some otters and their families

Extra otter in the wild:

Summer doodles part 13!

x

A little lyric comic set to 'One More Soul to The Call' by Akira Yamaoka sung by Mary Elizabeth McGlynn. Set to the various characters of Echo, specifically the timeline of C'est le Vie, C'est le Guerre. The fic I wrote back during NaNoWriMo

oh the things you accidentally learn while developing ocs

sydney the fucking psycho killer

Olsen I

Part 7 of On The Inside With Elizabeth Olsen

Word Count: ~3.5K

masterlist

TW: Self Harm. Alcohol addiction.

Y/N POV

The ride to Olsen's feels like it's taking for-fucking-ever. I swear Mr. Bronson is taking every long way he can, but I know that's not true. When he picked me up, he could tell something was wrong. Over the course of the ride, I've sent Elizabeth a handful of texts. I know I'm being harsh, but I'm fucking pissed.

"When were you going to tell me?"

"How many more lies are you keeping from me?"

"Took a look at your wiki ENGAGED since 2019, huh?"

All messages still say DELIVERED.

Looking at her Wikipedia page was weird and only added more fuel to the fire inside me. A small part of my brain knows she must have her reasons, but I'm choosing to ignore it. Most things she told me about herself seem to be true. But why lie? She knows who the fuck she is. Granted, I guess when she picked me, she knew what a fucking dumbass I was.

When the car stops, I finally realize what my hands have been busy with. I look down at the cuts forming on my knees. It's a result of tick I do when I'm nervous/anxious/pissed off. I run my hands up and down my knees, digging into them—something I haven't done in half a year.

Mr. Bronson, like the quick man he is, opens the car door for me, helping me out. I watch him take a brief look at my knees. "I'll be waiting for your return, Y/N." I thank him and make my way to the building entrance. Thankfully no paparazzi are around, well, as far as I know. They snagged that picture of Elizabeth and me from the park, so who knows where those fuckers are.

I greet the doorman and go to walk in before being stopped. I look to the doorman stopping me. "I was just here. I'm a guest of Liz's- um, Ms. Olsen." I grit my teeth. The doorman looks me up and down. "I'm sorry, Miss, I believe you're mistaken." He begins to escort me backward without touching me.

"Really, we're doing this?" I spit out at this man. "Miss, please don't make this a bigger situation." I look up at this man. "Are you kidding me?"

"What seems to be the problem?" I turn around to see Mr. Bronson. The doorman explains how I was trying to trespass and refusing to leave the premises. Fucking prick. Mr. Bronson knows this dude is full of shit, but he pretends to listen to be polite. "Listen, I can assure you that Miss. Y/N is a respected guest of Ms. Olsen, and if you could kindly grab Mr. Madison, he can match my claim."

Mr. Bronson is MVP of the night tonight. When the doorman turns around to fetch Mr. Madison, I turn to Mr. Bronson to thank him, but he looks down at me and winks. "No problem, kid."

Mr. Madison returns without the other doorman. He opens the door, lets me in, and thanks, Mr. Bronson. "I apologize, Miss. Y/N for the trouble that has been caused to you tonight." Getting in the door isn't even my most significant issue tonight. "I'm just thankful you could help me out, Mr. Madsion." He nods, continuing to walk me to the elevator. Once I'm inside, he bids me goodnight.

Like the drive over, the elevator ride feels like it's taking its sweet time. Once the ride stops and the lift dings, I mentally prepare myself as best as I can. The doors open, and I step out into the same hallway I was in hours ago—each step to Elizabeth's door echos throughout my body.

And here I am outside her door.

I knock a couple of times and wait.

Liz POV (earlier)

I cautiously make my way over, unlocking and opening the door.

"Robbie?" I let slip out in my shock.

"Hi, Lizzie." He croaks out. I look at the man in front of me up and down. This is not the man I left in Richmond. The Robbie in front of me has let his beard untrimmed, his face looks beat up, and his clothes seem to hang off of him. I look up into his eyes. The redness and bags hanging off of them tell me everything I need to know.

I've destroyed him.

"May I come in?" I nod and gesture for him to enter. He thanks me and walks in. With his back turned to me, I wipe my now sweat-covered hands off. I watch as Robbie takes a look over everything. "Could I get you anything?" Robbie turns to me. "Just a water would be fine, please, and thank you."

I continue watching Robbie make his way to the couch. He cautiously sits down and waits. I fill up a glass of water and bring it to him. He graciously takes it as I sit down a couch cushion over from him. He takes a sip and places his glass on a coaster. "I know you hate water stains." Robbie and I both give one another a weak smile.

"So where-" "How hav-" We both start simultaneously. "Go ahead." I nod at Robbie.

Robbie briefly smiles before looking off, thinking. I am mentally trying to prepare myself for anything he might ask, but the truth is I don't have an answer for any of them.

"Before we start, Liz, I want you to know that I did not come here to argue." Robbie points his eyes to mine. He's being truthful. "I came here because we left a lot of things unsaid the last time we saw each other. I hurt you." I watch as his bottom lip starts to quiver. "I'm sorry for that. Truly. And um." Robbie breaths in. "I want us to talk about everything from Richmond to now. It doesn't matter in which order. I hope you understand."

"Y-yes," I reply through a broken voice.

Robbie's eyes glance over at me. I can tell he is thinking about how to start. After minutes of silence, a question breaks through the air. "What's their name?" I was hoping we wouldn't start with Y/N, but I can't blame him. "Y/N." I squeak out. Robbie nods, muttering the name back to himself. I also want to ask him questions, but I want Robbie to do it himself. If I start asking, it'll feel like I'm trying to steer the conversation another way.

"This whole time, I thought you were in L.A. Or maybe I just hoped you were." Robbie shrugs. I let my shoulders drop. "Robbie, I- I'm sorry." Robbie shakes his head. "I thought about you every day." Robbie offers. "I thought about you too." I retort, hoping to give him a tiny shred of happiness.

"Were you gonna come back?" The pain in Robbie's voice every time he speaks is like a stab to the heart. "Yes." "For me or your job?" I bite my bottom lip before replying. "Both." A whispered, "Okay." Falls from Robbie's mouth as he goes to take a sip of water. "I should have been more forthcoming and clear from the start. It wasn't my intention to hurt you and make you leave."

I nod. Robbie sees it and falls back into silence. I know it wasn't, but I was blinded by it all at the moment.

"What the hell are you saying!? You want to break up? Is this about what happened on set?" Robbie sighs. "Lizzie, that's not what I'm saying at all!" I throw my hands up, walking away. "Oh, really, Robbie? You just told me you've been thinking that we should take a break and slow down!" Robbie follows after me. "Lizzie! I'm just saying that we've both been way too stressed and busy with everything. Maybe we should slow down!"

I walk up the stairs and into our bedroom door, closing it and locking it behind me. "Lizzie." Robbie tries opening the door but stops when he realizes it's locked. "Babe." I sit on our bed, ignoring him, trying to catch my breath. I'm on the verge of an attack.

I hear Robbie take a seat outside the door. I run my hand through my hair, remembering the last time he asked for something like this.

We were only a couple of months into our relationship. When I was asked if we could slow things down. I was hesitant, but I agreed. His band was starting to do well, and I was being booked more frequently, so it seemed like a good decision. Only for a couple of weeks later, Robbie showed up in the middle of the night profusely apologizing, slurring his words, saying, "she meant nothing." I know he wasn't lying but yeah, it fucking hurt. What hurt even more, was how much Robbie hurt himself over it. That night he showed up. He had cuts up and down his biceps.

So yes, Robbie is right. We've both been stressed as of late. Yes, we barely feel like a couple at times. But I can't help but think about before.

"Is- Is thi- Is this like last time, Robbie?" I ask through the closed door. I hear him shuffle. "Not at all." His voice sounds sincere. Robbie tries the door again, Still locked. "Lizzie, I'm just saying that." He pauses. "That we both haven't felt each other in a while. It just seems like we're here just to be here. Maybe slowing things down and taking a step back might be good."

I break down. I stifle my cries through my palms. I didn't want to hear this. I don't want a repeat of last time. I believe Robbie when he says that's not his intention or plan, but you never know. I try to gather up as much oxygen as I can. I look around the room and make a choice.

_

Before Robbie knew it, I had two bags packed up. I shuffled my way past him and down the stairs. Robbie pleads for me to answer any of his questions, but I can't focus on that. If I stop, my body will betray me. Before I make it out the main door, Robbie asks. "Lizzie, is this it?"

I don't turn towards him, but I answer. "I just need to think about this. Us. I'll call you when I land."

"Robbie." Robbie watches me scoot closer towards him. "Take off your coat and roll up your sleeves," I ask him in a calming tone. I don't want to force him, but I need to know. How is looking at me hurts. He thinks I'm judging him, but I want to ensure it didn't happen. Robbie stands up. He removes his coat, setting it down on the arms of the couch. Robbie shuts his eyes as if he's trying to hide from the world. He carefully rolls up his sleeves.

Robbie stops at his elbows. I stand up and carefully take an arm in my hand: no marks or anything. Robbie still hasn't opened his eyes. I gently place my hand on his elbow, and I start rolling up the sleeves some more.

I take a sharp breath in when I see the first cut. I look up at Robbie's eyes closed and ashamed. I keep pulling up. One cut turns into two, which turns into five. I stop when Robbie places his hand over mine. He's looking at me through tears. "I'm sorry." I don't respond. Instead, I pull him into a hug. Both of us take it as a sign to let the tears fall.

Standing here brings me back to this morning when Y/N held me.

After a while, Robbie whispers something into the top of my head. I pull back, not knowing what it was. "What was that babe- Robie?" Robbie unwraps himself from me and takes a seat at the kitchen island. I sit on the couch cushion closest to him.

"I don't remember doing most of these." I know he is talking about his arms, but he doesn't remember? I raise an eyebrow, confused. Robbie sees it and explains. "Since you left, I haven't been taking care of myself. Well obviously. But I- I've been-" He pauses, but I already know the answer. I knew it from the second he walked in.

"You've been drinking," I say, catching me off guard. Robbie accepts my tone. "The day I decided to call you, after not hearing from you. I woke up on our kitchen floor at 5 P.M." Robbie pauses as he runs his fingers through his beard. "I don't remember the previous night." Robbie lets out a weak chuckle. "As I said, I thought you were in L.A. this whole time. Then I saw the pictures."

I drop my head into my hands. I regret not telling Robbie where I was and if I was safe. I can't imagine the hell that was running through his mind. Because I know I've been there consistently worrying about your partners' well-being for them to be silent.

"Liz." I turn my head up to Robbie. I swear, for a second, I thought it was Y/N. "Yes?" "In Richmond, I asked if we could slow down. That was a terrible way of saying that, but I did it because we were both stressed about the wedding, your show and movie, and my band. But I just wanted us to be in a good position for our future." Robbie gets up and comes closer to me. He sits down in front of me on the floor.

"Lizzie, I believe I still want that." Robbie gently reaches for my hands. I place them in his. "But I'm not going to lie before you left, it felt like for the weeks prior- It felt like we were never on the same page. We just didn't feel each other anymore. Did you feel that way?" Robbie brushes his thumb over my engagement ring. A tear falls from my face at that action.

"Yes. I didn't feel you anymore, Robbie." Robbie lets out a disappointed sigh. "Is there anything I could've done?" My lips quiver at that question because the truth is. "I don't know." I watch Robbie think.

"Robbie, when you said what you said, yes, it hurt me not because it was coming from you but because I already knew it. I knew for a while. I was scared, and I didn't want to face the truth. Robbie, I still love you. I do. But-"

"But it's not there anymore." I nod at Robbie as tears and sniffles fill the room. Robbie gets up from the floor and sits down next to me. I turn to him so we can hold each other for what might be the final time.

_

Being held by Robbie was about the last thing I expected to happen today. But it's something I needed. I'm still kicking myself over how I acted in Richmond. I have anxiety, and for me to treat Robbie how I did when he was being open with me... I'll never forget.

"Lizzie," Robbie whispers, breaking me out of my head. "It's okay. I'll be okay." I cup his face, nodding. "I want to help Robbie." Robbie places his hands over mine. "Lizzie, I- I don't. I- I've been talking with a doctor in L.A. and talked to someone from the Crisis Text Line."

"Robbie I-"

"Don't worry, Lizzie. I know that look on your face. It's one of the reasons I love you. You want to help no matter what. But this is something I have to do for myself. I leave tomorrow morning. No matter how our conversation went, I was still returning to L.A. I just wanted to know if we would be together or not."

"I'm sorry, Robbie-

"Elizabeth." This time Robbie is holding my face. "Stop apologizing. I know what's going on in that head. What's happening between us right now is happening in the most mutual way possible. Plus, you didn't force me to make the actions that I did." Robbie wipes away the tears I have.

"I understand, Robbie, but please, I at least want to do something. Let me come with you to your first visit. Is it tomorrow?" Robbie shakes his head no. "It's in a couple of days when you should be back in London. I planned it that way." I shut my eyes hurt. I know it is for the best, but ow.

I hear Robbie sigh. "Tomorrow afternoon, I'm going to an AA meeting back home. I don't believe I have an addiction per se, but we both know what the last few days have done to me, and not for the first time. So if you want to help, you can make sure I make it to that meeting. Plus, being in L.A. for even a day can make it so I can start moving out."

"Moving out? What Robbie no-"

"Lizzie, we're-" Robbie looks at me, confused. "We're-"

"I know, but as you said, I'm going to be in London. So it'll be easier for you to stay at our- the house. I trust you, Robbie." I pause. I want to say more, but I don't want to make things more upsetting or worse. "You're still my friend." I smile at him.

"Just friend, not best friend?" We both let out a deserved laugh. Robbie looks up into my eyes like it's his last time. "Thank you for everything, Lizzie." I frown, not letting the waterworks start up again. "Thank you, Robbie." We pull each other into another hug before releasing one another. Robbie goes to get up. I watch him curiously.

"This is a little weird, but could I use your bathroom before I head out?" "Robbie, you're not seriously considering leaving right now, are you?" "Well, yeah?" I shake my head no. "You're staying here tonight. No offense Robbie you look like hell. You need a shower and a good night's sleep. Plus, I want to know you're safe. So please stay here tonight." I get up, walking closer to my now ex.

"Are you sure?" Robbie is hesitant, and I get it. "Mm-hmm," I reply. I get closer and closer until I wrap my arms around him. "Plus, I can make us breakfast in the morning before our flight." Robbie puts his arms around me. "I'm going to miss your famous waffles." I unsling myself from Robbie. "What about my anchovy toast?" This causes us to both crack up. "Only a little," Robbie says through a smile I haven't seen in a long time.

_

After helping Robbie find towels and clothes, he could wear later tonight. I helped him get out of his shirt and pants, and even though Robbie told me this was unnecessary, I still wanted to help, plus a part of me was curious to see if he was self-harming anywhere else. Thankfully he wasn't. I started a nice bubble bath for him as he laughed at all the effort I was putting in. But I don't mind.

Robbie sits on the edge of the tub next to me as we wait for the bath to fill up. "Elizabeth?" I turn to him," What's up?" "I just want you to know that if anything did happen between you and Y/N, I'm not mad. You seem happy with Y/N." A smile creeps on my face. I am happy with her. "I figured," Robbie replies, looking away. "We both know I've made mistakes in the past, so I can't blame you if anything happened."

As awkward as it is, to hear Robbie say it was lovely. I thanked him before stealing his phone, so I could start a soothing, calming playlist so he could enjoy as much of his bath as possible.

Robbie thanked me for everything and escorted me out of the bathroom. According to him, it's weird for my ex to watch me bathe. I guess he's not wrong. I clean my face and eyes before exiting. Closing the multiple doors from the bathroom makes the playlist nonexistent, which is good because right now, I could use a moment to think. To think about myself. To think about Robbie and mines future apart. To think about Y/N.

My mind begins filling with Y/N before a set of knocks interrupts me.

After being surprised visited by MK and Robbie, this time, I decide to check the door's peephole."Y/N?" I say to myself.

I unlock and open the door. "Y/N? Why are you here? Are you okay?" I look Y/N up and down. She doesn't seem happy or sad. She looks hurt and upset with a mix anger. "Y/N?" I feel the tension being built between us.

"I never knew the Olsen twins had a sister."

Pt. 8

A/N

If you or anyone you know self-harm I just want you to know that you're not a bad person. We all have shit going on with us. Self-harm is not a mental disorder. It is a behavior - an unhealthy way to cope with strong feelings. The important thing is recognizing it. Talking to someone, anyone who you think can help, is always a good idea.

Here is the Crisis Text Line. Text HOME to 741741 to reach a volunteer Crisis Counselor.

Sorry to leave it on a cliffhanger but don't worry, next chapter! Stay safe, everyone.

If you have any comments or ideas, leave them <3

big spoilers for echo!! Really big**

I don't know if it's a big theory or anything, I can't find a post anywhere else articulating the exact same sentiment, but as I've been going through an echo playthrough on YouTube and getting to reexperience the story in a more removed fashion, I one hundred percent believe TJ is being possessed by echo Sydney. I don't think it works the same way as chase and echo Sam, especially since Sydney doesn't seem to be stuck with someone and is just kind of independently moving around echo without a host in the specific instance we see him, but it feels like the very obvious explanation for the new scavenger hunt and TJ's very obvious, very familiar demeanor changes. I also can't help but notice that in echo there's four major "ghost" entities in the background of the game, and they split off into obvious pairs. John and James are fighting about uncovering the truth of the 1800's incident they were involved in and using living vessels to play that out, and we know *three quarters* of that is happening with Sam and Sydney as well. Echo Sydney doesn't seem to be nearly as well developed of a thing as Echo Sam is, so despite his general untethered state I don't think he's able to sketch out pages of clues and intricately hide them all over town by himself, and I feel like TJ is the very obvious candidate for his vessel if he isn't just constantly switching between people. (Which I believe is also something he probably straight up isn't able to do, echo Sam seemingly needs his current host to either experience a large amount of sudden trauma or die before he can jump) and hell, using the way echo Sam works as an example, TJ was right there when og Sydney died and could have latched onto him the same way same echo Sam got onto Mr. Bronson. I don't think this is a perfect explanation for what's happening with the ghosts, there's a few outlying clues I'm thinking of right now that definitely makes this a very loose theory, but it's the explanation I'm going with since I feel like it's a mystery very obviously left open ended. TJ in general is a very open ended part of the story that didn't get as much explanation towards his thoughts and motivations as other main characters and I definitely believe that's on purpose.

Duppy Echoes 04.02.23

2 Chainz - - Ounces Back

Flying Lotus - Capilaries

Johnny Guitar Watson - Lovin You

B Cool Aid - Coo

5.Action Bronson - Dimitri

6. Kyo Itachi - En Peuf

7.BlackThought & El Michels Affair - Grateful

8.Tappa Zukie - In Dub

9. Mr Vegas - Can't Stop

10. Chiwoniso - Matsotsi

11. De La Soul - Wonce Again

12. Crimeapple - Nala Eva Eacil

13. Witch - Everything is over

14. Rhys Langston - Afro Eccentric Character Screen

15. Blackalicious - Searching

Side B

Bilal - Bury Me Next 2 U

Ras G - Ourtrill

Roc Marciano - Trenchcoat Wars

Love Apple - Love on the side

Luther Davis - You Can Be A Star

Mike G - Champion

Lucki Eck$ - No More Trouble

8.Yabby You - Deliver Me

9. Erykah Badu - Cell

10.Childish - Have some love

11.Parliament - Can you get to that

12. Nas - Get Down

13. Isaiah Rashad - Weak Shit

Link to radio show Here

WHO THE FUCK PROGRAMMED MR BRONSON'S SPRITES IN ECHO

THEY'RE SO FUCKING POORLY SET UP OH MY GOD

Redrew my old Valentines (2023)

Post Source - x

The Fool Tarot Source -  bucks deluxe@deerboydlx  - @deerboy-deluxe

The verses are from 'Again' by Crusher P they feel very apt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrnn9aUT2Ag

This weeks arrivals!

Sorry this is a bit late today, but I had a couple of late deliveries arrive today which I wanted to include in this weeks list. About 130 titles!

New releases from Action Bronson "Only For Dolphins", Beabadoobee "Fake It Flowers", Carcass have released a 10" EP "Despicable", Fuzz featuring Ty Segall have released "III", Glass Animals "Dreamland", Hellripper "Affair Of The Poisons", Hot Chip has put together a new volume of "Late Night Tales", finally got some copies of Kaytranada "Bubba", Laura Veirs "My Echo", Miiesha "Nyaaringu", Mr. Bungle have released a furious thrash album "The Raging Wrath Of The Easter Bunny Demo", Okkervil River "A Dream In The Dark: 2 Decades Of Okkervil River", Sevendust "Blood & Stone", The Budos Band "Long In The Tooth", Troye Sivan "In A Dream" and Yes "The Royal Affair Tour"

New reissues and legacy from Anastacia, Anthrax, Exodus, Guns N Roses, a few Mort Garson releases, PJ Harvey, The Chats, Tedeschi Trucks Band and much much more!!!

AC/DC - Back In Black [LP] AC/DC - Live [2LP] Action Bronson - Only For Dolphins [LP] Alice In Chains - Jar Of Flies / Sap [2LP] (sold) Alice In Chains - MTV Unplugged [2LP] Amy Winehouse - Back To Black [LP] Anastacia - Not That Kind (Pink) [LP] Angie McMahon - Piano Salt [LP] Anthrax - Persistence Of Time (Deluxe) [4LP] Beabadoobee - Fake It Flowers [LP] Ben Harper - Winter Is For Lovers (White) [LP] Billie Eilish - When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go [LP] Black Pumas - Black Pumas (Deluxe) [2LP+7"] (sold) Black Sabbath - Paranoid [LP] Black Stone Cherry - The Human Condition (Red) [LP] (sold) Bob Mould - Distortion: 1989-1995 [8LP Box] (sold) Carcass - Despicable [10"] Carcass - Despicable [CD] (sold) Charles Bradley - Changes [LP] Charles Bradley - No Time For Dreaming [LP] Charles Bradley - Victim Of Love [LP] Cigarettes After Sex - Cigarettes After Sex [LP] (sold) City And Colour - If I Should Go Before You [2LP] Crack Cloud - Pain Olympics [LP] Datura4 - West Coast Highway Cosmic [LP] Deftones - Ohms (Gold) [LP] (sold) Dennis Cometti - Dennis Cometti (Blue/Wht Split) [LP] Dinosaur Jr. - Swedish Fist (Live In Stockholm) [LP] Distillers - Coral Fang [LP] Donny Benet - Mr Experience (Grape) [LP] Elvis Presley - Elvis 30 #1 Hits (Gold) [2LP] Emma Swift - Blonde On The Tracks [CD] (sold) Exodus - Tempo Of The Damned [2LP] Faith No More - Angel Dust [2LP] First Aid Kit - Lions Roar [LP] (sold) Fleetwood Mac - Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac [LP] Foo Fighters - Greatest Hits [2LP] Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist - Alfredo [LP] Funkadelic - Funkadelic [LP] Fuzz - III [LP] Glass Animals - Dreamland [LP] Gorillaz - Presents Song Machine, Season 1 (Orange) [LP] Guns N' Roses - Greatest Hits [2LP] Harry Styles - Harry Styles [LP] (sold) Hellripper - Affair Of The Poisons [LP] Hot Chip / Various - Late Night Tales (Unmixed) [2LP] IDLES - Ultra Mono (Vortex) [LP] Jeff Buckley - Grace [LP] Jimi Hendrix - Songs For Groovy Children [8LP Box] (sold) John Butler Trio - Home [2LP] Kate Miller Heidke - Child In Reverse (Pink) [LP] Kaytranada - Bubba [2LP] Khruangbin - Con Todo El Mundo [LP] Kim Salmon & The Surrealists - Rantings From The Book Of Swamp [2LP] Laura Marling - Song For Our Daughter [LP] Laura Veirs - My Echo (Pink) Lime Cordiale - 14 Steps To A Better You [LP] (sold) Lime Cordiale - Permanent Vacation [LP] Living End - Modern Artillery [LP] Lucifer - Black Mass [LP] Mac Demarco - Rock And Roll Night Club [EP] Metallica - S&M2 (Orange Marble) [4LP] (sold) Meteors - Teenage Heart (Yellow) [LP] Miiesha - Nyaaringu [LP] Mobb Deep - Infamous [2LP] Mort Garson - Didn't You Hear? [LP] Mort Garson - Music From Patch Cord Productions [LP] Mr. Bungle - The Raging Wrath Of The Easter Bunny Demo (Red) [2LP] (1 left, more soon!) Mulatu Astatke & Black Jesus - To Know Without Knowing [LP] Mulatu Astatke & His Ethiopian Quintet - Afro Latin Soul Vol.2 [LP] Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Ghosteen [2LP] Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Skeleton Tree [LP] Nina Simone - And Piano! (Gold) [LP] Nina Simone - My Baby Just Cares For Me [LP] Nirvana - MTV Unplugged: Live In New York [LP] Nirvana - Nevermind [LP] Nirvana - Nirvana [LP] Okkervil River - A Dream In The Dark: 2 Decades Of Okkervil River [4LP] Opeth - Watershed [2LP] Osees - Protean Threat [LP] Parkway Drive - Deep Blue [2LP] Phoxjaw - Royal Swan [LP] (sold) Pink Floyd - A Foot In The Door: The Best Of Pink Floyd [2LP] Pink Floyd - The Wall [2LP] Pixies - Trompe Le Monde [LP] PJ Harvey - Dry [LP] PJ Harvey - Dry: Demos [LP] PJ Harvey - Rid Of Me [LP] Queen - Greatest Hits [2LP] Queen - Greatest Hits II [2LP] Queens Of The Stone Age - Rated R (Rated X) [LP] Radio Birdman - Living Eyes (Rockfield Version) [LP] Radiohead - King Of Limbs [LP] (sold) Radiohead - Pablo Honey [LP] (sold) Radiohead - The Bends [LP] (sold) Rare Earth - Get Ready [LP] Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik [2LP] Regurgitator - Tu Plang [LP] Rolling Stones - Black & Blue [CD] Rolling Stones - Goats Head Soup (Deluxe) [2LP] (sold) Sarah Mclachlan - Surfacing [LP] (sold) Sevendust - Blood & Stone [LP] Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings - 100 Days, 100 Nights [LP] Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings - Give The People What They Want [LP] Sir Shina Peters & His International Stars - Sewele [LP] Skullcrusher - Skullcrusher [LP] Slade - Cum On Feel The Hitz: The Best Of Slade [2LP] Slowdive - Souvlaki [LP] (sold) Soundgarden - Superunknown [2LP] Suede - Beautiful Ones: The Best Of Suede 1992 - 2018 [2LP] (sold) Swamp Dogg - Gag A Maggott (Splatter) [LP] Tedeschi Trucks Band - Revelator (Yellow) [2LP] The Beatles - Rubber Soul [LP] (sold) The Budos Band - Long In The Tooth [LP] The Chats - Get This In Ya (Gold) [LP] The Chats - The Chats (Blk/Red Splatter) [LP] The Exploited - Live At The Whitehouse [LP] (Green) [LP] Todd Rundgren - A Wizard, A True Star [LP] (sold) Troye Sivan - In A Dream [LP] Tyler, The Creator - Scum Fuck Flower Boy [2LP] Various - Daptone Gold [2LP] Various - New Horizons: A Bristol Jazz Sound [LP] Various: World Spirituality Classics - The Time For Peace Is Now [LP] Warren Zevon - Life'll Kill Ya: 20th Anniversary Edition [LP] White Stripes - Elephant [2LP] White Stripes - The Complete BBC Peel Sessions [2LP] Yes - Live From House Of Blues [3LP+2CD] Yes - The Royal Affair Tour [2LP]

New story in Politics from Time: The End Is Nigh: Doomsday Clock Reaches 100 Seconds to Midnight

Here’s the bad news: we’ve all got just 100 seconds to live. Here’s the good news: they’re metaphorical seconds, but the fact is we’ve got just 100 of them and when they tick down, it really could be the end of human life.

That grim assessment comes from this morning’s update of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists‘ Doomsday Clock, announced at a press event in Washington, DC, during which the venerable nuclear watchdog group made its annual announcement of how close humanity is to destroying itself by the twin threats of nuclear weapons and climate change. The position of the clock’s hands is determined by the Bulletin’s Science and Security Board, along with its Board of Sponsors, which includes 13 Nobel laureates.

This morning’s announcement was attended by multiple luminaries in the fields of science and politics, including former California Governor Jerry Brown, former United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, and Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland as well as former U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights.

But it was the members of the Science and Security Board who did most of the talking and gave voice to much of the peril humanity faces. Going into today, the hands stood at two minutes to midnight, the closest they’d ever been in the 75 years the Bulletin has been publishing; the furthest they’ve ever been was 17 minutes to midnight, in 1991, after the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. Now they’ve set a new and ominous record.

“The world has entered the realm of the two-minute warning, when danger is high and vigilance is low” said Rachel Bronson, President and CEO of the Bulletin. “If decision makers fail to act, citizens around the world should rightfully echo the words of [climate activist and TIME Person of the Year] Greta Thunberg: ‘How dare you?'”

Multiple factors when into this year’s announcement, including the U.S.’s withdrawal in August from the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces treaty with Russia. The decision to move the clock forward was made in November, however, which was actually before some of the most ominous developments in the nuclear theater, with Iran threatening to leave the nuclear-control agreement reached under the Obama Administration and abrogated by President Trump, and North Korea announcing that it no longer felt bound by a self-imposed nuclear moratorium, a development it described acidly as a “Christmas gift” to the U.S.

“Since the United States withdrew from the nuclear agreement, Iran has been steadily stepping up its nuclear activity,” said Sharon Sasquoni, research professor at The George Washington University and a member of the Bulletin’s board. “In North Korea there had been hope that Mr. Trump’s unorthodox approach might bring the country to the negotiating table. But now, [President] Kim [Jong-un] has said his country would demonstrate a new nuclear capability and he would press ahead even without sanctions relief.”

The argument for the climate’s role in moving the doomsday clock’s hands—a factor that was added to the Bulletin’s deliberations only in 2007—was made by Silvan Kartha, another Bulletin board member and a senior scientist at the Stockholm Environmental Institute. In 1953, the only other time the hands had stood at two minutes to midnight, “the idea of human-caused climate change was a subject of mere academic curiosity,” Kartha said. “Since that time, greenhouse gases have increased six-fold and the Earth has warmed by 1 degree Celsius.”

As a reminder to climate deniers who argue that 1º C hardly sounds like much, Kartha not only stressed that the thermometer is climbing higher still, but that it took only a drop of a handful of degrees to plunge the world into the last Ice Age, and just a five degree increase in temperatures to thaw the planet back out. Five degrees added to present global temperatures could be disastrous. “If we push the climate to the opposite of an Ice Age,” Kartha said, “we have no guarantee that the environment will remain hospitable to human life.”

There is admittedly more than a little of melodrama in holding so somber an event to set the non-existent hands on a non-existent clock . But the fact is, the Bulletin has been a respected arbiter of how grave the nuclear threat has been since the clock was first created in 1947 and the hands were set at seven minutes to midnight. The 1953 jump to two minutes was in response to both the U.S. and the Soviet Union testing thermonuclear weapons, in which the explosive power comes not from atomic fission, but hydrogen fusion—the same titanically energetic process that powers the sun.

The hands edged back to seven minutes to midnight over the next few years, as Washington and Moscow avoided direct clashes during such flash-point moments as the 1956 Suez Canal crisis. The 1962 Cuban missile crisis actually pushed things back further still, to 12 minutes, because the near-nuclear war seemed to scare both the U.S. and U.S.S.R. straight, leading them to install a hot line between the Kremlin and Washington and to sign the Partial Test Ban treaty.

The Vietnam war caused the hands to creep closer again, to seven minutes in 1968, before President Nixon’s 1972 brokering of the SALT and ABM treaties—limiting strategic arms and anti-ballistic missiles—pushed them back to 12 minutes. Tensions with the Soviet Union during the Reagan years moving things ahead to just three minutes from doom, before the dramatic post Cold War improvement in 1991, when 17 minutes separated us from doom.

Now, in 2020, we’re closer than we’ve ever been. It’s worth remembering, that if doomsday does arrive, it will not be the result of a global plague we did not see coming and were helpless to stop, or of an asteroid strike like the one that wiped out the dinosaurs. Instead, we will be the authors of our own end, a species, in effect, committing global suicide.

“It is madness,” Kartha said simply during the press conference, regarding policy-makers’ heedlessness to the climate emergency. If so, it’s part of a larger madness from which we have only 100 symbolic seconds to recover.

By Jeffrey Kluger on January 23, 2020 at 12:24PM