jocastasilver

Latest Posts by jocastasilver

Yes, Liara T’Soni gets a lot of the spot light in the trilogy, but the way some of her haters demonize her as selfish is gross. Liara comforts you multiple times about the loss of Earth, expresses sorrow about the fall of Palavan, and her reaction to Thessia falling is more about guilt for not doing more for her people than “woe is me!” 

Yes her confrontation scene with Javik is poorly written, but it’s honestly an extension of Bioware dumbing Liara down and mocking her academic career studying the Protheans in order to build up Javik, who I actually do like.

Liara T’Soni is autistic and nothing can convince me otherwise. 

Every person who voted for anti vaxxer and demonizer of autism Jill Stein owes every American autistic person one hundred dollars. Sorry. I don’t make the rules. 

HIV Positive Support

I’m kind of late posting this. But support and good vibes to all HIV positive people as they navigate the COVID 19 pandemic and selfish anti vaxxers. 

Very useful info. 

sorry if this might be an upsetting subject, but what was believed to happen to the souls of those who committed suicide? i read that hekate has reign over and can command spirits that still wander earth due to having died traumatic deaths, like murder or suicide, but that's all i know

Hello, Anon! Thank you for the forewarning, but I've studied ancient Greek and Roman funerary practices and I worship Persephone/ Proserpina and Hades/Dis Pater, so the subject of your ask isn't upsetting to me at all.

In ancient Greece, those who died by suicide were regarded as innocent victims and their bodies were accorded proper burial. ¹

As far as I've been able to determine, the cause of death has no bearing on the fate of the soul of the deceased - deeds are what matter. So if a person has, in life, performed notable or heroic deeds or been initiated into the Mysteries, they receive places of honor in Elysium or the Isles of the Blest. Those who were basically good in life are sent to the Asphodel Meadows. Those who commit hubris (a serious transgression against divine law, such as flagrant disrespect of the gods, cannibalism, violations of xenia, or the murder of kin) receive punishment for a short term or eternity. *

The wandering of souls on earth was generally attributed to the deceased not having received "the honors due to the dead", meaning proper burial and the subsequent commemorations with their names spoken aloud and offerings of garlands, food, and drink at the grave throughout the year and across generations. Those who died by suicide or murder, unbeknownst to their families or friends, may have received proper burial and festival offerings from charitable strangers, but not the rites and offerings expected from their living family, and some of them may been unburied as well as untended. Therefore, they would be among the restless souls led from the underworld by Hekate each month on the eve of the new moon, seeking redress of wrongdoing and their honorable due. Hekate's deipnon, a plate of food crumbs and scraps, was left at crossroads at this time, an offering to appease the goddess and the wandering spirits.²

Wandering spirits were also believed to congregate in the streets of towns during the three-day Anthesteria festival in the spring of the year. On Chytroi, the final day of the Anthesteria, a special porridge of fruit and seeds was offered to those spirits and the last act of the festival was to proclaim to them, “‘Out! Out! Anthesteria is over!” Herbert Jennings Rose proposed that these wandering spirits were "...the spirits of the unburied or at least untended dead...Once a year measures were taken to give these spiritual vagabonds at least a little relief, which done they were got rid of with all convenient speed." ³

It's important to note that when the ancient Greeks made offerings to propitiate restless spirits, they did so at some distance from their homes. One knows one's own beloved dead, and has a good idea whether encouraging any of them to hang out inside one's home would be helpful, but a random wandering soul can become a nuisance and should be encouraged to return to the underworld.

Hope this helps!

*I have no idea how the ancient Greeks who believed in reincarnation worked this. Presumably, everyone got to select some aspects of their next life, except for those who'd reached ultimate spiritual development.

¹ Naiden, F.S. "The Sword Did It: A Greek Explanation of Suicide." The Classical Quarterly, vol. 65, no. 1, The Classical Association, Cambridge University Press], 2015, pp. 85–95, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43905643

² Smith, K.F. "Hekate's Suppers." Temenos, https://sites.google.com/site/hellenionstemenos/Home/festivals/hekatesdeipnon/hekate-d-1

³ Rose, Herbert Jennings. “Keres and Lemures.” The Harvard Theological Review, vol. 41, no. 4, Cambridge University Press, 1948, pp. 217–28, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1508045

I also consulted:

"Greek Underworld." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 6 October 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_underworld

The Greek Way of Death by Robert Garland, 2001 (X) is the best starter text the study of ancient Greek attitudes about death, the dead, and funerary practices, plus it has a rich bibliography for your tangents.

Thank you for providing assistance to us non-tech savvy people. 

I love how the search function on this site is absolute garbage. I can look up a post word for word and I will NEVER find it

ROFL. Angeline is hilarious! 

Sydney: Angeline, why are you drawing a pentagram on the floor?

Angeline: You told me to satanise the dorm before you returned.

Sydney:

Sydney: I said ‘sanitise’, Angeline.

Can I Copy Your Homework? Fruits Basket Edition

I’ll Help You With It: Yuki Sohma (Unless You’re Kyo), Hatori Sohma

Yeah, Sure: Hatsuharu Sohma, Kisa Sohma, Momiji Sohma, Ritsu Sohma (Apologizes Loudly for Any Errors on His Homework)

Bold Of You To Assume I Did the Homework: Saki Hanajima, Shigure Sohma, Ayame Sohma

LOL, Nope: Arisa Uotani, Hiro Sohma, Kyo Sohma (Unless You’re Tohru)

Wait, We Had Homework: Tohru Honda

Read at 5:55 P.M. Akito Sohma, Isuzu “Rin” Sohma (Her Cell Phone is never on)

LOL

Can I Copy Your Homework? Mass Effect Andromeda Edition

I’ll Help You With It: Vetra Nyx, Lexi T’Perro

Yeah, Sure: Jaal Ama Darav, Gil Brodie, Suvi Anwar

Bold of You to Assume I Did the Homework: Peebee

LOL, Nope: Drack, Cora Harper

Wait, We Had Homework: Liam Kosta

Read at 5:55 P.M.: Alec Ryder, Kallo Jath (He read your message, but forgot to reply)

And an amazing boyfriend. 

a fool and a lost jedi

The beginning of a memorable speech.. 

“i could fix him” “i could make him worse” well i come to bury caesar not to praise him. the evil that men do lives after them,

Atton Rand does have a knack for getting into trouble. 

Bastila is hilarious!

Fascinating insights about Floralia and Flora’s cult. 

The Floralia is a Roman festival honoring Flora, the goddess of spring, flower gardens, and crops. It was held each year from April 27th or 28th to May 3rd. She is married to Favonius, the God of the West Wind. Flora was one of the most important goddesses in the Roman pantheon, one of only 15 deities to have a cult administered by a state priesthood consisting of a married couple, who were appointed for life.

The celebration of the Floralia included theatrical performances, competitive games, and a sacrifice to Flora, presumably at her temple on the lower slope of the Aventine Hill near the Circus Maximus.

About the base image:

Flora, or the Primavera of Stabaie; 1st century CE fresco from Stabaie, Italy. Collection of the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli via Wikimedia Commons (X). Image license: Public Domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70 years or fewer and in the United States - published anywhere (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before 1926.

Manipulation: I 'healed' some of the fresco's more obvious flaws and added the floral border.

LOL

This is very accurate. 

assuming bi youth only experience marginalization and oppression when they’re in same gender relationships makes as much sense as assuming that gay people only experience marginalization and oppression when they’re in a relationship

it doesn’t

These are hilarious!

The Romans and Friends on Karaoke Nights

Caesar: Is the only one sober. Only sings bc the others beg him to. Does "All of Me" and is surprisingly good with the high notes

Pompey: Performs "Crocodile Rock." Throws up into someone else's hat that he thinks is his. Did not come in a hat.

Cleopatra: Nails "Hello", has the others crying

Brutus: is very shy and only gets up to sing when he's sufficiently inebriated and Cassius goads him into performing. Surprises everyone with how impeccably he sings Jeff Buckley's cover of "Hallelujah"

Antony: Drunk off his ass, sings mostly hit classics like "Mr. Brightside", "What's my Age Again", and "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" bc he has a *type* for music and it's all 2000s nostalgia

Octavia: Sings "Love Story" and "White Horse" by Taylor Swift while mildly tipsy, trips slightly on the stage but goes on singing

Cassius: Will only sing Fallout Boy. Gets really into his performance of "Centuries" but passes out afterwards and asks for more shots the moment he wakes up

Octavian: Sings "Bad Guy" by Billie Eilish while making unnerving eye contact with Antony

Cicero: gets too drunk and throws up in bathroom without ever singing, cries about his divorce when Cleopatra sings "Hello"

Panera Bread just posted this...

Clearly hoping we’ll forget about this...

Panera Bread fired a Pagan employee because of their religion, and now they think they're being funny with this shit.

https://religionnews.com/2021/03/27/pagan-sues-panera-bread-company-alleging-religious-discrimination/

So yeah, boycotting them for the foreseeable future.

Revan: Malak, we tried things your way.

Malak: No, we didn't.

Revan: I did in my head and it didn't work.

Revan is hilarious

Fascinating!

Today, April 5, is the dies natalis (anniversary) of the dedication of the temple of Fortuna Publica in the city of Rome. Fortuna Publica Romani is the goddess of the luck, fate, or fortune of the of the people and state of Rome.

O, Goddess! Be favorable this day to the people of the modern city of Rome, and to all those throughout the world who revere the gods of Rome!

⋅⋅𖥔⋅⋅𖥔⋅⋅𖥔⋅⋅༻━━━━━━⋅⋅𖥔⋅⋅༻۞༺⋅⋅𖥔⋅⋅━━━━━━ ༺⋅⋅𖥔⋅⋅𖥔⋅⋅𖥔⋅⋅

Featured image: Altar dedicated to the Fortune of the Roman People and Gaius Julius Raeticus, centurion of the Sixth Legion Victrix. Found 1717 in a hypocaust inside Vindolanda Roman Fort. Formerly in the Chapter Library, Durham, now (1995) in the Museum of Archaeology, Durham.

RIB 1684 Inscription:

Fortunae p(opuli) R(omani) G(aius) Iul(ius) Raeticus (centurio) leg(ionis) VI Vict(ricis)

Image source: Bruce, J.C. 1870-1875 Lapidarium Septentrionale  (Newcastle upon Tyne), S. 250, via WIkipedia Commons (X).

Image license: This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70 years or fewer. Public Domain in the United States presumably because it was presumably published in the U.S. before 1926.

Can I Copy Your Homework? Mass Effect 3 Edition

I’ll Help You With It: Garrus Vakarian, Tali’Zorah, Kaidan Alenko, Liara T’Soni, Dr. Chakwas

Yeah, Sure: Steve Cortez, Joker Moreau, Greg Adams

Bold of You to Assume I Did the Homework: James Vega

LOL, Nope: Ashley Williams, EDI, Urdnot Wrex (too busy running things on Tuchanka)

Wait, We Had Homework: Samantha Traynor

Read at 5:55 P.M.: Udina, Citadel Council, David Anderson (can’t respond due to lack of internet on Earth)

Bonus Answer

It Is Not Too Late To Throw Your Homework Out the Airlock: Javik

Dear Right Wing Christians, stop violating the First Amendment, and harassing Pagans. 

Religion News Service

Pagan sues Panera Bread Company alleging religious discrimination

(RNS) — A former baker for the chain said she was told that she 'needed to find God,' according to a court filing.

According to the lawsuit, the subject of McCoy’s religion came up in late May of 2020, when McCoy was on break with the store’s assistant manager, Lori Dubs, and the manager, Kerri Ann Show. Show asked McCoy what her religion was, and Tammy responded, “I am Pagan.”

Show reportedly responded by telling McCoy that she was going to hell, and Dubs “vigorously nodded her head in agreement.”

The lawsuit then goes on to describe a series of other discriminatory actions. Among the complaints are that McCoy’s hours were cut, and when she asked why, she was told that she “needed to find God” before returning to her “previous schedule.”

The comment section for the Wild Hunt's article on this case lists websites, addresses, and email addresses for Pan American Group.

If you contact Pan America Group (which also operates a number of Applebee's. Taco Bell, Arby's, Pizza Huts, and Wendy's) and/or Panera Bread Corporate offices to notify them that you're boycotting their stores because of this case, please, please use civil language so as not to adversely affect the plaintiff or her case in the media or to prospective jurors!

Starting to realize the reason I find Soraya so relatable is, because I struggled with feeling like I was inherently evil due to my autism and ADHD. Her learning to accept her powers kind of parallels my struggles to accept my neurodiversity, although thankfully without a kingdom at stake. 

Stories always begin the same way: There was and there was not. There is possibility in those words, the chance for hope or despair.

Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust (via miithridatism)

Can I Copy Your Homework? Mass Effect 2 Edition

I’ll Help You With It: Garrus Vakarian, Kelly Chambers, Tali’Zorah, Dr. Chakwas

Yeah, Sure: Thane Krios, Grunt, Legion

Bold of You to Assume I Did the Homework: Joker Moreau, Kasumi Goto

LOL Nope: Miranda Lawson, Jack, Zaeed Massani

Wait, We Had Homework: Jacob Taylor

Read at 5:55 P.M.: The Illusive Man, Samara (she doesn’t understand messaging that well)

what qualifies as a “bad” omen?? asking for a friend

Can I Copy Your Homework? Mass Effect Edition

I’ll Help You With It: Liara T’Soni, Kaidan Alenko, Dr. Chakwas

Yeah, Sure: Tali’Zorah, David Anderson, Urdnot Wrex (but you have to pay him)

Bold of You to Assume I Did the Homework: Garrus Vakarian, Joker Moreau 

LOL Nope: Ashley Williams, Greg Adams

Wait We Had Homework: Charles Pressley, Jenkins

Read at 5:55 P.M.: Udina, Citadel Council

LOL. Atton is hilarious!

The Exile: Try not to kill anyone on accident. Atton: I’m not an idiot. I know how to kill people on purpose.