places & are causing people to step down from offices. Fatal “lost” footage of incidents of police brutality are now surfacing every week & these incidents contain absolutely unacceptable & shocking behavior.

There are protests all over the world, daily & for the 5th week in a row now because of this. National statues & monuments are being defaced & knocked down. New laws are being passed, executive orders enforced, states of emergencies declared, & Constitutional rights are in major question. Not to mention, the official 2020 hurricane season just began. And, oh yes… wild fire season is coming for ya too… I can already see the ominous glow strewn across the horizon.

Cyber bandits are in hacker heaven as they ruthlessly stalk work at homers like never before. Glitches have been common place beginning with PPP loans going to businesses that didn’t even need it. Our federal government just sent 1.5 BILLION dollars in stimulus payments to deceased people by accident. Can someone tell me how it makes any sense that people are still starving in other countries when dead people have that much money? And, if millions of mistakes were made with stimulus checks… imagine how many mistakes will be made with mail-in-ballads?

Social distancing has us all separated & suspicious of each other.

Hugs, kisses & mingling are frowned upon. Vacationing is practically prohibited, & god forbid you might want to casually date, have a cocktail, see live music… or get on a dance floor. Many pools are closed & you could get a hefty fine if you are on a beach without a mask. There is crazy talk about mandating vaccines, & that if you don’t comply, you could be dragged into a clinic & forced to take the needle. Did someone say “Police State?”

po·lice state /pəˈlēs ˈstāt/ noun [a totalitarian state controlled by a political police force that secretly supervises the citizens’ activities. A police state is a government that exercises power through the power of the police force. Since the beginning of the 20th century it has “taken on an emotional and derogatory meaning” by describing an undesirable state of living characterized by the overbearing presence of the civil authorities. The inhabitants of a police state may experience restrictions on their mobility, or on their freedom to express or communicate political or other views, which are subject to police monitoring or enforcement.]

SOUND FAMILIAR? You tell me…

There continues to be an uptick in cases, a reverse in openings, a rise in unemployment, & many small businesses do not have a fighting chance. Our economy is crashing & I wouldn’t be surprised if front line workers across the globe either seek an early retirement or become alcoholics at the end of this. Just the words alone “Corona Virus,” are enough to drive anyone mad at this point. If I have to hear David Muir say those two words one more time, I think I will just… spit. lol

What I would give to just have another go at summer camp ’85… when Tom & Jerry & a fat bowl of Apple Jacks ruled Saturday mornings, MTV was the greatest new invention, the pool & the ice cream man were the highlights of my day. Ah, days of innocence, ignorance & bliss, pig tails, & pink glitter jellies… I was 8, lol.

The Old Earth is dying to make way for the New Earth that is emerging.

I feel sad, I can’t help it. There is a death taking place. A grieving period is at hand. The old familiar is being laid to rest. If you are a Gen-Xer, & you don’t feel just a wee bit sentimental right now, you might just be a robot with wirey machine guts & no soul. Those do exist ya know. They work for the impostor network, fondly named hu-bots in our likeness. 🤖🤖🤖 Just making that up. But ya never know… 😳

As far as I am concerned, we have all been here on earth before, many, many times actually. Indeed, according to the Akashic records (or book of life), we have all lived on Earth in various other forms & dimensions or lifetimes of experience & expression that took place among all the many chapters of human existence. The returning is called reincarnation.

That said, I’m really not being a brat when I snip snap how annoyed I am right now. We might have cell phones & instant gratifications all over the place, & could be considered the most spoiled of any generation before us. And, no, we are not having to run for cover from bombs or hide from dictators, forage for food, or travel for days on horseback just to get home, but… god damn it…

We ARE having to endure a planetary transformation, like none ever experienced before. 🦋

Akashic Records Explained: click here!

There has got to be something said about that, right? I mean, come on. Let’s not sugarcoat. This entire stranger than fiction scene via 2020, is a straight shit show, if I ever saw one. If Aliens were looking down on us right now, they’d be like, “pass the space curls, Bra, what do ya say we kick it at the ship for a bit, rock some Netflix & chill… looks like the Earthlings are straight freaking out.” 👽👽👽

Ya think? Just when ya think it can’t get crazier, IT DOES. Am I lying? You just can’t make it up. And, every time ya turn on the talking head show… Blondie’s at the center of it all with some variation of reckless tweet in hand & that weird game face grimace that was solely constructed to throw people off. That part frown, part scowl & part smirk face. The smirk scowl frown. Trump has officially coined it, for sure.

To be clear, I’m not for or against Mister Trump, for several valid reasons.

But, as far as lip service is concerned, his stage presence could use a little pick me up. You know I’m not lying. We could really all use an articulate leader right about now, who knows how to speak from the heart & genuinely channel some wisdom, grace, goodness & guidance. But… we have the game show host of the Apprentice instead. Oh well. Looks like it’s up to us to be individually empowered cheerleaders then. 😎

I gotta say, if you are truly what you eat, then Mister Trump is definitely a hot dog. His diet is not a healthy one. I kinda feel sorry for the guy a little, I really do honestly feel like he is missing LOVE in his life. It just goes to show that you can have all the money & power in the world, but still be empty inside. No wonder why he insists on holding these big rallies, it’s the only way he receives the praise he needs to feel loved. Even Donald Trump deserves that. I think someone needs to tap ’em on the shoulder & when he turns around, just pull ’em in for a great big 5 minute bear hug. He needs it.

Anyway… going back to what’s happening to society at large, our entire infrastructure of how we KNEW things, what we grew up on, have been accustomed to, & familiar with… is crumbling. It’s a hard pill to swallow, any way you look at it… no matter who you are & how you slice it. Even history is being rewritten, if that even makes any sense. Sometimes deep down in that remote part of me, I just wish I was time traveled back on that horse in the Midwest riding through hills & valleys marveling at the sunset on the stretching vast horizon, chewing on a stick, tipping my hat to strangers, the whistle in the wind, my zen.

No more innocent puffy cotton candy days of ignorance & bliss for us.

The truth is all over the place now, in our face, on sidewalks, picket signs, park benches, billboards, bumper-stickers, brands, sides of buildings, peoples masks & tee shirts. Truth messages are everywhere ya turn. We can no longer get away with being spaced out, uninformed, unaware or broken. It is the information age after all. Now-a-days, ignorance is a choice.

Healing your demons or not, is also a choice, with so many various modalities currently available to clean, clear & help navigate through problematic issues, mental illness, or psychological challenges. Shame on you if you choose to continue to stay sick, stuck or stewing. For the love of God, you have a duty to the human race to be your best self. Stop being a pussy (with all due respect). There are no more excuses that give you a pass. We are all NOW WOKE, almost upon every single level, & if you are not… well, you must be either living under a rock, in major denial, not have internet, in a coma, really stoned, zoned out or zooted.

Speaking of which, opioids are NOT cool anymore, kids. They used to be though, in the Frank Lucas days of the sixties, or back when Sid Vicious shouted obscenities all over London town like a raging mad lunatic. They were even cooler when the garage band, grunge era squeezed every melodramatic dark & stormy personality out of the wormwood-work in the 90s. Kurt Cobain was smashing guitars & falling off stages, the ghost of Jim Morrison was God, mosh pits were a local staple, & droves of squatters, “gutter punks,” & “Deadheads” traveled in packs. They were a movement of sorts blanketing the nation with their knotty beaded dreads, guitar cases full of coins & joints, scabies, body odor, stray dogs, tatts & green & gold mohawks.

Just loitering all over your town, this brand of misguided youth had a knack for learning the hard way, & probably really thought they could put Raves & Dead shows on their resume under the relevant experience section. In those days, a Rock Stars’s M.O. was: dead in a hotel room at the ripe age of 27… The magic # for dying young. Being found dead with a needle in your arm under a bridge was not all that uncommon. Back in the day, that was actually a dignified way to to go, of sorts, in a twisted poetic kind of way.

EVERYBODY was high back then.

Nothing mattered. No one cared. No one had to, really. Cause we all had a slew of good excuses memorized that made total sense & could hardly be denied by the status quo. Society was in the throes of dirty secrets, social injustice & an impending civil war, not to mention WAR. The kind where 1000s of soldiers are senselessly killed on foreign soil. Irac war, Desert storm, Gulf war, Afghanistan, Al-Qaeda, eventually 911 & the war on terror. I’m no war buff but if you Google “war from 1990-2002,” Wikapedia produces a list 50+ long. War List

We were the rebellious kids making noise all over the place that carried the sins of our fathers to the extreme & acted out on the world stage because of it. That was the way we protested for change. Black painted nails, lips & eyes, ripped flannels, fishnets, chains, piercings, steel toe Doc Martins, patchouli, & cloves. Mosh pits, crowd surfing, a week long Dead show tripping balls was how we channeled our inner rage & copped right out of society.

We all had shitty childhoods. We all were scarred by religion or abuse. All of our genes were compromised & most of our family units were broken & dysfunctional. Many of us came from drugs & alcohol & poverty in the first place. Especially those who wound up trapped in a broken system disguised as a rescue mission called “Foster care.” We were bullied, outcasted, still in the closet, & also still secretly separated by race, gender, sexual preference, religion, nationality & class, whether anyone wanted to admit to it or not. There was an underlying segregation on every level.

We all smoked cigs, blunts, bowls, hit bongs, you name it.

There was the straight edge crew, however we all had the same core emotional discourse with each other. Speaking from the perspective of the darker end of the spectrum, we were constantly skeeming, scamming, bending the rules & breaking the law. School royally sucked & prospects for college weren’t a priority. We were gonna play music, hang on the corner or in a yard, get high n live in the basement or a back seat of a car forever & pan handle, dumpster dive, table score, & steal shit to stay afloat. Most of us wound up addicts or alcoholics & had to diligently dig ourselves out of a big black hole eventually later on, me included. Jay & silent Bob ring a bell? Yep, totally my generation.

Jackass anyone? Yep, also my generation… 😬

I wonder whatever happened to the many peeps of crazy Gen-X? I bet at least half are dead.

News update: those days are over, people. Heroin, dope, smack, whatever ya wanna call it, is OUT, not in. Heavy drugs & any kind of substance abuse is super frowned upon now. Copping out, dropping out & nodding out is no longer a thing. Can’t get away with shit, now. Not to mention there are cameras on every single stitch of every single corner. Big brother is not only watching, but if you have your location feature turned on, on your phone right now… the feds can show up at your exact location within seconds. Back in the day, drug dealers had cops paid off. Crooked cops & local politicians were not uncommon. And when the warrant unit kicked in the door with a Rolodex of mug shots, a blow job for a blind eye was an even exchange. Not to mention, no one had phones with recording or location devices back then, no body cams… it was easy to be a stealthy deviant.

Can’t even get high, now-a-days, cause you are more likely to die first. Heroin packets are laced with Phentanol, first & foremost, AND ALSO… many other cuts that kill. Now, is not the time to be an Amateur. Heroin is no longer a recreational drug people may casually partake. It was always a risk & had always been abused to the max, no doubt… BUT NOW>>> it is a bonafide death wish, 100%, hands down. Russian Roulette, anyone? Doing dope is dangerous circa 2020, now more than ever before, simply for this very reason.

JUST SAY NO, is an understatement.

There is no endearment in the dope department, no fondness of the “nod,” or the punk rock kid just wigging out on the front lawn. No, we are woke now. Ignorance & bliss no longer exist. Period. End of story. Now is the time to get clean, if your not. Seriously, it’s just not cool anymore. The opioid crisis as they call it now, is such an F-ing, annoyance of our day. If you are not a part of the solution, then you are absolutely part of the problem. We frown upon problem people with issues, & addictions. The world today doesn’t play that mini violin for ya any more. Either you utilize the massively funded system in place to stop using drugs, get help, get healed & get completely redirected or go to jail & stay there. Zero tolerance is en vogue now. People are sick & tired of dealing with the folks who are sick & tired.😕

Back in my day, you were lucky if you could get into a 3 day detox… & if you did, there was a good chance you wouldn’t get any further treatment after that. The government didn’t care about us. We were scum of the earth to them. Not to mention, that 3 day detox was likely located right in the heart of the hood where you got high in the first place. All we did for 3 days was throw back orangy shots of methadone, gobble carbs, binge on sugary snacks, slirp serious coffee & smoke loads of everybody’s cigarettes.

With any luck, we’d catch a 5 cent rehab romance or two & get laid in a maintenance closet. Then we lazily lounged around in our shower shoes, with our “poor me” hats on… bragging about endless war stories, each one trumping the next. Squeeze a few mandatory NA meetings in there, & we were all feeling like, (big fat L on the forehead) Laaa—ooosers. By the time they let us back out… we weren’t clean or rehabilitated, we were worse, with brighter bad ideas & way better connections to way better shit. And waiting right outside, strategically placed there I’m sure… was the pusherman across the street on the corner, with your fresh blue Bart Simpson wake up bag to boot.

Once again, in case you haven’t noticed there is zero tolerance these days for any of that business. No body likes drug dealers who pollute our youth & no body wants to see anymore succubuses running around dumbfounded by life. Go get yourself some help, & stay there, ride it out & come out the other side with some sense, bro. Our world needs people with clarity, useful knowledge, skills & INTEGRITY. Not drop out losers & leechers. Take that shit elsewhere.

Maybe the Aliens will let you kick it with them in some space pod, where you will be welcome to space out. Cause this world today that we live in? Ain’t playin’ that runaway train wreck shit. 76 is the new 46 & Jerry Springer is probably floating around on a catamaran somewhere in the south of France right about now, puffin’ a Cuban & sippin’ Scotch from a lowball. And 81 year old Maury Povich is finally retired, probably livin’ in a Hawaiian shirt on a fishing dock in the Keys, sittin’ pretty on that heap of stock he invested in the paternity test market back in the early 2000’s.⛳🏌🌴

Yes… okay, it’s the 21st century, so let’s be reminded that unlike ever before, a large demographic of opioid addicts are actually functional responsible adults. The addict avatar is no longer just the junkie.

I see you…

“Soccer mom” types top the list. Suburbia pill pushers that have normal 9-5 lives & even go to church on Sunday are the new brand of dealers on speed dial. Attention: YOU TOO… need to snap out of it. You’re not foolin’ anybody, with your salon fresh, tennis mini skort wine Wednesday happy pill prance. You’re not foolin’ anybody with your side part Rico suave, plaid golf shirt little league coach next door swagger. We know what you have in your purse or back pocket. No matter who you are, it’s all the SAME GAME. Substance abuse doesn’t discriminate. Your behavior is no more useful to our society than the kid stoned on the step. You are reading this for a reason. Pass this message on to your base!

Remember when the Jehovah Witness folks used to go around knocking on everyone’s door & then leave those sunshiny pamphlets all over town for the pigeons to shit on? Those “Watchtower” pamphlets some with the heading: “The New Earth,” had pencil sketches of the world all happy, free & in perfect harmony. Well, turns out they weren’t too far off base. This historic moment now, is the long awaited age of Aquarius which has been described in religious literature to be the fateful end of times & the birth of the New Earth times.

However, the fantasy cartooned depiction of a mass “Rapture,” where only those who are saved fly up to heaven on some wondrous beaming holy elevator, while all the others are left here to go up in the flames of hell fire, isn’t accurate. This implication of impending doom was & is simply just a tall tale or fantastic fable construed to depict an exaggerated version of events that would come to be. The truth of the matter is, yes, while it may look like a shitshow here on Earth right now, there will be no actual Rapture. There will be a rather, gradual process of renewal, redefinition, reinvention, restoration & new beginnings here on the planet as we get through to the other side beyond the death & destruction of the old familiar ego-based infrastructure. “Oh so that’s what those cats were talkin’ about…”

This era we are living through & particularly this year 2020 phase of it… is the day & age when all the old distorted programs get extinguished.

Any & all the sludge that is leftover stuck to the streets, bathroom walls, or to peoples attitudes… will be exterminated. Up to & including the opioid crisis. This opioid crisis is gonna get flushed right down the toilet of yesteryear with the rest of the outcasted old paradigms, bad habits, poor patterns & expired programs. 🚬🚽💉💊 The system has already been implementing pseudo opioid pharmaceutical maintenance drugs such as buprenorphine, for some time now, which will indefinitely replace actual opioids in the end, for good. Going forward from now on, these controlled substances will initiate a mass rehabilitation like none ever seen before. No exceptions. So if you are a drug addict… you best rethink your position & consider jumping on the bandwagon… before one of those itty bitty bags or homemade pills drops YOU like a fly. Cause it’s only a matter of time.

Just like Antifa… there are underground militia that are wired for active duty, who work for the upper echelon who are given special orders to corrupt the system in special very intentional ways. Opioids are deliberately laced with lethal chemicals. You don’t know?? Nothing is an accident. The system will clean up these streets one way or another. May as well go get on the all expenses paid million dollar maintenance plan express. Choo! Choo! That’s what the system has set up for the substance abuser, the addict & user, at this time.

Then, you too can start being an asset to the community instead of a billowing idiot who nods out on steps & forgets to eat & shower, work & be responsible. Society has outgrown the drone. Bands like Alice & Chains, Stone Temple Pilots, Tool, Slayer, Marilyn Manson, Danzig, Disturbed… just to name a few, aren’t relevant anymore. On the other end of the spectrum, Biggie Smalls, Tupac, NWA growin up in the hood type stuff that was super fueled with aggressive tones, egregious frustration, anger, revile & retribution, too, are not relevant any more.

That kind of corrupt cryptic culture no longer serves us.

Teenage angst, overdosing, gang banging & suicidal tendencies are no longer en vogue. The heavy wave of darkness that was held in place by art imitating life like that… is no longer drowning our culture in lament & contempt.

Rolling Stone is now about the band or musician most likely to start a non profit & raise a skillion dollars for hungry kids & starving goats somewhere in Thailand. These artists today are all evolved & enlightened with backstories of triumph & positive vibes. Most of the musicians & artists who created memorable moments back in the day, did so from a place of total unrest, rebellion, anger & anxiety & as a reflection of the dark underbelly of a society gone rogue on so many levels.

It was the beautifully flawed artistic era of the creative expression of the “shadow.”

It was where conflict, dark emotional stuff, pain, grit, grief, & escape mechanisms lived & were even celebrated. Being stoned to oblivion, tripping balls for days, slingin’ rock, dope or weed, partying overboard or head banging with a vengeance was a common thread. However what the world needs now… is LOVE, sweet love, drug & hostility free. All that crazy immature rigmarole that made us pumped for destruction before, is simply not accurate or useful anymore.

Geez, for the past 100 years, since Al Capone days, our culture has both feared, served, & glorified gangsters. The Italian Mob, The Irish Mob, The Cartels. These people were glamorized for their bad attitudes, & bass ass personas. They were esteemed for their violent no nonsense malevolent activity. Story after bloody story told, movie after movie made to showcase their swag. Talk about art imitating life, the general populous romanticized De Niro movies & the Sopranos. And, Al Pacino? The holy grail. Every drug dealer’s house I ever went to back in the day had a “Scarface” poster on the wall, no kidding.

“Say hi to my little friend…” was like a friggin mission statement to them.

I mean, don’t get it twisted, I am 100% Italian from Philadelphia Pa, & these people were my ancestors. They have an endearing quality to me more than anybody. But, just because that’s what one is familiar with, doesn’t make it right. These guys look like my Dad, brothers, grandfather, uncles & cousins. I get warm & fuzzy just seeing their stony mugs. Somehow, It makes me feel safe & like Spaghetti dinner on Sunday. And, voila! That’s how they get ya. A good mastermind lures you in with Ted Bundy charm, smarts & swagger & then when you’re not looking, he beheads the dog & cuts you into pieces & sends them in a box to your mother.

Our culture has put bad characters on pedestals, idolized cold blooded killers that were ruthless & dangerous.

In doing so, we basically condoned cruel & unusual punishment & just about revered made men as hometown heroes. Mafiosos were nothing short of a menace to society. These local terrorists infiltrated the streets, neighborhoods, & communities with fear, lies, deceit, drugs, infidelity, violence, greed, prostitution & organized crime. Law enforcement was in on it many times, they all were in bed together. So many senseless deaths over the years. Thank god, that craze & obsession with this avatar is expiring now. Those old gangsters need to stay right in the graves they lie in. R.I.P.

We do not have room for angst or aggression in our midst, anymore.

Don’t ya think we’ve had enough?? That tired old program is defeated & withering away with the horse it rode in on. It’s about time that we move to improve, & begin to infuse our communities with positive vibrations. Sounds familiar doesn’t it? Bob Marley box set anyone? Gee, if Bob was alive circa 2020, he would have been proud… lol. Hemp gardens, weed farms, weed bars, CBD products, cannabis culture, legalization of marijuana. I bet Bob has rolled over in his grave so many times by now, he decided to get up, climb out & do a dance. Not saying cannabis is the answer, but, it can definitely be a vice we can work with going forward, to help generations transition to an eventual substance free life mode.

That said, we now have the tools to go forth in style & become the tribe of humans we were destined to become.

Not only do we have the cannabis culture to assist by making the transitions smoother & less resistant, but we have established & secured a holistic movement. Today in this country & across the globe, there is a mass alliance of lightworker individuals who work for the highest good of humanity. This worldwide movement of people endorse, promote & practice holistic healing methods, spiritual guidance systems, natural remedies, mindset shifting, metaphysics, meditation, yoga, breathwork, & all the Spiritual Arts. In lieu of pharmaceutical drugs, holistic health practitioners now offer organic natural medicinal solutions to ailments & illnesses that do indeed work to restore & protect wellness without toxic chemicals with likely side effects.

Now more than any time in history, we have 1000s of healers (with bells on) all over the map, who are ready & waiting to help.

If you are willing, you can even learn to be one of these people, via online certification programs, classes, retreats, & live events that teach, reveal & implement sacred knowledge. You too, can now become a life coach, energy worker, healer, wayshower, soul guide, spiritual advisor, or holistic practitioner. There are thousands of specialized programs to explore. The Mind Valley Academy, being one of the most popular educational platforms with a plethora of bootcamps, classes & programs to sharpen, shift, & assist you in becoming the best version of yourself thus fulfilling your Divine purpose. Heck, YouTube is now chock full of amazing portals of knowledge & wisdom, as is Facebook live.

No longer must we sit around waiting & wondering when & how & who & what & why me?? No longer do we need to be victims & victimizers, escape artists, fear-based hate mongers, or blind followers who avoid the true good humane experience of a life well-lived. No longer must we subject ourselves to distorted miscreated wounded identities that evolved from the lack, limitation, blocks, densities, & old stuck stuff inherited from our wounded ancestors generation after bloody generation. That’s the outdated version of the human being.

👿😟😱😠😓😫😞😒😢😐😬😶😖😵😴

It’s time for love, light & high vibration. Lets graduate.

It’s time to upgrade the system to meet the needs of the new normal the new brand of human wherefore he is mostly freed from those spiky chain links of a distorted, miscreated, wounded identity.

The melancholy of yesteryear was born from the underlying sicknesses beneath the surface.

Just look at all the sick, twisted, despicable, & most times diabolical behaviors of Catholic child molesters, Boy Scout molesters, Olympic (USA Gymnastics) molesters, & all the famous rapists like Cosby, Weinstein, Epstein, R Kelly, & Matt Lauer who ruined soooooo many lives. Look at all the covered up sex assault cases in the Military. Look at the millions of Indigenous women that have gone missing to no avail. Look at the 10’s of thousands of unsolved rape cases, with kits to prove it, dating back decades, that are still buried in file cabinets to the ceiling in warehouses across every municipality there is. Look at all the clandestine sex trafficking rings, incest cases, international gender inequalities that force females to be slaves or sexually mutilated. Look at all the insidious sex assaults that had been woven into the fabric of the dysfunctional modern day corporate world & a predominately sexist society, up until now. Harassment in the workplace, unfair treatment, unequal pay, & mad disparities between races & genders have been rampant across the board.

In the current 2020 climate, we are now seeing sex abuse, racism & police brutality unearthed center stage for everyone to witness. All the wrongdoing in our culture is now being EXPOSED in all its glory once & for all. The Twelve Step program says: “secrets keep us sick,” & this applies here. No longer can any of these unethical destructive behavioral patterns infiltrate our human society, if they are publicly displayed. As all of it becomes a secret no more… we as a nation of human beings can begin to walk down the road to recovery & heal. Recovery from the addictions humans have to each other, injustice, control, power, mistakes, missteps, fear, anger, pain, grief, greed, suffering, sex, food, abuse, overuse, the 7 deadly sins, if you will.

Originating in Christian theology, the seven deadly sins are pride, envy, gluttony, greed, lust, sloth, and wrath. Pride is sometimes referred to as vanity or vainglory, greed as avarice or covetousness, and wrath as anger. That sounds about right.

How about human’s horrible addiction to animal flesh & product, otherwise known as meat, seafood & dairy?

This unnecessary propensity to consume animal at all the levels that we do as a race… is no longer a mode of survival, it is a gross abuse & misuse of power to the absolute EXTREME. There is absolutely NO REASON we as a human race NEED to consume animal product in the excessive EXTREME way that we are brainwashed to do. IT’S WRONG.

And, I’m sorry I’m not sorry, but Asian countries are the worst. They kill dogs for food, for godsake. RIGHT NOW, terrified dogs & cats are crammed in cages in some dark back alley in China, waiting to be tormented, tortured & killed by sick & twisted bad greedy people for the sake of a sale & unnecessary human consumption. What is wrong with these people??

Animals in cages, animals shoved in pens, animals caught in traps, animals violated, tortured, taunted, hunted or executed… THIS IS NOT OKAY. God’s creatures deserve humane rights & dignities, & deserve to be honored, respected & valued. Any human being that goes against that, is going against GOD. In circa 2020, there are millions of animals far & wide abused, hurt, tortured, imprisoned, slaughtered & murdered every single second of every single day upon this Earth planet. Any HUMAN drone, monster or blind follower that commits these heinous acts, plays any part in them, endorses them, funds them or participates in any way… will be subject to KARMIC BACKLASH. Do not be mistaken.

🐷🐮🐶🐒🐴🐑🐘🐔🐣🐖🐂🐎🐄🐟🐙🐬🐐🐏🐅🐕🐓🦌🦏🦆🦅🦁🦃🦀🦂🐰🐒🐢🐧🐦🐻🐨

Did you know that kielbasa & sausage are made of residual meat guts stuffed into a casing made of animal intestines. The chicken you ate yesterday was slaughtered inhumanely for your unnecessary consumption.

Gummy bears are made with beef gelatin. Red food coloring like in a Red Velvet cake is made of beetle bodies. That collagen in your beauty product is likely made of bovine connective tissue. Cow’s milk does NOT do a body good, either.

Maybe we should consider taking a page out of certain celebrity playbooks…

Sugary stuff made with sweeteners such as high fructose corn syrup, “diet” stuff made with sucralose, & artificially flavored & colored stuff made with genetically modified organisms… are harmful & can even be deadly. These things if consumed regularly over a period of time, will rot your teeth, corrode your arteries, spike your blood levels, & age & deteriorate your body, heart & mind. Over time, these things will produce poisonous bacteria & micro organisms that will make a home in your G.I. track & inevitably will compromise your ability to expel waste. That means, you will rot from the inside out, like a toilet that is never flushed. Pretty gross, but pretty true.

PROPAGANDA is false advertising that is constructed for one reason: to make people believe they need a certain product in order to be healthy or happy… or else. Or else is the key catch phrase here. It’s the oldest marketing trick in the book… to employ urgency via a fear of the consequences of missing out on that benefit.

They lie to us.

This shit is not cool or healthy or aligned with any kind of new improved direction we as humans are desperately attempting to move in. We should outlaw all of it. That stuff doesn’t reflect us anymore. Just like the Confederate flag, the slave owner soldier statues, the class warfare of our tax system, the rich getting richer & poor getting poorer system of a bogus democracy, the 9 to 5 American Dream sham model, lame excuses for hourly wages, the federal standard “minimum wage,” exorbitant student loan debt, high interest car payments & mortgages that enslave us for decades. Then we have deeply inaccurate text books, biased history books, an uninspiring school system & an outdated crooked curriculum that we have been forcing on our children generation upon generation, to learn & absorb by law. What a miscarriage of justice. None of it works. None of it even makes sense.

This is the “old familiar” that no longer serves us.

All of it is based on rotting outdated principles that do not build or advance us positively. All of it was invented by the ego-based regime of a man made system that honored a man-made rule of law. At this point, it no longer fits the bill, & has proven over time to be extremely insidiously damaging & counter intuitive, to say the least. Statistic after sad statistic we see a clear systemic failure to properly deliver life, liberty & the pursuit of happiness. Do people really still believe the BIG LIE? It’s hard to watch the mainstream media sometimes, when so many stories featured are with people who play the victim card. The system was made to label, divide, separate, brainwash, control, manipulate & victimize. It was a set up to begin with.

The entire world infrastructure has produced extreme class warfare, economic, cultural & educational disparities. The American system has produced extreme class warfare, economic, cultural & educational disparities & has been designed to work only for a select few. The system has failed the rest of us royally. The system that had been in place all these years has essentially sold us all snake oil. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. The good intention in this case is the sale of the American pipe dream. Buying into the chasing the tail mentality of a 40 hour workweek & all that goes with it, has taken our souls hostage while breaking spirits & breaking up families. Ants marching, drones, zombies, blind followers, rats in cages, sheeple, whatever ya wanna call it. The system over all, has produced & proliferated a plethora of adverse conditions. Instead of thriving citizens, we have just surviving citizens, big difference. The system of man’s government, society & free enterprise needs to be revised.

In one way or another, the current structure of government, society & free enterprise has clearly produced & proliferated the following:

[Sickness, disease, dissatisfaction, unfulfillment, obesity, struggle, fear, anger, sadness, stress, anxiety, mental illness, poverty, food deserts, food insecurity, hunger, homelessness, helplessness, hopelessness, violence, terrorism, war, slavery, addiction, substance abuse, crime, suicide, child abuse, sexual abuse, domestic abuse, unwanted pregnancies, abortion, damaging control dramas, a dog eat dog dynamic, us versus them mentality, overworked & underpaid struggling slaves to society & ultimately a compromised quality of life across the board.]

I don’t call that a successful system. That system has riddled us with issues, drama, & pain. That system has exhausted us, diluted us, damaged us, & corrupted us. What we need is reform to the highest degree. We need mass renovation, redefinition & reinvention, NOW. This unjust system must be rewired to fit a new improved system of advancement that serves us honestly, fair, balanced, efficiently, effectively for all, & based on principles with morals & values that serve God’s law not man’s.

We must ultimately move away from the “rape consciousness” of the earth & its inhabitants, to the consciousness of compassion.

By honoring Mother Earth we activate the Divine force of unity, oneness & love. We go from ego-based living to soul based living, leaving behind what no longer serves us as we go forth to unlock the Divine within. This shift must happen in order for humankind & the planet to be spared from karmic consequences of death & destruction. Matter of fact it IS happening right now as we go through this 2020 year. Lightworkers & Wayshowers are working tirelessly across the globe to download new DNA codes & upgrades so to assist humanity into moving into a 5D experience here on Earth. Not to mention, the planetary realm & the sacred science of astrology has been delivering eclipse after eclipse to assist in these massive energy shifts happening to not only us, but by & large to the very crystalline core of the Earth Star, upon every single level!

Flowers will smell more fragrant, air will be fresher, music more melodic, food will feed not just the senses, but the soul.

Our lives will no longer be burdened by old expired programs of survival, sacrifice, suffering, trading time for money, but be aligned, attuned, calibrated & upgraded, rather, to a new & improved level of existence. A new level of existence wherefore everything we have been living thus far will just BE BETTER, brighter, easier, more advanced, enjoyable, flowing & fulfilling. You could call it, moving closer to the paradigm of Heaven on Earth.

Instead of being takers, thieves, or energy vampires stealing from the planet, others, animals & resources… we become radiant evolved bringers of light, harvesters of abundance, & conscious creators. Instead of being savage scavengers, suffering succubuses, victims & blamers we become responsible manifestors of life-giving habits & practices. Habits & practices that restore, preserve, protect, fortify, revitalize, & energize. Habits & practices that produce, provide & promote peace. Habits & practices that heartily harness holistic health, happiness & harmony.

The goal & ultimate endgame, is to collectively move away from our addiction to pain, struggle & suffering.

This long overdue courageous quantum LEAP of faith begins when we give ourselves permission to level up. When we willfully choose to move into embodying our light codes, activating our light bodies & thus upgrading our beings into a higher vibratory frequency on a cellular level, we do that. Only in this way can our multi-dimensionality be integrated into our “mundane” daily lives. Mundane daily lives AKA the 3 Dimensional & 4 Dimensional realms.

Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) Christians are often criticized for claiming that Jesus is the only way to God. But what he/they meant was this: only by raising the vibration/frequency of our energetic Auric fields, can we coexist with the Earth plane & Planet Terra in a more advanced 5 Dimensional God-forward way. Raising our vibration is how we embody the Christ (Cosmic) Consciousness (essentially embodiment of said Jesus), & is indeed the ONE & ONLY way to live free & be in alignment with the totality of LOVE. Only via raising our vibration can we experience & express the “God Image” we were meant to be made in. Only by WAY of raising our vibration do we & can we embody the TRUTH & LIFE, Jesus was speaking about.

*3 Dimensional (height, width & depth physical plane)

*4 Dimensional (emotions, time, space, astral plane)

*5 Dimensional (Angels, guides, elemental beings, beyond the veil of illusion or physical/emotional planes. The Fifth Dimension is a level of consciousness. We move into this level of consciousness after Self Realization or the realization of our GOD selves has occurred.

And in & through entering the “Kingdom of God” this way… we thus free up the many burdens of this 3D level of experience. We thus loosen the chains of the 3D physical realm of low hanging fruit which has essentially bound us to the dense & heavy vibration of malevolence & misfortune. if we choose to RISE, we can & will facilitate a much smoother earth plane experience & thus exist here in a higher vibratory frequency mode. Technology is now in the process of going from 4G to 5G, just as our beings are now similarly going from 3D to 5D & beyond. It’s no coincidence this is happening simultaneously. We update & upgrade our technology as warranted, what makes our beings or souls any different? I’m like walking around with a sign that says: “Getchyour DNA upgrades here!” lol

It is now TIME to integrate our Divine Sovereignty.

There are free ACTIVATIONS available all over the place. I will list links below. That said, let’s reach up & pull that grace down into us. It is now time for us to no longer fear death by no longer fearing to live LIFE FULLY. It is now time to delete old programs & paradigms that kept harbored heartache alive. Each & every time an old pattern or program, or deceptive or negative thought arises, just consciously release it into the white light of transmutation. It’s easy. Each time one surfaces, simply acknowledge it & let it go. Catch & release, if you will. Imagine watching it rise into the light, pop & disappear with all the rest of the popping bubbles of injustice, inequity, & fear.

Then, state this powerful affirmation with conviction: “I NOW RELEASE any pattern or program that no longer serves my highest good or the highest good of others. I NOW RELEASE any & all habits or addictions that no longer serve my highest good or the highest good of others. I NOW UNLOCK my true Divine I AM presence. I NOW UNLOCK my true inner Divine avatar. I NOW EMBRACE my soul’s true purpose. I NOW EMBRACE my highest vibrational center point of gravity. I NOW ALLOW perfect union with the Divine. I NOW ALLOW the ease of this life to serve me. I NOW KNOW my next step. I NOW KNOW my next move. I AM confidently moving into Authentic Action. I AM Divinely guided & light-filled as I move forward ever-present on the Divine path of my highest calling. Easily & effortlessly do I RISE. Repeat as needed.

Fear & scarcity only arise to protect us. These are a false sense of security & are illusions there-of. F. E. A. R. False Evidence Appearing Real.

There is nothing to fear here.

A new day has dawned, one of perfect union with the Divine, one heart, one love, together we rise. So it is!

Namaste

Jenay Zapp (keep scrolling)

One Love

Bob Marley

Press Play!

One love One heart Let’s get together and feel all right Hear the children cryin’ (One love) Hear the children cryin’ (One heart) Sayin’ give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel all right Sayin’ let’s get together and feel all right

Let them all pass all their dirty remarks (One love) There is one question I’d really love to ask (One heart) Is there a place for the hopeless sinners Who has hurt all mankind just to save his own beliefs

One love! What about the one heart (One heart) What about the people Let’s get together and feel all right As it was in the beginning (One love) So shall it be in the end (One heart) All right Give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel all right Let’s get together and feel all right

One more thing Let’s get together to fight this Holy Armageddon (One love) So when the Man comes there will be no, no doom (One song) Have pity on those whose chances grows thinner There ain’t no hiding place from the Father of Creation

Sayin’ one love What about the one heart (One heart) What about the Let’s get together and feel all right

I’m pleadin’ to mankind! (One love) Oh, Lord (One heart) Give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel all right Let’s get together and feel all right Give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel all right Let’s get together and feel all right

Songwriters: Curtis Mayfield / Bob Marley

3D… R.I.P.✌

Press Play!

Activation List:

Ask Angels website for activations

Era of Peace website for Vlog activations

New Earth One website for 100s of activations

“The name AMERICA is an anagram for the I AM RACE. This name was intended to reflect a race of God Conscious people comprised of ALL races, ALL nationalities, ALL cultures, ALL religions, ALL creeds and ALL Lifestyles. A race of people who are functioning within the full embrace of their I AM Presence reflecting Oneness, Divine Love, Reverence for ALL Life, and decisions and actions that perpetually reflect the highest good for ALL concerned.”

—Patricia Cota-Robles http://www.eraofpeace.org

It’s now up to you to decide for yourself. If you made it all the way through til the end, this message was meant FOR YOU.

Namaste

Want more sacred TRUTH & fun smart mouth brutal honesty?

TAP FOLLOW!!

#JoinTheConsciousRevolution

My most recent BOOK HERE>>> Rise! To the occasion!

Click Link>>>View & purchase All BOOKS here!

11 ways we Birth the New Earth: 2020 edition

Ignorance & Bliss no longer exist: A message for addicts & everyone else Want more sacred TRUTH & fun, smart-mouth brutal honesty? TAP FOLLOW!! #JoinTheConsciousRevolution This message is for anyone it reaches.

#5th Dimension #Activatioin #Addiction #America #Bob Marley #Covid 19 #Gen-X #New Earth #New Paradigm #The Shift #transformation

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acidflash · 6 years

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The Secret DJ

This is the third book in succession I’ve read about the phenomenon we love and know as Electronic Music. I think that’s what to call it anyway. As time goes on I like using that term less and less as “EDM” becomes more and more infused into our everyday lives. Either way, whatever you want to call it each book has been significantly different in its approach to this intoxicating lifestyle but equally enjoyable. “Ninety” by Johnny Proctor was a foray into fiction and Acid House, “Sonic Youth Slept On My Floor” by Dave Haslam was a memoir that heavily focused on his DJing and now we have “The Secret DJ”, a memoir of sorts but it reads like fiction with its larger than life escapades! I loved it and would highly recommend reading this to anyone. I’m not sure this is particularly a “book review” per se but I talk about it and what parts of it mean to me.

The Secret DJ is a series of tales from a now fifty something DJ who was one of the original “Superstar DJs”. He takes us on a non-chronological journey of debauchery, realism, philosophy, narcotics, comedy and education. Several characters play a supporting role, none more so than Tour Manager his, well tour manager obviously. Except he sounds like the most useless tour manager ever and is saved by the fact he sounds like the most hilarious wingman you can imagine. Possibly not for The Secret DJ but certainly for the reader.

The book is written obviously from an anonymous source and focuses purely on life on the road as a working DJ, apart from a couple of life-changing events. There’s no childhood stories that give you hints of the life to come, there’s no background as to how he became a DJ, it’s just straight in with the mostly comical japery and what it’s like to endure/enjoy that lifestyle that is so revered by many, but so few could ever withstand.

As someone who started DJing back when few people did I can empathise with so much of the book. I’m around 10 years younger so although I was part of the first army of “bedroom DJs”, there were far fewer of us than there are nowadays and there was no sync button. Much of his outlook is “I’m an old bastard and it was much better in my day”, and as much as I try not to be, my outlook is not too dissimilar. Of course it’s wrong, there are undoubtedly things that were much better “back in the day” but there are also better things nowadays. Sometimes the same thing is why it was better then/now. We had no camera phones so everyone just got on enjoying themselves, but few of us have much of a record of the great times we had bar what we can remember, which let’s face it isn’t a lot. Clubbers nowadays can keep physical memories of these great times. I’d prefer to just enjoy myself and not worry or cringe about what people I’ve been out with might slap on social media but there are certainly pros and cons to both sides of that argument. Likewise how organised things are these days. There was so much adventure 20/30 years ago, you didn’t quite know if things would happen or not, there wasn’t always security, chill out zones etc. so there’s better safety nowadays. Whatever way you look at it there were good things and bad things about the different eras.

Anyway I digress. There were many passages I’d like to highlight but I don’t want to give too much away. Nothing more annoying than reviews or previews that give away all the “best bits”. Instead I’ll tell you the ones that resonated with me the most. You can read it yourself for the funny parts, of which there are many.

His description of how the art comes more naturally the less you try for instance - “Have you ever tried too hard at something physical, a sport or a game? Have you noticed how you are never better at it when you’re not trying at all? It’s that.” Bang on. Once you can do something on autopilot then you’re sorted. Most of us probably drive a car without thinking about what we’re doing most of the time, it’s like that. Once you start thinking whether your clutch/accelerator co-ordination is correct then you suddenly start changing gear poorly.

Likewise, mistakes. We’re human. Be immediately suspicious of anyone who appears to be mixing “perfectly”. Little mistakes show up reality. Technology is doing most, or all, of the work if absolutely nothing is going wrong. I almost always used the crossfader to mix, and once I got so deep into a mix where I was using the channel slider I forgot the crossfader was still stuck in the middle. The record eventually ran out when I’d faded it out almost perfectly, I slammed the channel slider back up triumphantly thinking the crossfader was right over and had a great surge of adrenaline. Then the next song started, not only were there huge brass stabs at full volume but obviously completely out of time with the record that was playing. Took me around 5 seconds to work out what the hell was going on before I stopped the record. The following month I turned up to play again at the same club to discover they were selling the set I’d done that night on CD. The first half the monitors barely worked so there were trainwrecks and then there was that big mistake. I was mortified. Everybody who I spoke to over the next few months loved it and didn’t care so I stopped caring. Ride your mistakes out, realise everyone makes them and eventually you’ll lose the fear. Unless you are playing in front of 5000 people obviously….

Treating people in the service industry not only with respect (as any even remotely respectable human being should) but to turn it round and be the subservient one. In turn you will be treated much better and for longer. I don’t work in the service industry but in a role that has similarities, trust me when I say the better you treat me the further I will go to give you a great service. In The Secret DJ’s case he also treated them well so that when things inevitably got fucked up later on he was also in credit. Plan ahead in other words.

Talking about Tour Manager he fondly describes how he is the only person made a better person by cocaine, “Some people genuinely have great trouble coming forth from their shell, and sometimes the mollusc within is very special”. Great words and instantly endears you to TM. Their relationship is clearly very special. Well I guess it has to be when he’s useless at being a tour manager!

Talking about the “Shazam generation” and how the research has been taken out of record finding, he says “Being a DJ is about being an authority, which comes through contact and immersion, not mental tourism. In this Information Age, the true hazard is that information gets confused with knowledge. Just cos you have something doesn’t mean you own it”. Incredibly sage words.

Twice I actually cried with laughter. I find laughter to be incredibly infectious and rarely laugh hard on my own even when watching something funny. To laugh at a book so hard that my daughter thought there was something wrong with me takes some doing. Without particularly giving anything away, one downer-addled adventure ends with him saying “If this was a film, there would now be a montage of stills of ascending idiocy”. My head was already doing this, seeing it written out in words tipped me over the edge. Secondly, “MOORSEBERRY SHREWSCAKE”. I couldn’t breathe by the end of this story. Seriously, I couldn’t.

On fame - “One day people loved what I did, then they didn’t. But the things I made were the same. Odd”. We can see it as punters when someone’s musical output doesn’t really change in terms of quality but suddenly a newer, younger kid is on the block and they’re forgotten about. A fickle mistress indeed.

As the book edges closer to the end a very sobering event happens to The Secret DJ. I must say it did knock me sideways a bit, I wasn’t expecting it to hit me so hard. He hinted early in the book that he “lost it” in some way and went off the radar but it was shocking. He writes it in a very blasé way too, I think perhaps as a defence mechanism - making light of what is a very serious situation. How he even managed to survive is a miracle, far less write the book.

Lastly, an extremely poignant quote. “To this day I have no idea how you can spend so much joyful time with another human and end up not seeing them ever again”. I’m sure most of us who spent many years clubbing can fully understand this. Outside of family I had the most amazing time of my life with a few people you can easily count on your fingers. With the exception of one I’ll probably never see them again for various reasons. It still fucks with my head a bit, even years later. How did we go from saving the world, looking out for each other no matter what the situation was, feeling like there was no-one else in the world either understood us or even existed, having the maddest adventures that bound us together for ever more, to never seeing each other again? Growing up I guess. Drifting apart. Shit going down.

Think I’ve hit several tangents there and I was meant to be telling you how great a book it is. It’s a great book for two reasons, the storytelling is first class and will take you through a range of emotions, which lets face it is what you generally look for in a book isn’t it? But also I can connect with so much of it. Like Dave Haslam’s book I mentioned at the start there is so much of the book I get on a personal level. Some of its music-related and some of it’s personality and some of it is both. I guess those of us who obsess enough about music to go down the DJing route are probably similarly built.

One last thing, and I suppose it’s the elephant in the room. Who is he? There are a vast array of clues, although he says something near the end that means you can’t read too far into a lot of them. After all, why write a book anonymously if it’s easy for people to guess? There aren’t too many people he can be and I have a good idea but I like the myth. There’s not really any sniping or secret-telling about other DJs apart from the odd short anecdote and none (apart from the famous Steve Angello incident) are ever named. It just feels like a guy wanted to write a book about his adventures but didn’t want people to know it was him. I know how he feels.

Order it here: The Secret DJ https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0571334482/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i4yxBb5729B54

If you fancy the other books I mentioned you can order Dave Haslam’s here:

Sonic Youth Slept On My Floor: Music, Manchester, and More: A Memoir https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1472127528/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_D5yxBb66E5E24

and Ninety by Johnny Proctor here:

Ninety https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1979953414/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_f7yxBb8C98A14

Review: http://acidflash.tumblr.com/post/174467922138/ninety-by-johnny-proctor-a-review-zico-is-a

#HouseMusic #DJs #SecretDJ #ElectronicMusic #books

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endenogatai · 6 years

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Facebook under fresh political pressure as UK watchdog calls for “ethical pause” of ad ops

The UK’s privacy watchdog revealed yesterday that it intends to fine Facebook the maximum possible (£500k) under the country’s 1998 data protection regime for breaches related to the Cambridge Analytica data misuse scandal.

But that’s just the tip of the regulatory missiles now being directed at the platform and its ad-targeting methods — and indeed, at the wider big data economy’s corrosive undermining of individuals’ rights.

Alongside yesterday’s update on its investigation into the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica data scandal, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has published a policy report — entitled Democracy Disrupted? Personal information and political influence — in which it sets out a series of policy recommendations related to how personal information is used in modern political campaigns.

In the report it calls directly for an “ethical pause” around the use of microtargeting ad tools for political campaigning — to “allow the key players — government, parliament, regulators, political parties, online platforms and citizens — to reflect on their responsibilities in respect of the use of personal information in the era of big data before there is a greater expansion in the use of new technologies”.

The watchdog writes [emphasis ours]:

Rapid social and technological developments in the use of big data mean that there is limited knowledge of – or transparency around – the ‘behind the scenes’ data processing techniques (including algorithms, analysis, data matching and profiling) being used by organisations and businesses to micro-target individuals. What is clear is that these tools can have a significant impact on people’s privacy. It is important that there is greater and genuine transparency about the use of such techniques to ensure that people have control over their own data and that the law is upheld. When the purpose for using these techniques is related to the democratic process, the case for high standards of transparency is very strong.

Engagement with the electorate is vital to the democratic process; it is therefore understandable that political campaigns are exploring the potential of advanced data analysis tools to help win votes. The public have the right to expect that this takes place in accordance with the law as it relates to data protection and electronic marketing. Without a high level of transparency – and therefore trust amongst citizens that their data is being used appropriately – we are at risk of developing a system of voter surveillance by default. This could have a damaging long-term effect on the fabric of our democracy and political life.

It also flags a number of specific concerns attached to Facebook’s platform and its impact upon people’s rights and democratic processes — some of which are sparking fresh regulatory investigations into the company’s business practices.

“A significant finding of the ICO investigation is the conclusion that Facebook has not been sufficiently transparent to enable users to understand how and why they might be targeted by a political party or campaign,” it writes. “Whilst these concerns about Facebook’s advertising model exist generally in relation to its commercial use, they are heightened when these tools are used for political campaigning. Facebook’s use of relevant interest categories for targeted advertising and it’s, Partner Categories Service are also cause for concern. Although the service has ceased in the EU, the ICO will be looking into both of these areas, and in the case of partner categories, commencing a new, broader investigation.”

The ICO says its discussions with Facebook for this report focused on “the level of transparency around how Facebook user data and third party data is being used to target users, and the controls available to users over the adverts they see”.

Among the concerns it raises about what it dubs Facebook’s “very complex” online targeting advertising model are [emphasis ours]:

Our investigation found significant fair-processing concerns both in terms of the information available to users about the sources of the data that are being used to determine what adverts they see and the nature of the profiling taking place. There were further concerns about the availability and transparency of the controls offered to users over what ads and messages they receive. The controls were difficult to find and were not intuitive to the user if they wanted to control the political advertising they received. Whilst users were informed that their data would be used for commercial advertising, it was not clear that political advertising would take place on the platform.

The ICO also found that despite a significant amount of privacy information and controls being made available, overall they did not effectively inform the users about the likely uses of their personal information. In particular, more explicit information should have been made available at the first layer of the privacy policy. The user tools available to block or remove ads were also complex and not clearly available to users from the core pages they would be accessing. The controls were also limited in relation to political advertising.

The company has been criticized for years for confusing and complex privacy controls. But during the investigation, the ICO says it was also not provided with “satisfactory information” from the company to understand the process it uses for determining what interest segments individuals are placed in for ad targeting purposes.

“Whilst Facebook confirmed that the content of users’ posts were not used to derive categories or target ads, it was difficult to understand how the different ‘signals’, as Facebook called them, built up to place individuals into categories,” it writes.

Similar complaints of foot-dragging responses to information requests related to political ads on its platform have also been directed at Facebook by a parliamentary committee that’s running an inquiry into fake news and online disinformation — and in April the chair of the committee accused Facebook of “a pattern of evasive behavior”.

So the ICO is not alone in feeling that Facebook’s responses to requests for specific information have lacked the specific information being sought. (CEO Mark Zuckerberg also annoyed the European Parliament with highly evasive responses to their highly detailed questions this Spring.)

Meanwhile, a European media investigation in May found that Facebook’s platform allows advertisers to target individuals based on interests related to sensitive categories such as political beliefs, sexuality and religion — which are categories that are marked out as sensitive information under regional data protection law, suggesting such targeting is legally problematic.

The investigation found that Facebook’s platform enables this type of ad targeting in the EU by making sensitive inferences about users — inferred interests including communism, social democrats, Hinduism and Christianity. And its defense against charges that what it’s doing breaks regional law is that inferred interests are not personal data.

However the ICO report sends a very chill wind rattling towards that fig leaf, noting “there is a concern that by placing users into categories, Facebook have been processing sensitive personal information – and, in particular, data about political opinions”.

It further writes [emphasis ours]:

Facebook made clear to the ICO that it does ‘not target advertising to EU users on the basis of sensitive personal data’… The ICO accepts that indicating a person is interested in a topic is not the same as formally placing them within a special personal information category. However, a risk clearly exists that advertisers will use core audience categories in a way that does seek to target individuals based on sensitive personal information. In the context of this investigation, the ICO is particularly concerned that such categories can be used for political advertising.

The ICO believes that this is part of a broader issue about the processing of personal information by online platforms in the use of targeted advertising; this goes beyond political advertising. It is clear from academic research conducted by the University of Madrid on this topic that a significant privacy risk can arise. For example, advertisers were using these categories to target individuals with the assumption that they are, for example, homosexual. Therefore, the effect was that individuals were being singled out and targeted on the basis of their sexuality. This is deeply concerning, and it is the ICO’s intention as a concerned authority under the GDPR to work via the one-stop-shop system with the Irish Data Protection Commission to see if there is scope to undertake a wider examination of online platforms’ use of special categories of data in their targeted advertising models.

So, essentially, the regulator is saying it will work with other EU data protection authorities to push for a wider, structural investigation of online ad targeting platforms which put users into categories based on inferred interests — and certainly where those platforms are allowing targeting against special categories of data (such as data related to racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, health data, sexuality).

Another concern the ICO raises that’s specifically attached to Facebook’s business is transparency around its so-called “partner categories” service — an option for advertisers that allows them to use third party data (i.e. personal data collected by third party data brokers) to create custom audiences on its platform.

In March, ahead of a major update to the EU’s data protection framework, Facebook announced it would be “winding down” this service down over the next six months.

But the ICO is going to investigate it anyway.

“A preliminary investigation of the service has raised significant concerns about transparency of use of the [partner categories] service for political advertising and wider concerns about the legal basis for the service, including Facebook’s claim that it is acting only as a processor for the third-party data providers,” it writes. “Facebook announced in March 2018 that it will be winding down this service over a six-month period, and we understand that it has already ceased in the EU. The ICO has also commenced a broader investigation into the service under the DPA 1998 (which will be concluded at a later date) as we believe it is in the public interest to do so.”

In conclusion on Facebook the regulator asserts the company has not been “sufficiently transparent to enable users to understand how and why they might be targeted by a political party or campaign”.

“Individuals can opt out of particular interests, and that is likely to reduce the number of ads they receive on political issues, but it will not completely block them,” it points out. “These concerns about transparency lie at the core of our investigation. Whilst these concerns about Facebook’s advertising model exist in relation in general terms and its use in the commercial sphere, the concerns are heightened when these tools are used for political campaigning.”

The regulator also looked at political campaign use of three other online ad platforms — Google, Twitter and Snapchat — although Facebook gets the lion’s share of its attention in the report given the platform has also attracted the lion’s share of UK political parties’ digital spending. (“Figures from the Electoral Commission show that the political parties spent £3.2 million on direct Facebook advertising during the 2017 general election,” it notes. “This was up from £1.3 million during the 2015 general election. By contrast, the political parties spent £1 million on Google advertising.”)

The ICO is recommending that all online platforms which provide advertising services to political parties and campaigns should include experts within the sales support team who can provide political parties and campaigns with “specific advice on transparency and accountability in relation to how data is used to target users”.

“Social media companies have a responsibility to act as information fiduciaries, as citizens increasingly live their lives online,” it further writes.

It also says it will work with the European Data Protection Board, and the relevant lead data protection authorities in the region, to ensure that online platforms comply with the EU’s new data protection framework (GDPR) — and specifically to ensure that users “understand how personal information is processed in the targeted advertising model, and that effective controls are available”.

“This includes greater transparency in relation to the privacy settings, and the design and prominence of privacy notices,” it warns.

Facebook’s use of dark pattern design and A/B tested social engineering to obtain user consent for processing their data at the same time as obfuscating its intentions for people’s data has been a long-standing criticism of the company — but one which the ICO is here signaling is very much on the regulatory radar in the EU.

So expecting new laws — as well as lots more GDPR lawsuits — seems prudent.

The regulator is also pushing for all four online platforms to “urgently roll out planned transparency features in relation to political advertising to the UK” — in consultation with both relevant domestic oversight bodies (the ICO and the Electoral Commission).

In Facebook’s case, it has been developing policies around political ad transparency — amid a series of related data scandals in recent years, which have ramped up political pressure on the company. But self-regulation looks very unlikely to go far enough (or fast enough) to fix the real risks now being raised at the highest political levels.

“We opened this report by asking whether democracy has been disrupted by the use of data analytics and new technologies. Throughout this investigation, we have seen evidence that it is beginning to have a profound effect whereby information asymmetry between different groups of voters is beginning to emerge,” writes the ICO. “We are a now at a crucial juncture where trust and confidence in the integrity of our democratic process risks being undermined if an ethical pause is not taken. The recommendations made in this report — if effectively implemented — will change the behaviour and compliance of all the actors in the political campaigning space.”

Another key policy recommendation the ICO is making is to urge the UK government to legislate “at the earliest opportunity” to introduce a statutory Code of Practice under the country’s new data protection law for the use of personal information in political campaigns.

The report also essentially calls out all the UK’s political parties for data protection failures — a universal problem that’s very evidently being supercharged by the rise of accessible and powerful online platforms which have enabled political parties to combine (and thus enrich) voter databases they are legally entitled to with all sorts of additional online intelligence that’s been harvested by the likes of Facebook and other major data brokers.

Hence the ICO’s concern about “developing a system of voter surveillance by default”. And why she’s pushing for online platforms to “act as information fiduciaries”.

Or, in other words, without exercising great responsibility around people’s information, online ad platforms like Facebook risk becoming the enabling layer that breaks democracy and shatters civic society.

Particular concerns being attached by the ICO to political parties’ activities include: The purchasing of marketing lists and lifestyle information from data brokers without sufficient due diligence; a lack of fair processing; and use of third party data analytics companies with insufficient checks around consent. And the regulator says it has several related investigations ongoing.

In March, the information commissioner, Elizabeth Denham, foreshadowed the conclusions in this report, telling a UK parliamentary committee she would be recommending a code of conduct for political use of personal data, and pushing for increased transparency around how and where people’s data is flowing — telling MPs: “We need information that is transparent, otherwise we will push people into little filter bubbles, where they have no idea about what other people are saying and what the other side of the campaign is saying. We want to make sure that social media is used well.”

The ICO says now that it will work closely with government to determine the scope of the Code. It also wants the government to conduct a review of regulatory gaps.

We’ve reached out to the Cabinet Office for a government response to the ICO’s recommendations. Update: A Cabinet Office spokesperson directed us to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport — and a DCMS spokesman told us the government will wait to review the full ICO report once it’s completed before setting out a formal response.

A Facebook spokesman declined to answer specific questions related to the report — instead sending us this short statement, attributed to its chief privacy officer, Erin Egan: “As we have said before, we should have done more to investigate claims about Cambridge Analytica and take action in 2015. We have been working closely with the ICO in their investigation of Cambridge Analytica, just as we have with authorities in the US and other countries. We’re reviewing the report and will respond to the ICO soon.”

Here’s the ICO’s summary of its ten policy recommendations:

1) The political parties must work with the ICO, the Cabinet Office and the Electoral Commission to identify and implement a cross-party solution to improve transparency around the use of commonly held data.

2) The ICO will work with the Electoral Commission, Cabinet Office and the political parties to launch a version of its successful Your Data Matters campaign before the next General Election. The aim will be to increase transparency and build trust and confidence amongst 5 the electorate on how their personal data is being used during political campaigns.

3) Political parties need to apply due diligence when sourcing personal information from third party organisations, including data brokers, to ensure the appropriate consent has been sought from the individuals concerned and that individuals are effectively informed in line with transparency requirements under the GDPR. This should form part of the data protection impact assessments conducted by political parties.

4) The Government should legislate at the earliest opportunity to introduce a statutory Code of Practice under the DPA2018 for the use of personal information in political campaigns. The ICO will work closely with Government to determine the scope of the Code.

5) It should be a requirement that third party audits be carried out after referendum campaigns are concluded to ensure personal data held by the campaign is deleted, or if it has been shared, the appropriate consent has been obtained.

6) The Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation should work with the ICO, the Electoral Commission to conduct an ethical debate in the form of a citizen jury to understand further the impact of new and developing technologies and the use of data analytics in political campaigns.

7) All online platforms providing advertising services to political parties and campaigns should include expertise within the sales support team who can provide political parties and campaigns with specific advice on transparency and accountability in relation to how data is used to target users.

8) The ICO will work with the European Data Protection Board (EDPB), and the relevant lead Data Protection Authorities, to ensure online platforms’ compliance with the GDPR – that users understand how personal information is processed in the targeted advertising model and that effective controls are available. This includes greater transparency in relation to the privacy settings and the design and prominence of privacy notices.

9) All of the platforms covered in this report should urgently roll out planned transparency features in relation to political advertising to the UK. This should include consultation and evaluation of these tools by the ICO and the Electoral Commission.

10)The Government should conduct a review of the regulatory gaps in relation to content and provenance and jurisdictional scope of political advertising online. This should include consideration of requirements for digital political advertising to be archived in an open data repository to enable scrutiny and analysis of the data.

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sheminecrafts · 6 years

Text

Facebook under fresh political pressure as UK watchdog calls for “ethical pause” of ad ops

The watchdog writes [emphasis ours]:

Among the concerns it raises about what it dubs Facebook’s “very complex” online targeting advertising model are [emphasis ours]:

It further writes [emphasis ours]:

In March, ahead of a major update to the EU’s data protection framework, Facebook announced it would be “winding down” this service down over the next six months.

But the ICO is going to investigate it anyway.

“Social media companies have a responsibility to act as information fiduciaries, as citizens increasingly live their lives online,” it further writes.

“This includes greater transparency in relation to the privacy settings, and the design and prominence of privacy notices,” it warns.

So expecting new laws — as well as lots more GDPR lawsuits — seems prudent.

Hence the ICO’s concern about “developing a system of voter surveillance by default”. And why she’s pushing for online platforms to “act as information fiduciaries”.

The ICO says now that it will work closely with government to determine the scope of the Code. It also wants the government to conduct a review of regulatory gaps.

Here’s the ICO’s summary of its ten policy recommendations:

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#IFTTT #iraidajzsmmwtv

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victoriagloverstuff · 6 years

Text

Facebook under fresh political pressure as UK watchdog calls for “ethical pause” of ad ops – TechCrunch

The watchdog writes [emphasis ours]:

Among the concerns it raises about what it dubs Facebook’s “very complex” online targeting advertising model are [emphasis ours]:

It further writes [emphasis ours]:

In March, ahead of a major update to the EU’s data protection framework, Facebook announced it would be “winding down” this service down over the next six months.

But the ICO is going to investigate it anyway.

“Social media companies have a responsibility to act as information fiduciaries, as citizens increasingly live their lives online,” it further writes.

“This includes greater transparency in relation to the privacy settings, and the design and prominence of privacy notices,” it warns.

So expecting new laws — as well as lots more GDPR lawsuits — seems prudent.

Hence the ICO’s concern about “developing a system of voter surveillance by default”. And why she’s pushing for online platforms to “act as information fiduciaries”.

The ICO says now that it will work closely with government to determine the scope of the Code. It also wants the government to conduct a review of regulatory gaps.

We’ve reached out to the Cabinet Office for a government response to the ICO’s recommendations.

Here’s the ICO’s summary of its ten policy recommendations:

Cool read from TC Source Link

0 notes